Introduction to Microbiology Flashcards

Comprehensive vocabulary cards covering the basics of microbiology, including historical figures, cellular differences, bacterial growth phases, and environmental requirements.

Microbiology

The scientific study of microorganisms, including unicellular (single-celled), multicellular (complex cells), or acellular (lacking cells) organisms.

Bacteriology

The sub-discipline of microbiology that involves the study of bacteria.

Virology

The sub-discipline of microbiology focused on the study of viruses.

Mycology

The sub-discipline of microbiology dedicated to the study of fungi.

Parasitology

The sub-discipline of microbiology that studies parasites.

Immunology

The study of the immune system and its responses.

Prokaryotes

Organisms, such as bacteria and archaea, that lack a nucleus and generally range in size from $0.1-10 \, \mu m$.

Eukaryotes

Organisms, such as plant and animal cells, that contain a nucleus and typically measure $10-100 \, \mu m$ in size.

Binary Fission

The asexual reproduction process used by bacteria where a parent cell replicates its DNA, segregates it, and splits into two identical daughter cells.

Binomial System

The nomenclature system for bacteria where the species name consists of the Genera plus the Specific name (e.g., Escherichia coli).

Zacharias Janssen

Inventor who created the first compounding of lenses and the first compound microscope circa 1595.

Robert Hooke

First to discover the cell and modified the basic design of the microscope; also described forms of fungi like bluish mold.

Antonie van Leeuwenhoek

The Father of Microbiology; the first to observe and experiment with microbes.

Louis Pasteur

Scientist who invented pasteurization and discovered the principle of immunization.

Robert Koch

Scientist known for isolating Anthrax and Tuberculosis; developed solid media and techniques for isolating bacteria.

Joseph Lister

The Father of Antisepsis who developed antiseptic surgical procedures and first isolated Bacillus lactis in pure form.

Hans Christian Gram

Developer of the Gram Staining method in 1884, the most important staining method to visualize bacteria.

Alexander Fleming

Scientist who discovered the first antibiotic, Penicillin, in 1928.

Edward Jenner

The British physician who invented the concept of vaccination.

Saprophytes

Nonpathogenic microorganisms whose natural habitat is dead organic matter.

Parasites

Unicellular or metazoan organisms living in or on another species (host) at the expense of that host.

Commensals

Normal inhabitants of skin and mucosa, making up the total commensal population known as normal flora.

Pathogenic Microorganisms

Classic disease-causing pathogens.

Opportunists

Microorganisms, frequently from normal flora, that can cause disease in immunocompromised individuals given an opportune situation.

Pathogenicity

The capacity of a pathogen species to cause disease.

Virulence

The sum of the disease-causing properties of a strain of a pathogenic species.

Incubation Period

The time between infection and the manifestation of disease symptoms.

Prepatency

The time between infection and the first appearance of products of sexual reproduction of a pathogen, such as worm eggs.

Minimum Infective Dose

The smallest number of pathogens sufficient to cause an infection.

Contamination

The microbiological presence of microorganisms on objects, in the environment, or in samples for analysis.

Colonization

The presence of microorganisms on skin or mucosa without penetration into tissues.

Sepsis

A systemic disease caused by microorganisms and/or their toxic products, often arising from a localized focus of infection.

Lag Phase

The first phase of the bacterial growth curve where there is no increase in the number of living bacterial cells.

Log Phase

The second phase of the bacterial growth curve characterized by an exponential increase in the number of living bacterial cells.

Stationary Phase

A plateau in the number of living bacterial cells where the rate of cell division and death are roughly equal.

Death Phase

The final phase of the bacterial growth curve characterized by an exponential decrease in the number of living bacterial cells.

Obligate Aerobes

Bacteria that can grow only in the presence of oxygen, such as P. aeruginosa.

Facultative Aerobes

Ordinary aerobes that can also grow without oxygen; most pathogenic bacteria belong to this group.

Microaerophilic Bacteria

Bacteria that require low oxygen levels and approximately $4\% \, \text{CO}_2$ to grow, such as Campylobacter jejuni.

Obligate Anaerobes

Bacteria that can grow only in the absence of oxygen because oxygen is lethal to them.

Capnophiles

Organisms that require higher amounts ($5-10\% \, \text{CO}_2$) of carbon dioxide for their growth.

Psychrophiles

Cold-loving microbes that grow within a temperature range of $0-20^{\circ}\text{C}$.

Mesophiles

Moderate temperature-loving microbes growing between $25^{\circ}\text{C}$ and $40^{\circ}\text{C}$; includes most pathogenic bacteria.

Thermophiles

Heat-loving microbes that can grow at high temperatures ranging from $55-80^{\circ}\text{C}$.

Phototrophs

Bacteria that derive their energy from sunlight.

Chemoautotrophs

Bacteria that derive their energy from chemical sources.

Osmophilic Bacteria

Organisms that require high osmotic pressures for growth.

Plasmolysis

The osmotic shrinkage of bacterial protoplasm caused by sudden exposure to a hypertonic solution.

Plasmoptysis

The swelling and bursting of a bacterial cell caused by sudden transfer into distilled water.