EGERTON UNIVERSITY

FACULTY OF HEALTH SCIENCE

DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN PATHOLOGY

Path 320: Immunology Course Outline for MBChB

Credit hours: 4.0 CF

Classes: Year 2 MBChB

Lecture hours: 45

Purpose of the course:

This course is intended to equip the trainee with adequate knowledge and skills in medical
immunology. The course is designed to introduce the students to immunology which is a core
subject to anybody learning medicine and related courses. The subject introduces the students to
the study of how the immune system targets invading microbes, infected cells, tumors and
altered self cells. The immune system is a network of cells, tissues, and organs that work
together to protect the body from infection.

Learning Outcomes
The trainee should be able to;

(i.) Understand body defence mechanisms.

(ii.) Understand immunological methods in disease diagnosis, control and research.
(iii.) Understand immune mediated, immune deficiency diseases.

1
Course Content
-Historical background
-Basic concepts-antigens and antibodies, fate of antigens, response to antigenic stimulation,
structure, classes and biological functions of immunoglobulins, cytokines, complement lymphoid
organs, thymus, immune response cells including T &B cells, humoral and cell mediated
immunity, , Immunogens and antigens, interrelationship between adaptive and innate
immunology, complement activation, immunotolerance, immunosuppression and immuno
enhancement,

MAJOR TOPICS
Topic Description Time
Allocation
1. Introduction to immunology: Definitions, Overview and Historical 4 hours
background
2. Innate immune defense mechanisms: Cellular, humoral and anatomical 4
defense barriers
3. The Complement, activation products, CMI, immune responses- 4 hours
primary and secondary cellular cooperation
4. . Acquired immunity: Humoral and Cell mediated immunity, primary 4 hours
and secondary lymphoid Immune responses, Antigens and antigenicity,
Clonal selection theory.
5. Immunoglobulins: structure, classification and functions 4 hours

6. Hypersensitivity: Type 1,type 11, Type 111 and type V1 Hypersensivity 5 hours
and their mechanisms
7. Cytokines: Actions and interactions 3 hours

8. Control Mechanisms in immune response: Immunotolerance, immune 4 hours

regulation and immune suppression

Mode of delivery
The mode of delivery includes lectures, discovery learning, problem-based learning, experiential
learning, group based learning, independent studies and e-learning.
Lectures – three (3) hours

2
Practicals – One (1) hour

Instructional materials and Equipment

PowerPoint presentations, MS WORDS and PDF documents of lessons as appropriate.

Handouts, Students to read relevant sections of prescribed and recommended medical

Immunology textbooks.

Practical lessons involve conducting of all schedules supervised by technologists

Course Assessment
The students will be given as two Continous Assessment Tests in the course of the learning
period. Students can also be asked to do a researched topic which will contribute to the continous
assessment. The CATs will contribute 30% to the final mark. At the end of the term the students
will do an end of year exam in immunology that will account for 70% of the final mark. The end
of year exam will include both practical and a written paper.

Core reading materials for the course

1. Roitt’s Essential Immunology by Peter J. Delves, Seamus J. Martin, Dennis R. Burton and
Ivan M. Roitt.
2. Immunology by Kuby, Owen, Stunt, and Stranford, 7th edition
3. Lippincott's Illustrated Reviews: Immunology Second Edition by Thao Doan, Roger
Melvold, Susan Viselli, Carl Waltenbaugh