Bacteriology I

What are the three common bacterial shapes used in diagnostic identification?

Cocci, Bacilli, Spiral-shaped bacteria

What does the term diplococci describe?

Cocci that remain attached in pairs after division

How do streptococci and staphylococci differ in arrangement?

Streptococci divide in one plane while staphylococci divide in three planes

What is the common rod-shaped bacterial form called

Bacillus

Name to genera that contain rod-shaped bacteria

Escherichia and Bacillus

What are fusiform bacteria

Long, slender rod-shaped bacilli found among emerging pathogens in the GI tract, mouth, head and neck

What is a bacterial spore

A metabolically inert survival structure containing the chromosome and protective coat

Why are spores clinically important?

They enable resistance and easily environmental spread

what is gram stain?

Simple method that distinguishes two major classes of patjogenic bacteria according to cell wall structure

What are a key limitation of the gram stain

Some bacteria are gram-variable or fail to stain

What is selective media

Presence of specific substances permits the growth of on organism over another

What is differential media

Incorporation of chemicals produces visible change in colonies that facilitate identification

What principle do serological tests rely on

The specific interaction between an antibody and its corresponding antigen

What does the presence of IgM antibodies against a microbe indicate

A recent or recurrent infection

What does MALDI-TOF measure to identify microorganisms

The spectrum of proteins