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1. Microbiology > Important Definitions > Flashcards

Important Definitions Flashcards

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1
Q

What is spontaneous generation?

A

False hypothesis that living

organisms can originate from non-living matter

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2
Q

What are Koch’s Postulates?

A

A sequence of experimental steps to relate a specific microbe to a specific disease

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3
Q

What is genetic engineering?

A

Use of microorganisms as molecular tools for the artificial manipulation of genes in cells

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4
Q

What is gene therapy?

A

A technique whereby an absent or faulty gene is replaced by a working gene

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5
Q

What are chemoorganotrophs?

A

Organisms that obtain their energy from organic compounds

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6
Q

What are aerobes?

A

Chemoorganotrophs that can extract energy from compounds in the presence of oxygen

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7
Q

What are anaerobes?

A

Chemoorganotrophs that can extract energy from compounds in the absence of oxygen

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8
Q

What are chemolithotrophs?

A

organisms that can trap the energy available in inorganic compounds

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9
Q

What are phototrophs?

A

organisms that can contain pigments that allow them to use light as an energy source- cells are coloured

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10
Q

What are heterotrophs?

A

Organisms requiring one or more organic compounds as their carbon source

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11
Q

What are autotrophs?

A

CO2 is the carbon source

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12
Q

What are growth factors?

A

Essential compounds that the organism is unable to synthesize from available nutrients

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13
Q

What are extremophiles?

A

Organisms that inhabit extreme environments

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14
Q

What are mesophiles?

A

organisms with an temperature range of

15-400C with an optimum of 370C

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15
Q

What are thermophiles?

A

organisms with an optimum temperature

between about 40C and 70C

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16
Q

What are hyperthermophiles?

A

organisms with an optimum

temperature of ≥80C and a max. as high as 115C

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17
Q

What are psychrophiles?

A

these cold-loving organisms are defined

by their ability to grow at 0–300C

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18
Q

What are obligate aerobes?

A

They require O2 for growth

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19
Q

What are obligate anaerobes?

A

They do not need or use O2 for growth

O2 is toxic - either kills or inhibits

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20
Q

What are facultative anaerobes?

A

Organisms that can switch between aerobic and anaerobic types of metabolism

Fermentation/anaerobic respiration or aerobic respiration

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21
Q

What are acidophiles?

A

Organisms which grow at an optimum pH well below neutrality

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22
Q

What are neutrophiles?

A

Organisms which grow best at neutral pH

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23
Q

What are alkaliphiles?

A

Organisms which grow best under alkaline conditions

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24
Q

What is general purpose media?

A

Supports the growth of many different species of microbes

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25
What is enriched mmedia?
Media fortified with yeast extracts, or protein infusions - useful in growing fastidious organisms Addition of special nutrients, promotes the growth of any bacteria that may be present
26
What is selective media?
encourage the growth of one organism whilst | suppressing the growth of another
27
What is differential media?
Differentiate | target organisms from a mixed culture
28
What is chemotaxis?
Response to a chemical gradient of attractant or repellent molecules in the environment
29
What are pili?
Pili are thin filamentous protein structures, that | extend from the surface of the bacterial cell
30
What is conjugation?
Conjugation is the transfer of genetic material | between bacteria through direct cell-to-cell contact
31
What is a glycocalyx?
a viscous covering of fibres outside of the cell wall
32
What is a capsule?
A glycocalyx that appears as an extensive, tightly bound accumulation of gelatinous material adhering to the cell wall,
33
What is a slime layer?
A glycocalyx that appears unorganised and more loosely attached
34
What is a biofilm?
A common secreted adhesive matrix
35
What are moulds?
Multinucleated filamentous fungi composed of threadlike strands of cells
36
What are dermatophytes?
A group of moulds that cause superficial mycoses of the hair, skin and nails e.g. ringworm and athlete's foot
37
What are yeasts?
Unicellular fungi
38
What are helminths?
Multicellular animals
39
What are commensals?
The non-pathogenic bacteria that grow on the skin and in the mucous membranes (collectively the microbiome)
40
What is competitive inhibition?
The inhibited access of potential pathogens to nutrients and binding sites
41
What is microbiota dysbiosis?
Disturbing the gut causes disease such as coeliac
42
What are the stages of bacterial pathogenesis?
``` Exposure/entry Adherence and local invasion Colonisation Invasion and growth Evasion of the Host Immune Defenses ```
43
What are degradative enzymes?
Enzymes that degrade components of the extracellular matrix providing bacteria with easier access to host cell surfaces
44
What are cytolytic toxins?
Toxins that degrade integrity of cytoplasmic membranes causing cell lysis
45
What are AB toxins?
Toxins consisting of two units
46
What are superantigen toxins?
Toxins that over stimulate the immune system causing extensive inflammation and tissue damage
47
What is innate immunity?
Nonspecific host defence mechanisms directed against a broad variety of pathogens
48
What is adaptive immunity?
Specific host defences directed against individual species of pathogens
49
What are antibodies?
Proteins found in blood or other bodily fluids used to identify and neutralize foreign objects, such as bacteria and viruses
50
What is antigen switching?
The process by which pathogens can periodically change their surface antigens to prevent host antibody mediated activity e.g. Salmonella
51
What is a compromised host?
One or more defence mechanisms are inactive
52
How does infection spread? | 6
Pathogen source Reservoir of infection Portal of exit Mode of transmission Portal of entry Susceptible host
53
What is a health care associated infection? | 2
An infection contracted while a person is in a health-care facility An infection that first appears 48 hours or more after hospital admission
54
What are standard precautions?
Work practices that provide a basic level of infection control for the care of all patients/clients
55
What are transmission based precautions?
Work practices that are used in addition to standard precautions when a patient is known to have/be colonised with a transmissible agent
56
What is surveillance?
Work practices that allow investigation of chain of infection and monitoring of infection control practices
57
What are the WHO My 5 Moments for Hand Hygiene?
Before touching patient Before clean/aseptic procedure After body fluid exposure risk After touching a patient After touching patient surroundings
58
What are the three microbial growth measures in the environment? What are the three main ways of controlling microbes in the environment?
Decontamination Disinfection Sterilization
59
What is decontamination?
treatment that renders an object or | inanimate surface safe for use or disposal
60
What is disinfection?
destruction of vegetative organisms which might cause disease (or in the context of food industries, which might cause spoilage) - does not necessarily kill spores
61
What is sterilzation?
the killing or removal of all viable organisms- implies the destruction of all microorganisms including endospores
62
What are the two microbial growth measures in the human host?
Antibiotic/antiviral/antifungal treatment Vaccines
63
What measure is used in physical methods of controlling microbes in the environment?
Sterilization i.e. sterilization is used to physically remove microbes
64
What measure is used in chemical methods of controlling microbes in the environment?
Disinfection i.e. disinfectants are used in chemical methods of removing microbes
65
What are the methods of sterilization used in a microbiology lab?
Red heat Dry heat Moist heat Filtration
66
What are the methods of sterilization used in a healthcare environment?
Moist heat Radiation Incineration
67
What is a hot air oven?
A thermostatically controlled oven, fitted with a fan to ensure even temperature in all parts of the load
68
Use of moist heat in micro lab? | 2
Autoclave used to: Safe discard of specimens and biohazardous waste Sterilisation of culture media, reagents and equipment before use
69
Use of moist heat in healthcare?
Autoclave used to sterilise medical devices
70
What is an autoclave?
It applies steam heat under pressure at temperature above the boiling point of water and can thus kill both vegetative cells and endospores
71
What is incineration?
A high-temperature dry oxidation process that reduces waste to inorganic matter
72
What is filter sterilization?
Involves the physical removal of microorganisms from air or liquids
73
Radiation makes use of what means to remove microbes?
Decontamination or sterilization
74
What are disinfectants?
Chemicals used to kill microbes but not necessarily their endospores on inanimate objects or surfaces
75
List the limitations of disinfectants. | 6
Must be made up fresh daily Must be made up at correct concentration May be corrosive to skin Activity is reduced in presence of large numbers of organisms e.g. biofilms Inactivated by blood and plastics Susceptibility of pathogen to disinfectant vaires
76
What are cidal agents?
Antibiotics used to kill organisms | bacteriocidal, fungicidal, viricidal
77
What are static agents? | 2
Antibiotics that do not kill but only inhibit growth bacteriostatic, fungiastatic, viristatic agents
78
What are broad spectrum antibiotics?
Antibiotics that act on both gram pos and neg bacteria
79
What are narrow spectrum antibiotics?
Antibiotics that act on a single group of organisms
80
What are the five main targets antibiotics have in bacteria?
Cell wall Protein synthesis Nucleic acid synthesis Cytoplasmic membrane Folic acid synthesis
81
What is a vaccine?
A preparation which is used to improve immunity to a particular infection - prevent infection

1. Microbiology (12 decks)

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