Purpose
Gastroenteritis is the mild-to-severe inflammation of the stomach and intestines caused by a virus, bacterium, or parasite. The purpose of this lab is to identify and discuss common gastroenteritis pathogens, practice working with mixed cultures, and learn basic epidemiological source tracking skills.
In this lab, a multi-state diarrhea outbreak has occurred. Students will receive a case study patient with a simulated diarrheal sample and a list of foods consumed between 48 and 72 hours prior to the onset of symptoms. They will be tasked with determining if your patient’s symptoms are caused by the outbreak strain or some other pathogen. Additionally, the class will compile data to determine the source of the contamination.
Objectives
After completing this lab, students will be able to:
- identify the common causes of gastroenteritis
- interpret the results of common biochemical and morphological tests used to diagnose bacterial gastroenteritis
- isolate and identify bacteria from mixed cultures
- quantify bacteria using the spread plate technique
- develop source tracking skills