Semester Exam Review for Medical Microbiology (1)

What is the purpose of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in the laboratory?

To minimize exposure to hazards and ensure safety.

What are the common types of PPE used in laboratories?

Gloves, goggles, lab coats, and proper footwear.

Who was Antonie van Leeuwenhoek and what was his contribution to microbiology?

He was a scientist who observed microorganisms, contributing to the field of microbiology.

What significant discovery did Alexander Fleming make?

The discovery of antibiotics, marking a turning point in fighting infectious diseases.

What are the key types of microscopes used in microbiology?

Light and electron microscopes.

What does decontamination mean in a laboratory context?

Reducing or removing microbial contamination from surfaces or materials.

What are the Six I's framework used for in studying microorganisms?

A structured approach to studying and identifying microorganisms, including Inoculation, Incubation, Isolation, Inspection, Information Gathering, and Identification.

What is inoculation in microbiology?

Introducing a sample into a nutrient medium to promote microbial growth.

Describe the process of incubation.

Placing inoculated media in a controlled environment to encourage microbial growth.

What is isolation in microbiology?

Separating specific microbes from a mixed culture using methods like streak plate, spread plate, and pour plate.

What does inspection involve in the microbiological study?

Examining cultures using microscopes or observing colony morphology.

What does identification determine in microbiology?

The genus and species of the microorganism.

What are Koch’s postulates?

A series of principles used to establish a causative relationship between a microbe and a disease.

What is the germ theory?

The theory that microorganisms are the cause of many diseases.

What is pasteurization?

A process developed by Louis Pasteur to kill harmful bacteria in food and drink.

Define opportunistic pathogens.

Microorganisms that can cause disease when the host's immune system is weakened.

What is a superbug?

A microorganism that has adapted to evade the effects of antimicrobial drugs.

What are vectors in the context of infectious diseases?

Organisms that transmit pathogens from one host to another.

What are the modes of disease transmission?

Direct contact, vectors, and vehicles like contaminated food.

What causes antimicrobial resistance?

When microorganisms adapt to evade the effects of drugs, often due to the overuse and misuse of antibiotics.

What strategies can help prevent antimicrobial resistance?

Appropriate use of medications and infection control measures.

What is the role of sanitization in laboratories?

The process of cleaning and reducing microbial levels to a safe standard.

What are the steps involved in the scientific method?

Observation, hypothesis formulation, experimentation, analysis, and conclusion.

What is microbial growth?

The increase in the number of microorganisms in a specific environment.

What are biohazard symbols used for?

To indicate the presence of biological materials that pose a risk to health.

How does refrigeration help in microbiology?

It slows down microbial growth, extending the shelf life of cultures and samples.

What are antimicrobial agents?

Substances that kill or inhibit the growth of microorganisms.

Define aseptic technique.

Procedures used to prevent contamination from pathogens during laboratory work.

What is culture media?

Nutrient solutions used to support the growth of microorganisms in the lab.

What does the term 'pathogen' mean?

Any microorganism that can cause disease.

What is quorum sensing?

A process by which bacteria communicate and coordinate behavior based on their population density.

What is the difference between sterilization and disinfection?

Sterilization kills all forms of microbial life; disinfection reduces harmful organisms.

How do vaccines work?

Vaccines stimulate the immune system to recognize and fight pathogens.

What is the significance of hand hygiene in microbiology?

It prevents the spread of infections by reducing microbial load on hands.

What is the role of the immune system in fighting infections?

The immune system recognizes and defends the body against pathogens.

Define microbiome.

The collection of microorganisms living in a particular environment, especially the human body.

What is the importance of laboratory safety protocols?

They help prevent accidents and exposure to harmful substances.

What role do antibiotics play in medicine?

They are used to treat bacterial infections by killing or inhibiting the growth of bacteria.

What is zoonotic disease?

A disease that can be transmitted from animals to humans.

What is bacterial resistance?

The ability of bacteria to resist the effects of antibiotics that once killed them.

What is the function of antiseptics?

Substances used to prevent infection by killing or inhibiting the growth of pathogens on living tissue.

What is an outbreak?

A sudden increase in the number of cases of a disease above what is normally expected.

What does a culture test do?

It identifies and diagnoses infections by growing microbes from a sample.

What is lyophilization?

A freeze-drying process used to preserve microorganisms by removing moisture.

What is the definition of pathogenicity?

The ability of an organism to cause disease.

What does virulence mean?

The degree of pathogenicity of a microorganism.

Define infection.

The invasion and multiplication of pathogenic microorganisms in a host.

What is an asymptomatic carrier?

A person who carries a disease-causing organism but shows no symptoms.

What are reservoirs in the context of infectious diseases?

Natural habitats of pathogens where they live and multiply.

What is epidemiology?

The study of how diseases spread and can be controlled.

Define zoonosis.

A disease that can be transmitted from animals to humans.

What is immunity?

The ability of the body to resist a specific pathogen or toxin.

What role do antibodies play in immunity?

They are proteins produced by the immune system to neutralize pathogens.

What does sterilization involve?

The complete destruction of all forms of microbial life.

What is a vaccine?

A biological preparation that provides acquired immunity to a particular infectious disease.

Define emerging infectious diseases.

New diseases or diseases that reappear in a population.

What is a health care-associated infection (HAI)?

An infection acquired while receiving treatment for other conditions in a healthcare setting.

What is microbial fermentation?

The metabolic process that converts sugars to acids, gases, or alcohol.

What is a pathogen's life cycle?

The series of stages that a pathogen goes through to reproduce and infect hosts.