Chapter 1 Flashcards
(13 cards)
What are the 5 major groups of microorganisms studied by microbiologists?
Bacteria, Fungi, Helminths, Protozoans, & Viruses.
Be familiar with the relative sizes of these organisms. Which are the largest? The smallest?
Ask question
For the most part, bacteria have relatively little variation with regards to the size and shape of their
cells, but we consider them the most diverse group of organisms on the planet today. Why is this? What
do we mean when we talk about microbial diversity (think about the environments bacteria live in and
the nutrient sources they use, for example).
Microbes are so diverse since they have been around for 3 billion years. The microbial diversity is how some can survive in boiling water, and certain temps.
Why are microbes important to humanity? Be able to come up with several reasons, and explain the
relevance of each.
Microbes are important to humanity because they; Aid digestion, produce insulin (Biotechnology), produce Beer/ Wine, produce antibiotics, cause diseases.
The leading causes of death in the developed world tend to be chronic diseases, while infectious
diseases are major causes of death in the developing world. Why is this
Their health systems are not developed, they don’t get the right antibiotics, they also feed their animals trash and once they get that animals they get certain diseases.
Be able to describe the development of the microscope, including the contributions of the Janssen
brothers, Hooke, Galileo and van Leeuwnehoek
The Janssen brothers- created the compound microscope but combining two lenses.
Robert Hooke- Was the first person to describe the cells.
Galileo- Made the compound microscope with Focusing Device.
Van Leeuwenhoek- Was credited for discovering single cell microorganisms.
Be able to discuss the two century long debate over spontaneous generation, and be familiar with the
contributions of Redi, Needham, Jablot, Schultze and Schwann and Louis Pasteur
Francisco Redi did the experiment with the meat and the maggots and spontaneous generation.
John Needham and Louis Jablot- performed experiments that produced conflicting results regarding spontaneous generation.
Louis Jablot- concluded you need dust and other living organisms for growth Needham didn’t.
Franz Schultze and Theodor Schwann- Allowed heated air to enter infusion in flask: No growth
Louis Pastuer- Conclusively demonostrated that air containing dust & germs was required for microbial growth.
What is the cell theory? Be able to describe the three important components of the cell theory
The Cell Theory is:
- All life forms are made from one or more cells.
- Cells only arise from pre-exiting cells.
- The cell is the smallest form of life.
What was Edward Jenner’s contribution to public health and microbiology?
Edward tested the theory that if a person had cowpox that they wouldn’t get smallpox on a little boy.
Be familiar with the contributions of Semmelweis and Lister to public health
Ignaz Semmelweis- demonstrated that the rate of infection in women in the maternity ward was much higher when the doctors who examine them came directly from the autopsy room.
Joseph Lister- was the first to bring aseptic techniques into the operating room.
- What are 5 ways to achieve sterilization of an instrument or liquid?
Dry heat, Autoclave, Uv Light, Gamma Irradiation, Filters
Be very familiar with Koch’s Postulates, as well as the limitations of these postulates.
- It must be present in all cases of the disease, and absent in healthy individuals.
* Limitation*- We all have bacteria on us but not all of us are affected by this it must be a OPPORTUNISTIC PATHOGEN. The body can control when healthy. - The microbe must be isolated from the sick individual and cultured in the laboratory IN PURE CULTURE.
* Limitation* Viruses won’t grow in Pure Culture they need a host cell. - Introduction of this lab isolate into a healthy host should give the host the disease.
* Limitation*- some may be immune or if its opportunistic pathogen. - The original microbe must then be reisolated from the newly infected individual.
Basically speaking, what is an antibiotic? Who discovered these, and what was the first antibiotic
discovered?
Antibiotics, also called antibacterials, are a type of antimicrobial drug used in the treatment and prevention of bacterial infections. They may either kill or inhibit the growth of bacteria. Alexander Fleming noted that growth of a mold Penicillium Notatum, inhibited the growth of bacteria.
