Bacteriology Flashcards
What shape is a Coccus/cocci bacteria
Spherical
What name is given to a coccus bacteria that divides in 1 plane to form 2 cocci?
Diplococcus
What type of bacteria is a streptococcus bacteria?
A chain coccus - Division in 1 plane produces chains
What type of bacteria is a staphylococcus?
A bunch/clump coccus - Division in 3 planes produces a clump
What shape is a Bacillus/Bacilli bacteria?
Rod-shaped - can form chains
What shape is a Fusiform bacteria?
Long, slender rods
What shape is a Vibrio bacteria?
A curved rod
What is a common example of a vibrio bacteria?
Vibrio cholerae = cholera
What shape is a spirillum bacteria?
A rigid spiral
What shape is a spirochaete bacteria?
A flexible spiral
What causes sporulation?
Stress or starvation of a prokaryote
What forms a spore?
The mother cell begins binary fission and one chromosome is sacrificed to form the spore.
Which common bacteria produces spores?
Clostridiodes difficile
How does sporulation increase the severity of infection?
It increases resistance to many antimicrobial challenges as they have no ribosomes or cell membrane to target and they are small enough to be easily spread
What are the stages of gram staining?
Stain with crystal violet
Treat with Gram’s iodine
Decolourize with acetone or ethanol
Stain with basic fuchsin or safranin
Gram + = Violet, Gram - = pink
What are the limitations of gram staining?
Not all microorganisms stain well with Gram stain e.g. Mycobacterium tuberculosis
What is an aerobic bacteria?
A bacteria that grows in oxygen
What is an obligate aerobe?
A bacteria that requires oxygen to live
What is an obligate anaerobe?
A bacteria that is killed by oxygen
What is a facultative anaerobe?
A bacteria that can tolerate aerobic and anaerobic conditions
What is a capnophilic bacteria?
A bacteria that prefers high CO2 levels
What is a microaerophilic bacteria?
A bacteria that prefers low oxygen levels
What is a selective media?
A medium that selects for the growth of one prokaryote over another
What medium is selective for Staphylococci bacteria?
Mannitol Salt Agar - 7.5% salt allows isolation of Staphylococci
How does the Salmonella-Shigella agar isolate for Salmonella and Shigella?
It contains bile salts that inhibit coliforms
What is a differential media?
Agar that contains chemicals that produces visible stains in colonies that facilitate identification
Which differential medium facilitates the identification of Enetrobacteriacae?
MacConkay Agar
Which differential medium facilitates the identification of lactose fermenters such as E. coli?
Eosin and Methylene Blue agar