Module 1

Introduction to Microbiology

Microbiology

Study of microorganisms or microbes

Bio

Life

Logos

Study

Pathogens

Microbial enemies. These microbes causes diseases

Non-Pathogen

Microbial allies. These microbes do not cause diseases

Acellular and Cellular

These are the categories of microbes

Acellular Microbes

These are infectious particles which includes viroids, viruses, and prions. Non-living once outside the host cell; inert particles; can replicate inside the host cell.

Virus

This is not considered a cell and can be considered to be simpler than cell. It can cause infection or disease.

Cellular Microbes

These are microorganism which includes all bacteria, archaea, protozoa and some algae and fungi.

Prokaryotic Cells

These are simple organisms that lack specialized structures (no nucleus). Examples of these cells are bacteria and archaea

Eukaryotic Cells

These are complex cells that have organelles and nucleus. They mutated from prokaryotic cells.

Ecological Balance

This refers to the flow of energy and food through the ecosystem. It is involved in elemental cycles such as carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, and phosphorus cycles.

Photosynthesis

It is the conversion of CO2 into organic material which serves as the basis for the food chain and the production of oxygen for humans to function

Algae

This is the responsible for approximately half of the total accounts for photosynthesis.

Decomposition

It refers to the breaking down of dead matter, waste products into simple compounds that can be used back, recycled into natural cycles of living things.

Physiological Functions

It refers to the needs for microorganisms found in the digestive tract to occur.

Medicine Development

It utilizes bacteria or fungi to treat patients with infectious diseases.

Food Technology

It refers to the processed foods, condiments and beverages using microorganism.

Genetic Engineering

It refers to the insertion of foreign genes into microorganisms to enable it to produce specific gene products allow the definition of recombinant microbes.

Disease Process

It can cause disease

Indigenous Microbiota

Microorganisms that live on and in the human body which is beneficial to humans.

Opportunistic Pathogens

These do not cause disease under ordinary condition. They can be thought of as microbes awaiting the opportunity to cause disease.

Saprophytes

They live in dead or decaying organic matter. They also break down dead organic matter into nitrates, phosphates, and other chemicals for plant growth.

Bioremediation

It is the use of microorganisms to remove or decontaminate toxic materials in the environment

Robert Hooke

He reported that life’s smallest structural units were “little boxes” or cells. Cell Theory

Anton van Leeuwenhoek

The Father of Microbiology, Bacteriology, and Protozoology. He is the first to observe and describe live microorganisms through magnifying lenses. He coined the term “animacules”.

Abiogenesis (Theory of Spontaneous Generations)

It states that life can be develop spontaneously from inanimate objects or non-living things.

Theory of Biogenesis

Theorized by Rudolf Virchow in 1858 and disproved the Theory of Spontaneous Generations. It states that life can only arise from preexisting life.

Francesco Redi

Father of Parasitology and Founder of Experimental Biology. He is a strong opponent of theory of spontaneous generations. He also performed one of the first biological experiment.

Omne Vivum Ex Vivo

Famous adage which means “All life comes from life”

John Needham

“The First Boil”. His experiment seemed to show that there was a life force that produced spontaneous generation. Furthermore, Life can begin from inorganic matter given a sufficient time. Thus, life can sprout from the dead.

Lazzaro Spallanzani

“The Second Boil”. He produced the first rebuttal of the theory of spontaneous generation. He suggested that microorganisms from the air probably had entered Needham’s solution. He paved the way for the work of Louis Pasteur.

Rudolf Virchow

He claims that living cells can only arise from preexisting cells.

Louis Pasteur

He provided evidence that microorganisms cannot originate from nonliving matter. He developed the process of fermentation and pasteurization. He also introduced the terms “aerobes” and “anaerobes”

Ferdinand Cohn

A botanist who discovered bacterial endospores.

John Tyndall

he discovered the heat resistance of spores. He worked out a way to reliably kill them by repeated boiling.

Oliver Holmes

An American doctor who said that infection is higher among patients delivered in hospitals compared those delivered at home.

Nosocomial Infection

It is the hospital-acquired infection.

Joseph Lord Lister

The Pioneer of antiseptic surgery. He used carbolic acid spray in surgery and on surgical wound. He introduced the term “antisepsis” or “aseptic technique”

Robert Koch

A German doctor who developed methods of fixing, staining, and photographing bacteria. He also discovered tuberculosis.

Hans Christian Gram

A Danish bacteriologist who developed Gram staining, a method for distinguishing between two major classes of bacteria. (Gram-negative and Gram-positive)

Edward Jenner

The Father of Immunology who discovered the smallpox vaccine.

Ignaz Semmelweis

The Father of Handwashing

Florence Nightingale

She introduced cleanliness and other sterile/antiseptic techniques into nursing practice. She developed the Environmental Theory.

Magic Bullet

A chemical that could kill pathogen without damaging the surrounding tissues. AKA chemotherapy

Quinine

The first known chemical to treat a disease which was used by Spanish conquistadors

Chemotherapy

Treatment of disease by using chemical substances

Paul Enrich

He discovered arsphenamine (salvarsan), an arsenic derivative effective against syphilis. He received German Nobel laureate in 1900 for magic bullet.

Alexander Fleming

He discovered Benzylpenicillin (Penicillin G)

Nephrotoxic

Medications that causes damage to kidneys

Hepatotoxic

Medications that causes damage to liver

Bacteriology

Study of Bacteria

Mycology

Study of Fungi

Parasitology

Study of Protozoa and Parasitic worms

Immunology

Study of Immune system and response

Virology

Study of Viruses

Protozoology

Study of Protozoa and Its activities

Phycology

Study of Algae