Microbiology Flashcards
(97 cards)
Prion Proteins
Smallest infective agents
No DNA/RNA
Mad cow disease
Can’t be sterilised - surgical instruments must be destroyed
Viruses
Contain DNA/RNA
Protein coat +/- lipid envelope
Bacteria
DNA+RNA
Cell membrane, cell wall
Coccus, bacillus, spirochates
Eukaryote
No cell wall
Gram +ve (cell wall)
Purple
Many layers of peptidoglycan which holds on to the purple gram stain colour
Gram -ve (cell wall)
Pink
Thin layer of peptidoglycan which doesn’t hold on to the gram stain as much so shows up as a pink stain
Lipopolysaccharide
Gram -ve
Potent endotoxin
How do bacteria replicate?
Binary fission
Bacterial growth curve
Lag
Log
Stationary
Decline
“facultative”
Can grow with or without oxygen
“obligate”
Aerobe - requires O2
Anaerobe - Killed by O2
Exotoxin
Mainly gram +ve
Produced inside the cell then EXported from the cell
Endotoxin
Mainly gram -ve
Part of the gram -ve cell wall
Spores
Inactive forms of bacteria that can survive adverse conditions for many years but can’t replicate
(eg - C. diff)
How do yeasts replicate?
Budding
eg: candida
Diagnostic investigations for bacteria
Microscopy Culture PCR Antigen detection Antibody detection IgM (serology)
Cocci
Mainly gram +ve (purple)
Round
Can be in clusters or chains
Cocci chains
eg: streptococcus, enterococcus
gram +ve cocci in chains
Differentiate by: Haemolysis test
Cocci clusters
eg: staphylococcus
gram +ve cocci in clusters
Bunch of grapes
Differentiate by: Coagulase test
Bacilli
Rod shaped
Can be large or small
Spirochates
Spiral shaped
Does not stain with gram stain
a-haemolysis
Partial haemolysis
Denatured haemoglobin causes green discolouration
eg: strep pneumonia, strep viridans
b-haemolysis
Complete haemolysis
Produce exotoxins that lyse red cells in the agar plate
Around the colony there will be a clear zone
eg: group A strep, group B strep
y-haemolysis
No haemolysis
Colony has not changed the agar plate at all
eg: enterococci