Medical Microbiology Review

PPE

Personal Protective Equipment, used to protect individuals from hazards.

aseptic technique

A method used to prevent contamination by pathogens.

biohazard

A risk to human health or the environment arising from biological work.

autoclave

A device that uses steam under pressure to sterilize instruments.

chemical spill

An uncontrolled release of a hazardous substance.

Koch’s postulates

A series of principles to identify the causative agent of a disease.

germ theory

The theory that microorganisms cause disease.

pasteurization

A process of heating food and liquids to kill harmful bacteria.

vaccination

The administration of a vaccine to establish immunity.

antibiotics

Substances used to kill or inhibit the growth of bacteria.

spontaneous generation

The discredited theory that life can arise from non-living matter.

culture medium

A nutrient solution used to grow microorganisms.

streak plate method

A technique used to isolate a pure strain from a single species of microorganisms.

media

Plural of medium; materials used to support the growth of microorganisms.

pathogenesis

The process by which a disease develops.

polymerase chain reaction

A technique used to amplify DNA sequences.

microscopy

The use of a microscope to view small objects.

magnification

The process of enlarging the appearance of an object.

bright field

A type of microscopy where the specimen is illuminated against a bright background.

dark field

A microscopy technique that increases contrast in unstained samples.

colony

A visible cluster of microorganisms growing on a solid medium.

pure culture

A culture containing only one type of organism.

mixed culture

A culture containing more than one type of organism.

sterilization

The process of destroying all forms of microbial life.

disinfection

The process of eliminating many or all pathogenic microorganisms.

antisepsis

The practice of applying antiseptics to living tissues to reduce the risk of infection.

inspection

The careful examination of specimens or cultures.

refraction

The bending of light as it passes from one medium to another.

wet mount

A method of preparing a specimen for microscopy while maintaining moisture.

fixed mount

A technique where a specimen is permanently attached to a slide.

resolving power

The ability of a microscope to distinguish two close objects as separate.

phase contrast

An optical microscopy technique that enhances contrast in transparent specimens.

SEM

Scanning Electron Microscope; provides detailed images of the surface of a specimen.

TEM

Transmission Electron Microscope; allows observation of internal structures at high resolution.

identification

The process of determining the identity of a microorganism.

incubation

The process of keeping microbiological cultures under controlled conditions to promote growth.

isolation

Separating and obtaining a pure culture from a mixed culture.

inoculation

The introduction of microorganisms into a culture medium.

information gathering

conducting biochemical, molecular, or immunological tests to identify organisms

eyepiece

The part of the microscope you look through, usually containing a lens.

tube

Also known as the body tube, it connects the eyepiece to the objective lenses.

rotating nosepiece

The part of a microscope that holds the objective lenses and allows them to be switched.

high power objective

The lens that provides a greater magnification for detailed viewing.

low power objective

The lens that provides a lower magnification to view larger fields of the sample.

oil immersion

A technique using immersion oil to increase the resolving power of a microscope.

stage

The platform where the slide is placed for observation under a microscope.

iris

An adjustable diaphragm that controls the amount of light entering the microscope.

base

The bottom support structure of a microscope.

light source

The lamp or LED that illuminates the specimen being observed.

bacilli

Rod-shaped bacteria.

cocci

Spherical-shaped bacteria.

spirilla

Spiral-shaped bacteria.

endospores

A dormant, tough structure formed by some bacteria for survival.

cell wall

The rigid outer layer of a cell that provides structure and protection.

opportunistic pathogen

Microorganisms that can cause disease if the host's immune system is compromised.

normal flora

The beneficial microorganisms that normally reside in the body.

helminths

Parasitic worms that can infect humans and animals.

virus

An acellular infectious agent that can only replicate inside a host cell.

protozoa

Single-celled eukaryotic organisms that can be free-living or parasitic.

bacteria

Single-celled prokaryotic microorganisms that can be beneficial or harmful.

lytic cycle

The viral reproductive cycle that causes the host cell to lyse and release new virions.

capsid

The protein shell that encases a virus's genetic material.

multicellular

Organisms composed of multiple cells.

pathogen

A microorganism that can cause disease.

prokaryote

Single-celled organisms without a nucleus, such as bacteria.

eukaryote

Organisms composed of one or more cells with a nucleus.

heterotrophic

Organisms that obtain their food from other sources.

autotropic

Organisms capable of producing their own food through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis.

resistance

The ability of an organism to withstand the effects of a pathogen or antibiotic.

budding

A form of asexual reproduction in which a new organism develops from an outgrowth.

hyphae

Filamentous structures that make up the body of fungi.

bacteriophage

A virus that infects and replicates within bacteria.

lysogenic cycle

A viral life cycle in which the viral DNA integrates into the host's DNA and replicates with it.

binary fission

A method of asexual reproduction in which a single organism divides into two identical cells.

innate immunity

The non-specific defense mechanisms present from birth.

adaptive immunity

The specific response of the immune system to a particular pathogen.

susceptible host

An individual who does not have immunity to a particular disease.

antigen

A substance that triggers an immune response.

mode of transmission

The way in which a disease is spread from one host to another.

STORCH

An acronym for a group of infections that can be transmitted from mother to fetus.

infectious dose

The amount of pathogens required to cause infection in a host.

virulence

The degree of pathogenicity of a microorganism.

exogenous

Originating outside an organism.

endogenous

Originating from within an organism.

direct transmission

Immediate transfer of pathogens from an infected host to a susceptible one.

indirect transmission

Spread of pathogens through an intermediary object or organism.

fomite

An inanimate object that can carry and spread infections.

vector

An organism that transmits pathogens from one host to another.

outbreak

An occurrence of more cases of a disease than expected in a given area.

quarantine

The restriction placed on individuals to prevent the spread of disease.

zoonotic disease

An infectious disease that can be transmitted from animals to humans.

emerging/reemerging disease

Infections that are newly identified or have significantly increased in incidence.

neglected tropical disease

Infectious diseases that prevail in tropical and subtropical conditions.

arthropods

Invertebrate animals with segmented bodies and jointed legs, often vectors for diseases.

rickettsiae

Intracellular bacteria that can cause various diseases in humans.

superbug

Bacteria that have developed resistance to multiple antibiotics.

mutation

A change in the DNA sequence that can lead to disease or resistance.

efflux pump

A protein that helps bacteria expel harmful substances, including antibiotics.

broad-spectrum

Antibiotics effective against a wide range of bacteria.

narrow-spectrum

Antibiotics effective against specific families of bacteria.