Koch's postulates

Question 1

Whats the purpose of Koch’s postulates?

Answer 1

To determine if a certain microbe causes a certain disease?

Question 2

What are the 4 postulates?

Answer 2

1. The bacteria is always present in every case of the disease
2. The bacteria must be isolated from the host with the disease and grown in pure culture
3. The specific disease must be replaced when a pure culture of the bacteria is inoculated into a healthy susceptible host
4. The bacteria must be recoverable from the experimentally infected host.

Question 3

What are the limitations of Koch’s postulates?

Answer 3

1. The particular bacteria (such as the one that causes leprosy) cannot be “grown in pure culture” in the laboratory.
2. There is no animal model of infection with that particular bacteria