Intro to Microbiology Flashcards
What is the fundamental difference between eukaryotes and prokaryotes?
Prokaryote nuclei are not membrane bound. Eukaryote nuclei are membrane bound
(Prokaryotes are more primitive than eukaryotes and therefore haven’t develop membrane for nucleus)
Which bacterium is responsible for tooth decay?
Streptococcus mutants (gram negative coco that produces slime helping it stick to teeth)
What is the viral nucleic acid cord comprised of?
Either DNA or RNA (but not both)
How are retroviruses unusual? (in terms of their viral genome)
Retroviruses are unusual because they have an RNA copy of the genome but upon infection of a host cell a cDNA copy of the virus genome s made using the enzyme reverse transcriptase
What are prions?
Protein particle that can be infectious
True or false: fungi are prokaryotes?
False. Fungi are eurokayotes
What are the names of these different shaped bacteria:
- round shaped
- rod shaped
- spiral shaped
- round shaped =cocci
- rod shaped =bacillus
- spiral shaped =spirilium
What is the vector for malaria?
Female anopheles mosquito
Give some examples of protozoan infections
- Malacia
- Toxoplasmosis
- Amoebic meningitis/dysentery
Which sites in the body are considered sterile?
- Lower respiratory tract
- Upper genital tract
- Urinary tract
- Pleural cavity
- Spinal cord and meninges
- Middle ear
- Peritoneal cavity
Where do coagulase-negative staphylococci, staph aura and p.acnes colonise?
*Skin and orifices
Where is the main carrier site for staph aureus?
The nose
Where do strep pyogenes(a), haemophilia influenza, strep pneumonia and neisseria meningitidis live?
The pharynx
What is the role of lactobacillus acidophilus in the vagina and when does it colonise females?
It ferments glycogen to maintain low pH, in the vagina preventing colonisation by other species. Colonises after puberty due to circulating oestrogen which induce glycogen production
The vast majority of bacteria in the stomach and small intestine are:
a) aerobic
b) anaerobic
c) trick question there are no bacteria in the stomach
A. Aerobic e.g. lactobacilli and h.pylori
