L1 - Microbiology: Introduction and History Flashcards

A collection of vocabulary terms and definitions covering the fundamentals of microbiology, bacterial growth, healthcare-related impacts, and historical scientific contributions.

Microbiology

The study of microscopic organisms, including major pathogenic groups such as Bacteria, Protozoa, Helminths, Fungi, and Viruses, as well as Algae and Prions.

Helminths

One of the major pathogenic groups studied in microbiology, consisting of parasitic worms.

Healthcare Associated Infections (HAIs)

Infections affecting $1.7\,million$ people per year in the U.S., causing $98,987$ deaths and adding $35\,Billion$ dollars to healthcare costs annually. These infections occur in healthcare settings and are often preventable, commonly resulting from bacteria, viruses, or fungi.

Lag phase

The initial period in a bacterial growth curve where the number of viable cells remains relatively constant as the population prepares for growth.

Exponential growth phase

The period in the bacterial growth curve characterized by the maximum rate of cell division.

Stationary phase

The phase of bacterial growth where the number of new cells produced equals the number of cells dying, resulting in a plateau.

Death phase

The final phase of the bacterial growth curve where the number of viable cells decreases significantly, though some cells may remain viable.

Mesophiles

Microorganisms that are found in "moderate" environments.

Extremophiles

Microorganisms that thrive in "extreme" environments, such as those with unusual pH, salt concentrations, or temperatures.

Bioremediation

The use of microbes, such as extremophiles, to decompose dead matter or clean up environmental pollutants.

Bacterial antagonism

A symbiotic relationship where members of the gut, skin, or other microbiomes prevent the growth of harmful bacteria.

Antonie van Leeuwenhoek

The first individual to develop a microscope and describe "animalcules."

Animalcules

The term used by Antonie van Leeuwenhoek to describe the microscopic organisms he first observed.

Robert Hooke

The individual credited with the first observation of microbes in the $1600's$.

Ignaz Semmelweis

A physician who, along with Oliver Wendell Holmes, identified the transmission of disease from morgues to maternity wards and advocated for hand washing in the $1840s$.

Joseph Lister

The individual who established the foundation of modern microbial controls by introducing hand washing and antiseptic agents in operating rooms.

Robert Koch

The scientist who verified the germ theory of disease using a series of proofs known as Koch's Postulates; determined that causal relationship between germs and disease and that a specific microbe causes a specific disease

Koch's Postulates

A four-step experimental process used to prove that a specific microbe is the cause of a particular disease.

Louis Pasteur

The "Father of Microbiology" who developed pasteurization, the first Rabies Vaccination, and disproved the theory of Spontaneous Generation (Swan Neck experiment)

Spontaneous Generation

A disproven theory that living organisms could arise from non-living matter, refuted by the work of Louis Pasteur.

Hans Christian Gram

The scientist who pioneered modern staining techniques and developed the Gram Stain.

Gram Stain

A staining method involving crystal violet, iodine, alcohol wash, and safranin to differentiate bacterial types.

Ferdinand Cohn

The scientist who described endospores, providing the scientific basis for sterilization.

Endospores

Heat-tolerant structures produced by certain microbes, the discovery of which by Ferdinand Cohn led to the development of sterilization. These structures enable survival in extreme conditions and can germinate into active cells when conditions improve.

John Snow

A pioneer of epidemiology who characterized a cholera outbreak in London and implemented methods to stop the epidemic.

Epidemiology

The branch of medicine dealing with the incidence, distribution, and control of diseases, which has its origins in the work of John Snow.

Florence Nightingale

The founder of modern nursing who promoted germ theory and hygiene practices during the Crimean War and established the first secular nursing school.