Microbiology topic template
Revised: 6 January 2020
Copyright: 2019-2020, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.
Revised: 6 January 2020
Copyright: 2019-2020, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.
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Example of well written Microbiology topic: Klebsiella oxytoca.
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For ease of use, we put topic headings in the same order. Please put some text under each heading, but do not include obvious or repetitive information. If you think there is nothing to add, please write "not relevant to this topic", "repetitive with __ heading" or "unknown at this time" [i.e. if etiology is not known]. Do not delete any topic headings.
Author name(s) with degrees: ___________________________________________
Author titles: ___________________________________________
Author institution(s):___________________________________________
Author email address(es): ___________________________________________
Chapter name: ___________________________________________
Section (in the Table of Contents): ___________________________________________
Topic name:___________________________________________
Definition / general
A 1 - 2 sentence summary of the topic.
Essential features
This topic heading should be completed after the rest of the topic is finished and should duplicate the 3 - 5 most important points mentioned elsewhere in the topic. In other words, it should list what every pathologist should know about the topic or what would be in a Board Review book.
Epidemiology
Who is susceptible to this pathogen - age, gender, geographic location, very strong causal connections (example: Kaposi sarcoma and HIV, HHV8); weaker associations are listed under clinical features).
Sites
Parts of the body or organ typically affected.
Pathophysiology
Step by step details of how the infection begins and progresses (if not obvious).
Diagrams
Those that do not automatically fit in another section. Provide caption and figure legend.
Clinical features
Anything clinical not included above or below. Includes associations with other conditions.
Laboratory
Typical growth conditions, biochemical testing used for diagnosis, description of plated colonies.
Case reports
Provide at least 5 quality case reports, most of which should be recent (within 5 years). The format is typically "25 year old man with coexisting zzz (reference)." We prefer references from free full text journals / websites, so pathologists can review the entire article. If there are numerous articles that can be cited, preferentially cite those in English over other languages.
Treatment
General modes of treatment. Drug dosages are usually not necessary - if you want to include them, please provide a reference.
Clinical images
Infections in patients, agar plates. Provide caption and figure legend for each image.
Microscopic (histologic) description
List microscopic diagnostic criteria first, if they exist. Then common and uncommon histologic features, associated features and microscopic grading criteria if applicable. Include classification systems here or under clinical features.
Microscopic (histologic) images
Author must take and submit high quality representative micro images with caption and figure legend for each image. Include low and high power H&E images, relevant immunostains and special stains.
Molecular / cytogenetics description
Description of DNA / RNA findings based on testing via sequencing, PCR, FISH, CISH, ISH, cytogenetics, etc.
Molecular / cytogenetics images
Images of FISH, CISH, ISH, electropherogram, PCR gels, karyograms, etc. with caption and figure legend for each image.
Differential diagnosis
List names of entities in order from most to least important. Include most important differentiating features that are present or absent in each diagnosis in the differential. We will link to the topic on our site.
Additional references
General references for this topic not included above.
Board Review Question(s)
Prepare 2 board review style questions that highlight important content from this topic. If the topic describes a very rare entity, 1 question testing basic information is sufficient. If the topic describes a very common entity, 3 questions testing basic information are suggested. These are not actual questions from the Pathology boards but review questions written in a similar format. The questions should test basic, essential diagnostic concepts that all pathologists should know rather than minor details. The topic needs to contain all information relevant to correct and incorrect answers. The first question must contain an image of the entity followed by a multiple choice question, such as "Which of the following is true about XXX tumor/disease?" The image can be reused from the topic. Do not use the format "Which of the following is false?" Questions should have only one answer. Do not use responses "all of the above", "none of the above", "A and C", etc. This question will be part of our Board Review page so the reader may not know the topic with which it is associated. Therefore you must make the organ clear in the question and the diagnosis clear in the answer. The second question may have an image associated with it but an image is not required. Click here for examples.
Board Review Answer(s)
Answers to the Question(s) above, sorted alphabetically by the first letter in the answer.
