CHAPTER 1: Intro to Microbiology

microbiology

is the study of microbes (it includes the study of certain nonliving). Individual microbes can be observed only with the use of various types of microscopes.

microbes

these nonliving entities and living organisms are, by means, very small—anything so small that it must be viewed with a microscope

viruses

most scientists do not consider these to be living organisms; they are often referred to as “acellular microbes” or “infectious particles” rather than microorganisms.

acellular microbes

two major categories of microbes that includes viruses and prions (infectious particle)

cellular microbes

two major categories of microbes that include all bacteria, all archaea, some algae, all protozoa, and some fungi (microorganisms)

pathogens (infectious agents)

cisease-causing microorganisms are technically known as

nonpathogens

the vast majority of known microbes that do not cause disease

indigenous microflora (microbiota)

The microbes that live on and in the human body are referred to as

500 to 1,000

with 100 trillion microbes, it has been estimated that perhaps as many as __

different species of microbes live on and in us

opportunistic pathogens

do not cause disease under ordinary conditions, but have the potential to cause

disease should the opportunity present itself.

saprophytes (decomposers)

microorganisms that break down dead and decaying organic material into

Inorganic nutrients (e.g. nitrate and phosphates) in the soil

algae and cyanobacteria

a group of photosynthetic bacteria that produce oxygen

nitrogen-fixing bacteria

a bacteria that live on or near the roots of legumes convert free nitrogen from the air into ammonia in the soil and convert the ammonia into nitrites and nitrates, which are nutrients used by plants.

bioremediation

some microbes are capable of decomposing industrial wastes (oil spills, for example). Thus, we can use microbes—genetically engineered microbes, in some

cases—to clean up after ourselves

microbial ecology

the study of the relationships between microbes and the environment

plankton

microscopic organisms in the ocean, serve as the starting point of many food chains

phytoplankton

tiny marine plants and algae are called

zooplankton

tiny marine animals

vitamins K and B1

a nutrient that E. coli bacteria produce while living in the human intestinal tract

cellulose-eating protozoa

Although termites eat wood, they cannot digest wood. Fortunately for them, termites have ___ in their intestinal tracts that break down the wood that the termites consume into smaller molecules that the termites can use as nutrients.

food chain

Tiny living organisms such as bacteria, algae, microscopic aquatic plants (e.g., phytoplankton), and microscopic aquatic animals (e.g., zooplankton) are eaten by larger animals, which in turn are eaten by still larger animals, etc., until an animal in the chain is consumed by a human.

biotechnology

the use of living organisms or their derivatives to make or modify useful products or processes is called

antibiotic

is a substance produced by a microbe that is effective in killing or inhibiting the growth of other microbes.

genetic engineering

microbiologists have engineered bacteria and yeasts to produce a variety of useful substances, such as insulin, various types of growth hormones, interferons, and materials for use as vaccines

infectious disease

a disease caused by pathogen, which results when a pathogen colonizes the body and subsequently causes disease

microbial intoxication

A disease caused by a pathogen results when a person ingests a toxin (a poisonous substance) produced by a microbe (vitro)

pestilence

an infectious disease occurred in Egypt about 3180 BC and this may represent the first recorded epidemic, bubonic plague

yersinia pestis

pestilence is caused by what microorganism

syphilis

an infectious disease that made its first appearance in Europe in 1493. Many people believe that syphilis was carried to Europe by Native Americans who were brought to Portugal by Christopher Columbus.

Anton van Leeuwenhoek

first person to see live bacteria and protozoa, he is sometimes referred to as the “Father of Microbiology”, the “Father of Bacteriology,” and the “Father of Protozoology”.

single-lens microscopes or simple microscopes

ground tiny glass lenses, which mounted in small metal frames, grinding lenses that would magnify an object to 200 to 300 times

animalcules

term of leeuwenhoek in tiny living creatures

e theory of spontaneous generation or abiogenesis

The idea that life can arise spontaneously from nonliving material is called the

theory of biogenesis

theory of spontaneous generation and proved that life can only arise from preexisting life

Louis Pasteur

a French chemist developed a process (today known as pasteurization) to kill microbes that were causing wine to spoil—an economic concern to France’s wine industry

Acetobacter

bacteria that convert glucose to acetic acid (vinegar) by fermentation, thus, ruining the taste of the wine

yeast

a microorganism that convert the glucose in grapes to ethyl alcohol (ethanol) by fermentation

Robert Koch

a German physician, developed methods of fixing, staining, and photographing bacteria.

pure culture

refers to a condition in which only one type of organism is growing on a solid culture medium or in a liquid culture medium in the laboratory; no other types of organisms are present.

tuberculin

koch’s work, (a protein derived from M. tuberculosis) ultimately led to the development of a skin test valuable in diagnosing tuberculosis.

synergistic infections

diseases that are caused not by one particular microbe, but by the combined effects of two or more different microbes. Examples of such infections include acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis (ANUG; also known as “trench mouth”) and bacterial vaginosis

microbiologist

is a scientist who studies microbes

bacteriologist

is a scientist who specializes in bacteriology—the study of the structure, functions, and activities of bacteria.

phycologist/algologist

scientists specializing in the field of phycology (or algology) study the various types of algae and are called

protozoologists

explore the area of protozoology—the study of protozoa and their activities

mycologist

Those who specialize in the study of fungi, or mycology, are called

virology

encompasses the study of viruses and their effects on living cells of all types.

virologists and cell biologists

specialists that may become genetic engineers who transfer genetic material (deoxyribonucleic acid or DNA) from one cell type to another

virologists

specialist that may also study prions and viroids, acellular infectious agents that are even smaller than viruse

Medical microbiology

involves the study of pathogens, the diseases they cause, and the

body’s defenses against disease. It involves with epidemiology, transmission of pathogenshogens, disease-prevention measures, aseptic techniques, treatment of infectious diseases, immunology, and the production of vaccines to protect people and animals against infectious diseases