Aspect Technique & Germ Theory

Aseptic Techniques

Operations to prevent contamination in microbiological experiments

Sterile media

Media free of living pathogenic microorganisms

Pure cultures

Progeny of a single organism, used in microbiological experiments

Inoculating loop

Metal wire tool for transferring microbes, sterilized by flaming

Aseptic Transfer

Process of moving microbes without contaminating the environment

Deionized Water

Water that has had its mineral ions removed

Streak Plate Method

Technique to isolate bacterial colonies on agar plates

Germ Theory of Disease

Concept that diseases have a source and can be treated or prevented

Robert Koch

Scientist who originated the idea that bacteria cause some diseases

Koch's Postulates

Criteria to identify an organism as the cause of a disease

Postulate #1

Organism present in all with disease, absent in healthy

Postulate #2

Organism isolable from host and grown in pure culture

Postulate #3

Re-introduced organism causes disease symptoms in a healthy host

Postulate #4

Organisms from second host identical to those from original host

Heat-fix

Process to adhere bacteria to a slide, not for sterilization