Clinical Bacteriology Enhancement Exam Review Flashcards

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering key definitions, organisms, laboratory media, staining methods, diagnostic tests, and characteristics from the Clinical Bacteriology Enhancement lecture notes.

Prions

Naked pieces of infectious proteins without DNA or RNA.

Mycoplasma

Smallest living prokaryotic microorganism that lacks a cell wall and contains sterols in its cell membrane.

Bacilli

Rod-shaped bacterial cell morphology.

Cocci

Spherical or oval-shaped bacterial cell morphology.

Coccobacilli

Very short bacilli bacterial morphology.

Fusiform

Bacterial cell morphology characterized by tapered ends.

Vibrio

Club-shaped or curved rod bacterial morphology.

Spirochetes

Helical or spiral-shaped bacteria, including Treponema, Leptospira, Borrelia, and Brachyspira.

Cell envelope

Outermost structure of a bacterial cell composed of layers (cell wall and cell membrane) that surround the bacterium.

Peptidoglycan

Murein layer that defines the shape and strength of bacteria, composed of alternating NAG and NAM glycan chains.

M-protein of Streptococcus pyogenes

Major virulence factor of S. pyogenes located in the cell wall that prevents phagocytosis.

Mycolic acid

Long-chain fatty acid responsible for the acid-fastness of Mycobacterium spp. that prevents digestion during phagocytosis.

Poly-d-glutamic acid

Cell wall constituent causing pathogenicity in Bacillus spp.

Teichoic acid

Cell wall component found in Gram-positive bacteria that acts as an antigenic determinant.

Periplasmic space

Space found only in Gram-negative bacteria between the cytoplasmic and outer membranes, functioning in nutrient capture, macromolecule degradation, and solute detoxification.

Lipid A

Endotoxin component of the lipopolysaccharide layer in Gram-negative bacterial outer membranes.

Plasmid

Extrachromosomal, double-stranded element of DNA associated with virulence, antibiotic resistance, and toxin production.

Inclusion bodies

Cytoplasmic structures that serve as energy sources or food reserves for bacteria.

Endospore

Highly resistant resting bacterial cell structure capable of surviving desiccation, heat, and chemical agents.

Calcium dipicolinate

Primary chemical composition of bacterial endospores (also known as dipicolinic acid).

Babes-Ernst bodies

Metachromatic inclusion granules characteristic of Corynebacterium.

Much granules

Inclusion granules characteristic of Mycobacterium.

Sulfur granules

Inclusions produced by Nocardia and Actinomycetes.

Bipolar bodies

Inclusion granules characteristic of Pasteurella and Bordetella.

Terminal spore

Spore location characteristic of Clostridium tetani.

Subterminal spore

Spore location characteristic of Clostridium botulinum.

Central spore

Spore location characteristic of Bacillus anthracis.

Transposable elements

Jumping genes that move within or between chromosomes and plasmids, playing a key role in antibiotic resistance.

Glycocalyx

Outward complex of polysaccharides on the bacterial surface appearing as a capsule or slime layer that aids in surface attachment.

Capsule

Organized polysaccharide material firmly attached to the cell wall that protects bacteria from phagocytosis and desiccation.

Slime layer

Unorganized material loosely attached to the cell wall that inhibits phagocytosis or aids in adherence to host tissue or synthetic implants.

Biofilm

Accumulation of microorganisms embedded in a polysaccharide matrix adhering to medical and prosthetic devices.

Quorum sensing

Chemical communication within a biofilm using acyl homoserine lactone in Gram-negatives or oligopeptides in Gram-positives.

Flagellum

Exterior protein filament composed of flagellin that rotates to propel motile bacteria.

Monotrichous

Flagellar arrangement consisting of a single flagellum on one end of the bacterium.

Amphitrichous

Flagellar arrangement consisting of a single flagellum at both ends of the bacterium.

Lophotrichous

Flagellar arrangement consisting of a tuft or group of flagella at one or both ends.

Peritrichous

Flagellar arrangement characterized by flagella distributed all around the bacterium.

Tumbling motility

Characteristic motility pattern demonstrated by Listeria.

Darting motility

Characteristic motility pattern demonstrated by Campylobacter.

Shooting star motility

Rapid darting motility pattern characteristic of Vibrio.

Gliding motility

Characteristic motility pattern demonstrated by Capnocytophaga.

Twitching motility

Characteristic motility pattern demonstrated by Kingella.

Common Pili

Hair-like somatic protein structures extending from the cell membrane used for bacterial attachment (e.g., Neisseria gonorrhoeae).

Sex Pili

Specialized protein structures that mediate genetic transfer and bacterial conjugation (e.g., E. coli).

Autotrophs

Microorganisms that utilize inorganic compounds such as CO2 as their carbon source (also known as lithotrophs).

Heterotrophs

Microorganisms that utilize organic compounds such as glucose as their carbon source (also known as organotrophs).

Phototrophs

Microorganisms that use light as their energy source.

Chemotrophs

Microorganisms that use chemical compounds as their energy source.

Obligate Aerobe

Organisms requiring oxygen for growth that contain catalase, peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase (e.g., P. aeruginosa, Mycobacterium).

Obligate Anaerobe

Organisms that do not require oxygen for growth and are inhibited by it (e.g., C. perfringens, C. botulinum).

Facultative Anaerobe

Organisms capable of living with or without oxygen that contain superoxide dismutase (e.g., Enterobacteriaceae, S. aureus).

Aerotolerant Anaerobe

Anaerobic organisms that do not grow well but can survive in the presence of air (e.g., Lactobacillus, Propionibacterium).

Microaerophilic

Organisms requiring a reduced oxygen concentration of 2% to 20% for growth (e.g., Campylobacter jejuni, Helicobacter pylori).

Capnophilic

Organisms requiring an increased carbon dioxide level of 5% to 10% for growth (e.g., Haemophilus influenzae, Neisseria gonorrhoeae).

Psychrophiles

Cold-loving organisms that grow well at 0°C to 20°C (also known as cryophiles, e.g., Listeria monocytogenes).

Mesophiles

Organisms growing between 20°C and 45°C, encompassing most commonly encountered human pathogenic bacteria.

Thermophiles

Organisms that grow optimally at high temperatures between 50°C and 60°C (e.g., Geobacillus stearothermophilus).

Acidophiles

Organisms requiring an acidic medium for optimal growth (e.g., L. acidophilus at pH 3.0).

Neutrophiles

Organisms that grow optimally in media with a neutral pH between 7.2 and 7.4.

Alkaliphiles

Organisms requiring an alkaline medium for growth (e.g., Vibrio).

Lag Phase

Initial stage of bacterial growth with 0% growth rate where cells increase in size and enzyme activity but not in number.

Log Phase

Stage of exponential bacterial growth where cells actively divide at a constant rate and become highly susceptible to antibiotics.

Stationary Phase

Stage where the number of dying cells equals viable cells, characterized by nutrient depletion, waste accumulation, and toxin/spore formation.

Death Phase

Final stage of bacterial growth characterized by an excess of dying cells over viable cells.

Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas Pathway

Major anaerobic metabolic pathway converting glucose to pyruvate (90% glycolysis), used by all Enterobacteriaceae.

Pentose-Phosphate Pathway

Aerobic pathway converting glucose to pyruvate (10% glycolysis), utilized by Lactobacilli and Brucella abortus.

Mutation

Change in the original nucleotide sequence of a gene or genes within an organism's genome.

Conjugation

Bacterial genetic exchange mechanism requiring direct cell-to-cell contact via a donor sex pilus.

Transduction

Bacterial genetic exchange mediated by viruses that infect bacteria (bacteriophages).

Transformation

Process where a recipient bacterial cell takes up free naked DNA released into the environment by a lysed donor cell.

Transposition

Movement of transposable genetic elements (jumping genes) from one genomic location to another.

Homologous Recombination

Genetic process where a DNA segment from a donor bacterial cell exchanges places with a homologous segment in the recipient's genome.

Pathogenicity

The ability of a microorganism to cause disease in a host.

Virulence

The measure or degree of pathogenicity exhibited by an organism.

Colonization

Growth and persistent presence of microbiota on a host without causing apparent detriment or disease.

Infection

Growth and multiplication of microorganisms that result in damage or detriment to the host.

Coagulase

Virulence enzyme that converts soluble fibrinogen into an insoluble fibrin clot.

Hyaluronidase

Spreading factor (Duran-Reynal factor) that hydrolyzes hyaluronic acid in human connective tissue.

Limulus Lysate Test

Assay using horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) blood lysate to detect Gram-negative endotoxin in body fluids and instruments.

Exotoxin

Heat-labile polypeptide toxin produced and released by living Gram-positive or Gram-negative bacteria.

Endotoxin

Heat-stable lipopolysaccharide component of Gram-negative cell walls released upon bacterial cell lysis.

IgA Protease

Virulence factor that cleaves secretory IgA, produced by N. gonorrhoeae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Leukocidins

Bacterial toxins that destroy white blood cells, specifically neutrophils and macrophages.

Acute Infection

Infectious process that develops rapidly with pronounced symptoms.

Chronic Infection

Infectious disease that develops and progresses slowly over an extended period.

Latent Infection

Infection that remains clinically silent within the host before suddenly manifesting as a severe acute illness.

Signs

Objective, measurable physical observations or indications of disease evaluated by a clinician (e.g., fever, rash, swelling).

Symptoms

Subjective indicators of disease reported directly by the patient (e.g., headache, fatigue, nausea).

Standard Precaution

Safety guideline dictating that all patient samples and body fluids be treated as potentially infectious.

Airborne Precaution

Transmission-based protocol for airborne droplets

Droplet Precaution

Transmission-based protocol for droplets >5 µm traveling <3 feet, requiring healthcare workers to wear surgical masks within 3 feet of the patient.

Contact Precaution

Transmission-based protocol requiring gloves, mask, eye protection, and gown before direct contact with infected patients.

Sterilization

Complete destruction and removal of all forms of microbial life, including bacterial endospores.

Autoclave

Moist heat sterilization method operating at 121°C at 15 psi for 15 minutes (or 132°C at 15 psi for 30-60 minutes for waste).

Tyndallization

Fractional moist heat sterilization using flowing steam at 100°C for 30 minutes on 3 consecutive days.

Inspissation

Fractional sterilization by evaporation at 75-80°C for 2 hours over 3 consecutive days for high-protein/egg media.

Dry Oven

Dry heat sterilization method operating at 160-180°C for 1-2 hours, used for glasswares, metals, and anhydrous oils.

Cremation

Physical method of microbial control involving burning to ashes to control disease transmission.

Incineration

Physical destruction method operating at 870-980°C, serving as the most common treatment for hazardous infectious waste.