CMA CH 30 Key Terms - Basic Microbiology

Question 1

aerobic

Answer 1

organism that requires oxygen for survival and growth.

Question 2

aerosols

Answer 2

particles from potentially infectious materials that could be released into the air

Question 3

agar

Answer 3

gelatin-line substance extracted from red algae that contains nutrients and moisture for bacteria growth.

Question 4

anaerobic

Answer 4

organism that needs little to no oxygen for survival and growth

Question 5

broth tubes

Answer 5

tubes filled with broth substance that will support the growth of certain microorganisms

Question 6

expectorate

Answer 6

act of coughing up material from airways that lead to the lungs

Question 7

genus

Answer 7

first Greek or Latin name given to a microorganism; always capitalized.

Question 8

Gram stain

Answer 8

named for inventor, Hans Christian Gram. Most common stain used in microbiology to observe gross morphologic features of bacteria; a differential stain, allowing differentiation between Gram-negative and Gram-positive organisms.

Question 9

incubate

Answer 9

allowing a pathogen to grow in culture media

Question 10

inoculate

Answer 10

to place colonies of microorganisms onto nutrient media for culture testing.

Question 11

morphology

Answer 11

form and structure of an organism

Question 12

mycology

Answer 12

study of fungi

Question 13

nomenclature

Answer 13

naming

Question 14

normal flora

Answer 14

microorganisms that are normally present in a specific site

Question 15

nosocomial

Answer 15

infection acquired in a health care setting

Question 16

ova

Answer 16

eggs; in a laboratory setting usually refers to eggs of a parasite

Question 17

potassium hydroxide

Answer 17

10% solution placed on vaginal smears, as well as skin scrapings, hair, and other dry substances, to dissolve excess debris. This clears the vision field better for viewing of fungi and spores.

Question 18

species

Answer 18

second Greek or Latin name given to microorganisms; not capitalized.

Question 19

spores

Answer 19

inactive state of some bacteria in which they are encapsulated in protein. The encapsulation protects them from heat, chemicals, freezing, desiccation, and radiation and antibiotics. Spores can live for thousands of years with no nutrients. When spores are exposed to fertile human tissue they can become activated and grow. Tetanus is one type of bacteria that can create spores.

Question 20

virology

Answer 20

study of viruses.

Question 21

wet mount

Answer 21

method of adding liquid, usually saline or potassium hydrochloride, to a specimen on a slide for examination and preservation. The specimen is placed on a slide and one drop of saline (for dx of trichomonas vaginalis) or potassium hydroxide (for dx of vaginal yeast infections) is applied and mixes with the specimen. It is then covered with a coverslip and examined microscopically.

Question 22

Wood’s Lamp

Answer 22

special light used to detect organisms that fluoresce such as certain fungi, bacteria, and parasites. Scabies and ringworm are two examples. Scratches in the eye may be detected using a Wood’s lamp after te eye has been stained with a fluorescent dye. Also used in determining margin dissection of melanoma.