Medical Microbiology, Public Health Microbiology, and Epidemiology
Definition:
Medical microbiology studies the effects of microorganisms on human beings.
Related Fields:
Public health and epidemiology monitor and control the spread of diseases in communities.
Key Institutions:
U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
CDC Responsibilities:
Collects information and statistics on diseases from around the United States.
Publishes findings in The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (reference to Chapter 13).
Example:
A parasite specialist examines leaf litter for the presence of black-legged ticks, which are carriers of Lyme disease.
Source: Scott Bauer/USDA
Biotechnology, Genetic Engineering, and Industrial Microbiology
Core Principle:
These branches utilize microorganisms to derive desired products.
Specific Areas:
Biotechnology:
Focuses on the natural abilities of microbes.
Genetic Engineering:
Involves the deliberate alteration of the genetic makeup of organisms to create novel microbes, plants, and animals with unique behaviors and physiologies.
Industrial Microbiology:
Scales up processes to produce large quantities of desired products (reference to Chapters 10 and 27).
Example:
A technician tests the effectiveness of microorganisms in the production of new sources of energy.
Source: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Immunology
Definition:
Studies the complex web of protective substances and reactions caused by invading microbes and other harmful entities.
Areas of Study:
Blood testing, vaccination, and allergies (reference to Chapters 15, 16, and 17).
Example:
A CDC virologist examines cultures of the influenza virus used in vaccine production, which requires high-level biohazard containment.
Source: James Gathany/CDC
Agricultural Microbiology
Definition:
Concerns the relationships between microbes and domesticated plants and animals.
Focus Areas:
Plant specialists deal with plant diseases, soil fertility, and nutritional interactions.
Animal specialists work with infectious diseases and interactions between animals and microorganisms.
Food Microbiology
Definition:
Concerned with the impact of microbes on the food supply.
Focus Areas:
Food spoilage, food-borne diseases, and production processes.
Example:
Microbiologists from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) collect soil samples to detect animal pathogens.
A U.S. Department of Agriculture technician observes tests for the presence of Escherichia coli in foods.