Microbiology and Immunology Rapid Fire Review

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering the characteristics of microorganisms, bacterial and fungal structures, nitrogen cycling, and major human diseases like HIV, TB, and Malaria.

Five-Kingdom System

The classification system according to which all living organisms are grouped into Monera, Protista, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia.

Prokaryotes

Organisms, such as bacteria, that lack a true nucleus.

Eukaryotes

Organisms that possess a true nucleus.

Microorganisms

Microscopic forms of life including viruses, bacteria, fungi, and protists.

Pathogens

A general term for organisms that cause diseases.

Infection

A general term for any disease caused by a microorganism.

Reproduction

The only characteristic of life exhibited by viruses.

Bacteriophage

A specific type of virus that infects a bacterial cell.

Acellular

A characteristic of viruses indicating that they lack a nucleus, cytoplasm, and organelles.

Obligate intracellular parasites

Types of parasites, such as viruses, that can only reproduce within living cells.

Monera

The kingdom under which bacteria, the smallest and simplest living organisms, are classified.

Aerobic bacteria

Bacteria that require the presence of oxygen to live.

Anaerobic bacteria

Bacteria that can survive in the absence of oxygen.

Autotrophic bacteria

Bacteria that produce their own organic substances through processes like photosynthesis.

Parasitic bacteria

Heterotrophic bacteria that obtain their food from living organisms.

Saprophytic bacteria

Heterotrophic bacteria that obtain their nutrients from dead organic material.

Mutualistic bacteria

Heterotrophic bacteria that live in a symbiotic relationship where both the bacteria and the host benefit.

Binary fission

The type of asexual reproduction that occurs in bacteria.

Protista

The kingdom under which protozoans, algae, slime moulds, and water moulds are classified.

Phagocytosis

The method by which animal-like protozoans ingest their food.

Mycelium

The mass of interwoven filaments that form the vegetative body of the fungus Rhizopus.

Thallus

A characteristic of Rhizopus indicating it has no distinguishable true roots, stems, or leaves.

Stolons

Hyphae of Rhizopus that branch horizontally across the surface of a substrate.

Rhizoids

Branches of the stolon in Rhizopus that penetrate the substrate to anchor the mycelium.

Sporangiophores

Vertical hyphae of Rhizopus that develop sporangia at their tips.

Sporangium

A structure in fungi where asexual spores develop.

Coenocytic

The phenomenon where hyphae lack cross walls, resulting in a common cytoplasm with many nuclei.

Decomposition

The process involving bacteria where $H_2O$, $CO_2$, $NH_3$, and heat energy are released into the environment.

Nitrogen cycle

The nutrient cycle involving free-living soil bacteria and nodule bacteria.

Nitrifying bacteria

The group of bacteria responsible for converting nitrites into nitrates.

Denitrifying bacteria

The group of bacteria that converts ammonia and nitrates back into free nitrogen in the atmosphere.

Nitrogen-fixing bacteria

Bacteria that live mutualistically in the root nodules of legumes to convert atmospheric nitrogen.

Vitamin K

The vitamin produced by mutualistic bacteria living in the human gut.

HIV/AIDS

A sexually transmitted disease caused by the human immunodeficiency virus.

T-lymphocytes

The specific immune cells in the human body (also known as CD4 cells) targeted and infected by the HI-virus.

Opportunistic infections

Conditions that attack the body specifically when the immune system is weakened.

Antiretrovirals (ARVs)

Drugs used to decrease the viral load of HIV, allowing the immune system a chance to recover.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis

The bacterium responsible for causing the infectious disease known as TB.

BCG vaccine

The vaccine administered to babies shortly after birth to provide childhood immunity against TB.

MDR-TB

Multi-drug resistant tuberculosis, a phenomenon where TB bacteria do not respond to standard medication.

XDR-TB

Extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis, involving bacteria resistant even to the drugs used for MDR-TB.

Plasmodium

The genus of the protist parasite responsible for causing malaria.

Anopheles mosquito

The insect vector responsible for transmitting the malaria parasite to humans.

Vector

An organism, usually an arthropod, that transmits a pathogen from one host to another.

Liver

The human organ where malaria parasites initially multiply before entering the bloodstream.

Anaemia

A condition caused by the destruction of red blood cells during the multiplication of malaria parasites.

Quinine

An anti-malaria drug derived from the bark of the cinchona tree.

Artemisinin

An anti-malaria drug derived from the herb Artemisia annua.

DDT

A pesticide used in the fight against malaria to control mosquito populations.

Candidiasis (Thrush)

A fungal infection caused by species of the genus Candida.

Probiotics

Medications or supplements taken to replenish beneficial bacteria in the alimentary canal after antibiotic use.

Natural immunity

The first line of defense involving physical barriers like skin that protect the body from pathogens.

Acquired immune response

The immune response triggered when pathogens successfully penetrate the first line of natural immunity.

Antibodies

Structures produced by B-lymphocytes that mark pathogens for destruction and cause them to agglutinate.

Phagocytes

White blood cells that protect the body by engulfing and destroying pathogens.

Lymphocytes

The group of white blood cells (specifically B and T types) that are central to the active immune response.