Exam 4 Study Guide - Microbial Disease, Detection, and Control

A comprehensive set of flashcards designed to help students review key concepts in microbiology, focusing on microbial diseases, their detection, and control.

Epidemiology

The study of the origin, cause, distribution, and spread of disease.

John Snow

The first epidemiologist who studied a series of Cholera outbreaks and discovered the disease came from infected drinking water.

Control measures

Actions directed toward the part of the disease cycle that is most susceptible to control.

CDC

Center for Disease Control and Prevention; focuses on national and environmental health.

WHO

World Health Organization; a supranational agency for tracking and controlling the spread of disease worldwide.

Biological Weapons Defense Initiative

U.S. initiative for developing and stockpiling specific antibody reagents to protect against biological warfare.

Sporadic disease

Occurs occasionally, at irregular intervals.

Endemic disease

Occurs regularly at a low level of frequency and moderately regular intervals.

Hyperendemic disease

Increases gradually above the level of an endemic disease, but not enough to qualify as an epidemic.

Outbreak

An abrupt, unexpected occurrence of a disease, usually in a limited segment of the population.

Epidemic

An abrupt increase in the frequency of the disease above the expected number.

Index Case

The first case in an epidemic.

Pandemic

An increase in the occurrence of disease within a large population.

Public health surveillance

The proactive evaluation of emerging infectious agents, human behaviors, lifestyle choices, and genetic backgrounds.

Morbidity Rate

The number of new cases of a disease during a particular period, as a fraction of the population size.

Prevalence Rate

Measures the total number of infected individuals in the population at any given time.

Mortality Rate

The number of deaths from a given disease, as a fraction of overall cases of that disease.

Infectious disease

One that results from an infection by microbial agents and can become communicable when transmitted from person to person.

Common-source epidemics

Caused by a single, common contaminated source, characterized by an immediate increase in infected individuals.

Propagated epidemics

Caused by the introduction of an infected individual into a susceptible population, where the disease can spread.

Herd immunity

Resistance of a population to infection due to the immunity of a large percentage of the population.

Immunization

The process that increases the level of herd immunity in a population.

Antigenic drift

Minor changes to virus due to natural mutations.

Antigenic shifts

Drastic changes resulting in completely different strains from the combination of strains.

Emergence of new diseases

Caused by ecological distribution, increased drug use, sexual promiscuity, and increased population mobility.

Systematic epidemiology

Study of ecological and social factors that influence emerging and reemerging infectious diseases.

Epidemiology strategies

Methods used to contain or eradicate disease: reduce or eliminate the source, break the connection, reduce susceptible individuals.

Vaccines

Stimulate immunity by presenting the body with novel antigens to develop antibodies.

Whole-cell Vaccine

Consist of whole microorganisms.

Subunit Vaccine

Consists of purified parts of the microorganism.

Attenuated Vaccines

Contains strains of live microorganisms that are less virulent due to attenuation.

Inactivated Vaccines

Contains dead microbes or fragments that cannot replicate or mutate.

Toxoid Vaccines

Contain chemically or thermally modified toxins.

Attenuated Vaccines

Type of vaccine that is better at boosting the immune response.

Fermentation

Growth of microbes in large volumes for industrially important product production.

Starter culture

Preparation of living microorganisms used to assist fermentation.

Lactic fermentation

Type of fermentation that involves the conversion of sugars to lactic acid.

Propionic fermentation

Fermentation process that produces propionic acid.

Alcoholic fermentation

Process where sugars are converted into alcohol and carbon dioxide.

Lactobacillus

A genus of bacteria used in fermented dairy products.

Lactococcus

A genus of bacteria used as starter cultures in dairy fermentation.

Leuconostoc

A genus of bacteria involved in the production of fermented foods.

Streptococcus

A genus of bacteria associated with various human infections and dairy fermentation.

Mesophilic fermentation

Fermentation at moderate temperatures, producing products like buttermilk and sour cream.

Thermophilic fermentation

Fermentation at high temperatures, resulting in products like yogurt.

Yeast-lactic fermentation

Fermentation involving both yeast and lactic acid bacteria, exemplified by kefir.

Mold-lactic fermentation

A fermentation type that includes both molds and lactic acid bacteria, such as viili.

Lactobacillus species

Most common starter culture for cheese production.

Pasteurization

Process used to kill pathogens and retard spoilage.

Enology

The science of wine production.

Must

The liquid formed from the crushing of grapes during wine making.

Malt

Germinated barley grains having activated enzymes used in beer production.

Mash

The mixture of malt and water used to convert starch to carbohydrates.

Wort

The liquid portion of the mash mixture in beer fermentation.

Sour mash

Inoculated from homolactic bacteria to produce certain types of whiskey.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Baker's yeast used in bread making.

Probiotics

Live microorganisms that confer health benefits to the host when administered in adequate amounts.

Industrial microbiology

Branch of applied microbiology using microorganisms in industrial processes.

Environmental microbiology

Study of microbial processes in the environment on a global scale.

Biodegradation

Use of microbes to break down organic material into simpler compounds.

Bioremediation

Use of microbes to remedy environmental problems, converting toxic materials into non-toxic materials.