Department of Medical Microbiology

On February 11, 1927, Act No. 3340 was enacted, creating a School of Sanitation and Public Health in the University of the Philippines. Since the founding of the School, Sanitary Bacteriology was included as one of the disciplines taught. In 1932, the Department of Sanitary Bacteriology and Immunology was created as one of the four original departments that conducted teaching and research activities of the School. The department was given its current name, Department of Medical Microbiology, in 1957. Through the years, the Department has produced several noteworthy contributions for the betterment of Public Health in the Philippines, in the ASEAN Region, and globally


ACADEMIC PROGRAMS AND TRAINING

  • Master of Science in Hygiene/Master of Science in Public Health – Medical Microbiology (1951 – present)
  • Doctor in Public Health in Medical Microbiology (1979 – present)
  • Diploma in Medical Microbiology (1976 – 1978): A 5-month training course for microbiologists in ASEAN member countries sponsored by the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization
  • Post-graduate Training Course in Diagnostic Mycology (1980-present) – an intensive course for dermatologists, infectious disease specialists, veterinarians, pathologists and medical technologists
  • Training Courses in Anaerobic Bacteriology
  • Integrated Microscopy Training for Medical Technologists from local government units and rural health units all over the Philippines (co-offered with the Department of Parasitology)
  • Leptospirosis Laboratory Training for Western Pacific Countries (2012 and 2014) – a 1 to 2-week training course on techniques/procedures used in leptospirosis diagnosis and research (funded by World Health Organization-Western Pacific Regional Office, Japan Science and Technology, Inc. and Japan International Cooperation Agency)
  • Postgraduate Course in Clinical Tropical Medicine (2019 to present)- a joint offering with the Department of Parasitology which focuses on important developments in clinical tropical medicine with focus on major tropical diseases affecting the Philippines and the Southeast Asia and Western Pacific regions

PUBLIC SERVICE

  • Development of the country’s existing guidelines on infant vaccination for measles
  • The first isolation of Dengue Types III and IV in the Philippines
  • Locally-devised one-step dilution for Hepatitis B screening
  • Setting cut-off titers for Hepatitis A and B
  • Pioneer works in Leptospirosis via the Leptospirosis Prevention and Control Program (LEPCON)
  • Work on antimicrobial properties of Philippine extracts and plant pharmaceuticals
  • Research on mycology
  • Research on immunology, gene cloning, new clinicopathologic features and in-vitro antibacterial assays of novel extracts against Mycobacterium spp.
  • Antimicrobial resistance and stewardship


Researches

  • Antimicrobial resistance and stewardship
  • Development of the country’s existing guidelines on infant vaccination for measles
  • Locally-devised one-step dilution for Hepatitis B screening
  • Pioneer works in Leptospirosis via the Leptospirosis Prevention and Control Program (LEPCON)
  • Research on immunology, gene cloning, new clinicopathologic features and in-vitro antibacterial assays of novel extracts against Mycobacterium spp.
  • Research on mycology
  • Setting cut-off titers for Hepatitis A and B
  • The first isolation of Dengue Types III and IV in the Philippines
  • Work on antimicrobial properties of Philippine extracts and plant pharmaceuticals


Publications/Creative Works

  • Batac, M. C. R., Sison, M. A. C., Cervancia, C. R., & Nicolas, M. E. O. Honey and Propolis have Antifungal Property against Select Dermatophytes and Candida albicans. Acta Medica Philippina. (2020); 54 (1);
  • Masuzawa T, Sakakibara K, Saito M, Hidaka Y, Villanueva SYAM, Yanagihara Y, Yoshida S (2018). Characterization of Leptospira species isolated from soil collected in Japan. Microbiology and Immunology. (2018); 62 (1); 55-59
  • Sumalapao DEP, Janairo JIB and Gloriani NG. Dipole Moment, Solvation Energy, and Ovality Account for the Variations in the Biological Activity of HIV-1 Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitor Fragments. Annual Research & Review in Biology. (2018); 22(5); 1-8
  • Sumalapao DEP, Cabrera EC, Flores MJC, Amalin DM, Villarante NR, Altura MT and Glo-riani NG. Viability Kinetic Profile, Morphological Structure, and Physicochemical Characterization of Candida albicans Biofilm on Latex Silicone Surfaces. Annual Research & Review in Biology. (2018); 24 (3); 1-8
  • Lopez SM, Ramiro VR, and Roxas EA. Measuring Stigma and Discrimination towards People Living with HIV among Health Care Workers in a Tertiary, Government Teaching Hospital in the Philippines. Acta Medica Philippina. (2017); 51 (4); 319-326
  • Sarol LC, Lota MML, Dato MC, Medina RJ.. Rapid Assessment of AMS-Related Practices in Hospitals of Various Capacity Levels in the Philippines.. WHO-WPRO. (Technical Report). (2016); ;
  • Pinlac PAV, Castillo EC, Guevarra JP, Escartin IC, Caluag MEI, Granada CN, Tagunicar LB, Banda AD, Go JJJL, Kim JK, Sy CAS, Maceda AA, Gloriani NG. . The Status of NonCommunicableDisease Prevention and Control in the Philippines: A Systematic Review. Acta Medica Philippina. (2015); ;
  • Saito M, Villanueva SY, Masuzawa T, Haraguchi Y, Ita S, Miyahara S, Ozuru R, Yamaguchi T, Yoshimura M, Ikejiri M, Aramaki N, Amran MY, Muslich LT, Iida K, Yanagihara Y, Gloriani NG, Yoshida S.. The usefulness of semi-soild medium in the isolation of highly virulent Leptospira strains from wild rats in an urban area of Fukuoka, Japan. Doi:10.1111/1348-0421.12260.PMID:25890990. Microbiol. Immunol. (2015); 59(6); 322-30
  • Bungay AAC.. Sarcocystis spp. Parasitology in the Philippines (formerly Philippine Textbook of Medical Parasitology).. 3 rd edition.UP Press (Chapter in a Book). (2015); ;
  • Salvana EMT, Roxas EA, Penamora MG. Immunocompromised Hosts and Parasitic Infections. Chapter 8: Special Topics in Parasitology.In Vicente Y. Belizario Jr. and Winifreda U de Leon (eds). Medical Parasitology in the Philippines.. University of the Philippines Press 2015. (Chapter in a Book). (2015); ;
  • Gloriani NG, Cavinta LC, Roxas EA, Villanueva SYAM. Prevention and Control of Leptospirosis in the Philippines: A Manual for Health Workers.. DOST-PCHRD. (2015); ;
  • Tatsuma A, Mitsumasa S, Villanueva SYAM, Takaaki K, Gloriani NG, and Yoshida S.. Natural defense by saliva and mucosa against oral infection by Leptospira.Can. J. Microbiol.. . (2014); ;
  • Takaya S, Nomura KH, Villanueva SYAM, Saito M, Nomura K, Gloriani NG, Yoshida S.. Identification of leptospiral 3-hydroxyacylCoA dehydrogenase released in the urine of infected hamsters.. BMC Microbiology 2014. (2014); 14; 132
  • Villanueva SYAM, Saito M, Baterna RA, Estrada CAM, Rivera AKB, Dato MC, Zamora PRF, Segawa T, Cavinta LL, Fukui T, Masuzawa T, Yanagihara Y, Gloriani NG, Yoshida S. . Leptospirarat-human relationship in Luzon, Philippines. Microbes and Infection xx . 1e9 www.elsevier.com/locate/micinf. (2014); ;
  • Sia Su G, Fernandez EL, Marasigan MM, Sia Su ML, Sison, M and Bungay, AA.. Isolation and colonial morphological characterization of fungal species in copper laden sediments of Calancan Bay, Marinduque. Annual Research and Review in Biology. (2014); 4 (11); 1777-1783
  • Villanueva SYAM, Saito M, Tsutsumi Y, Segawa T, Baterna RA, Chakraborty A, Asoh T, Miyahara S, Yanagihara Y, Cavinta LL, Gloriani NG, Yoshida S. . High virulence in hamsters of four dominant Leptospira serovars isolated from rats in the Philippines. Microbiology (2014). (2014); 160; 418–428
  • Lota MMM, Sison MAC, Latorre AAE.. A Retrospective Study on Extended Spectrum BetaLactamase Bacteria in the Philippines from 1999 – 2013. Acta Medica Philippina. (2014); 48 (1); 28-34
  • Satoshi M, Mitsumasa S, Takaaki K, Villanueva SYAMV, Gloriani NG and Yoshida S.. Destruction of the hepatocyte junction by intercellular invasion of Leptospira causes jaundice in a hamster model of Weil’s disease.. Int. J. Exp. Path. (2014). (2014); 95; 271-281
  • Ortega, AR. Training Module on the Culture and Drug Susceptibility Tests for Mycobacterium Tuberculosis , project of National Tuberculosis Research Laboratory. RITM-DOH. (2013); ;
  • Mendoza M, Roxas E, et al.. Clinical Profile of Patients Diagnosed with Leptospirosis After a Typhoon: A Multicenter Study.. Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health . (2013). (2013); 44 (6); 1021-1035
  • Saito M, Villanueva SYAM, Kawamura Y, Iida K, Tomida J, Kanemaru T, Kohno E, Miyahara S, Umeda A, Amako K, Gloriani NG and Yoshida S.. Leptospira idonii sp, nov. isolated from environmental water.. International J of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology (2013). (2013); 63; 2457-2462
  • Widiyanti D, Koizumi N, Fukui T, Muslich LT, Segawa T, Villanueva SYAM, Saito, M, Masuzawa T, Gloriani NG and Yoshida S.. Development of Immunochormatography-Based Methods for Detection of Leptospiral LPS Antigen in Urine.. . (2013); 20 (5); 6836
  • Arbiol J, Borja MP, Yabe M, Nomura H, Gloriani NG and Yoshida S.. Valuing Human Leptospirosis Prevention Using the Opportunity Cost of Labor.. International J of Environmental Research and Public Health.. (2013); 10; 1845-1860
  • Chakraborty A, Miyahara S, Segawa T, Tatsuma A, Mitsumasa S, Villanueva SYAM, Antara A, Ozuru R, Gloriani NG, Yanagihara Y, Shin-ichi Y.. Comparative Analysis of Leptospira Strains Isolated from Environmental Soil and Water in the Philippines and Japan.. Appl. Environ. Microbiol.2013. (2013); 79 (2); 601
  • Bungay AAC.. Guidelines on Animal Care and Use in Research and Instruction,. (IACUC Committee Members as authors, UP-NIH. (2013); ;
  • Chen Y., Konieczka JH, Springer DJ, Bowen SE, Zhang J, Silao FGS, Bungay AAC, Bigol, UG. Nicolas, MG et. al. . Convergent evolution of Calcineurin pathway roles in thermotolerance and virulence in Candida glabrata. Genes, genomes and genetics . Genes, genomes and genetics. (2012); 2; 675-691
  • Gloriani N.G.,Gatchalian S, Hoet B, Bock HL.. Comparison of two different formulations of a hepatitis B vaccination in Filipino Adults. Philippine Journal of Pediatrics.. (2008); ;
  • Kreth HW, Lee BW, Kosuwon P, Salazar J, Gloriani, N.G., Bock HL, Meurice F. Biodrugs.. Varilix: 16 years of global-experience with the first refrigerator - stable varicella vaccine.. . (2008); ;
  • Gloriani, N.G.. Straight Talk on Biotechnology. Chapter on Food Safety.. Ateneo Press Ed:B.D. Peczon and A.M. Manal... (2008); ;
  • Gloriani, N.G. and Yasutake Yanagihara.. Philippine Rats: Ecology and Management Chapter on Rodent - borne infections in the Philippine: a review of investigations and case reports on leptospirosis and hantavirus infection. . (2008); ; 195-204
  • Gloriani N.G.,Gatchalian S, Hoet B, Bock HL. Comparison of two different formulations of a hepatitis B vaccination in Filipino Adults . Philippine Journal of Pediatrics. (2008); ;
  • Gloriani, NG.. Plant made pharmaceuticals (PMPs): Rabies Edible Vaccine Cusisine for the Community. Proceedings of the Rabies Forum Bridging the Gaps: Parenteral vs Oral Rabies Vaccine.. . (2007); ;
  • Mendoza, B.,Chan, V., Gloriani, N.G.. Detection of Anti-HBs, Anti-HBc, and HbsAG among Pedriatric Vaccines Years after Primary Hepatitis B Immunization.. Philippine Journal of Science.. (2007); 136 (1); 57-63
  • Cavinta, L., Ramos S. and Gloriani,N.G.. Development of an Alamar blue-based test as an alternate method in human lymphocite proliferation assays.. Acta Medica Philippina.. (2007); 41 (2); 25-29
  • Gloriani, N.G.. Statistical Definition of Biotechnology: Identifying Philippine Concerns - Asian Perspective. Asian Biotechnology, Innovation and Development Issues in Measurement and Collection of Statistics.. . (2007); ; 31-35
  • Mendoza, B.,Chan, V., Gloriani, N.G.. Detection of Anti-HBs, Anti-HBc, and HbsAG among Pedriatric Vaccines Years after Primary Hepatitis B Immunization. Philippine Journal of Science. (2007); 136 (1); 57-63
  • Sarol LC. Victoriano A and Gloriani, N.G.. PCR Patterns of the Flagellin typhii.. Acta Medica Philippina.. (2006); 40 (1); 37-41
  • Bungay, AA.. Food Technology and Globalization; Chapter on Risk Assestment in Food Safety and Technology. . (2006); ;
  • Cavinta LL, Gloriani, NG, Ramos SR and Regalia RS. Studies on the Immunomodulelating activities of the Polysaccharide Extracts from Momordica Charantia (Ampalaya).. Philippine Journal of Nutrition.. (2004); 50 (1-2); 10-27
  • Panter, de las Llagas, Tobias. The entomopathogenic fungus Culicinomyces as a biocontrol agent for mosquitoes in Microbial Biotechnology for Sustainable Development and Productivity. Rajak R.C. (ed). . R.C. (ed). Jodhpur, India : Scientific Publishers.. (1999); ; 422-433
  • Alday, Dancel, Tobias. Itraconazole in the Treatment of Superficial Mycoses in Filipinos.. Phil. Journal of Internal Medicine.. (1988); 27 (3); 179-187
  • Chan, Madraso, Bagoyo, Delino, Tobias. Bacteriological Analysis of Drinking Water in Bagong Ilog, Pasig, Caloocan, Capri, Novaliches and Marulas, Valenzuela from December 1981 to March 1986.. Health Monitoring Component of the MWSS Sanitation Project.. (1987); ;
  • Iwasaki H, Chagan-Yasutan H, Lenao PSA, Koizumi N, Nakajima C, Taurustiati D, Firmanto H, Lacuesta TL, Ashino Y, Suzuki Y, Gloriani NG, Telan FRO, Hattori T. . Combined antibody and DNA detection for early diagnosis of leptospirosis after a disaster.. Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease. ; ;
  • Sia Su G, David PD,Tan LA, Sison, MA, Ragraio, E, Arollado, E, De Guzman, T.. Phytochemical Screening and antimicrobial activity of Casicum frutescens Linn, Crude fruit extract on selected microorganisms.. J Pharm Biomed Sci.. ; 37; 1922-1926
  • Roman D, Salvana E, Penamora M, Roxas E, Leyritana K, and Saniel M.. Trichosponosis in an AIDS Patient: Case Report and Review of the Literature. International Journal of STD and AIDS. ; ;
  • Roman D, Salvana E, Penamora M, Roxas E, Leyritana K, and Saniel M.. Invasive Trichosporonosis in an AIDS Patient: Case Report and Review of the Literature.. International Journal Of STD and AIDS. July 2013.. ; ;
  • Tacastacas, Bacoro, Berba, Tobias-Altura, Sison, dela Cruz-Roa.. A 47 Year Old Male with Multiple Ulcerated Skin Plaques: A Case Report on Disseminated Histoplasmosis and a Review of Eight Previously Reported Cases of Histoplasmosis in the Philippines.. Philippine Journal of Microbiology & Infectious Diseases. ; 35 (1&2);
  • Ozuru R, Saito M, Kanemaru T, Miyahara S, Villanueva SYAM, Murray GL, Adler B, Fujii J, Yoshida S. Adipose tissue is the first colonization site of Leptospira interrogans in subcutaneously infected hamsters. PLOS One. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0172973. ; ;
  • Sia Su,G, Duenas,K, Roderno,K, Sison, MA, Sia Su, ML, Ragrario,E, De Guzman, T, Heralde, F.. Distribution and Diversity of Marine Fungi in Manila Bay. 2014. Malaysian Journal of Microbiology (Scopus). . ; ;
  • Zhang J, Silao FGS, Bigol UJ, Bungay AAC, Nicolas MG, et al.. Calcineurin is required for pseudohyphal growth, virulence and resistance in Candida luisitaniae.. PLoS One (2012). ; 7 (8);
  • Saito M, Miyahara S, Villanueva SYAM, Aramaki N, Ikejiri M, Kobayashi Y, Guevarra JP, Masuzawa T, Gloriani NG, Yanagihara Y and Yoshida S.. PCR and Culture Identification of Pathogenic Leptospira spp. from Coastal Soil in Leyte, Philippines, after a Storm Surge during Super Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda). Appl. Environ. Microbiol. ; 80 (22); 6926
  • Villanueva SYAM, Baterna RA, Cavinta LL, Yanagihara Y, Gloriani NG, Yoshida S. Seroprevalence of leptospirosis among water buffaloes, pigs, and dogs in selected areas in the Philippines, 2007 to 2008. Acta Medica Philippina (in press). ; ;
  • Tabo N, Villanueva SYAM, Gloriani N. Prevalence of Leptospira-agglutinating Antibodies in Abattoir workers and slaughtered an-imals in selected slaughterhouses in Cavite, Philippines. Philippine Journal of Science (in press). ; ;
  • Chen Y, Yu S, Huang H, Chang Y, Lehman VN, Silao FGS, Bigol UG, Bungay AAC, Averette A and Heitman J.. Calcineurin controls hyphal growth, virulence and drug tolerance of Candida tropicalis.. Eukaryotic EC (ASM). ; ;