Diagnostic bacteriology and diagnostic virology Flashcards
Why is diagnostics important?
Prevent misuse of treatment - reduce use of antibiotics when they’re not necessary. Identify and prevent outbreaks.
What are the 3 main types of testing for diagnostic bacteriology?
Microscopy, culture and sensitivities.
What microscopy tests are done and why are they done?
Gram stain tells us what type of bacteria.
Why is a bacteria culture test done?
To work out species of bacteria.
What bacteria culture tests are done?
Hemolysis test. Lactose test. Catalase test. Coagulase test.
Why is a sensitivity test done?
To work out what is the most effective treatment for that bacterium.
What does the minimum inhibitory concentration mean?
The lowest concentration of an antibiotic that inhibits the growth of a given strain of bacteria.
What is the antimicrobial breakpoint?
An antimicrobial breakpoint is the agreed concentration of an agent at which bacteria can, and cannot, be treated with the antimicrobial agent in question.
What antibiotic sensitivity test is done?
Disk diffusion test.
Structure of cell wall in gram positive bacteria?
One outer membrane with thick peptidoglycan.
Structure of cell wall in gram negative bacteria?
Two outer membranes with thin peptidoglycan.
What colour do gram negative bacteria stain?
Pink.
What colour do gram positive bacteria stain?
Purple.
How is a gram stain performed?
Bacteria culture spread on glass slide. Heat to fix bacteria to surface. Application of crystal violet solution to slide. Application of iodine to slide. Alcohol wash performed on slide. Counter stain performed by application of safranin.
What colour is crystal violet?
Purple.
What colour is safranin?
Pink.
What occurs to gram positive and gram negative bacteria after alcohol wash?
Gram positive bacteria stay purple as iodine and crysal violet can’t be washed out of cell wall. Gram negative bacteria lose purple colour.
What are the basic bacteria morphology?
Cocci and bacilli.
What shape are coccus bacteria?
Spheres.
What shapes are bacillus bacteria?
Round ended cylinders.
What are hemolysins?
Enzymes that damage red blood cells.
Three types of hemolysis in diagnostic bacteriology?
Gamma hemolysis, Alpha hemolysis, Beta hemolysis.
What is gamma hemolysis?
No hemolysis.
What is alpha hemolysis?
Partial hemolysis.
What is beta hemolysis?
Full hemolysis.
What would you see in gamma hemolysis?
No zone.
What would you see in alpha hemolysis?
Opaque green zone.
What would you see in beta hemolysis?
Transparent zone.
How is a hemolysis test performed?
Streak out bacterial colony on blood agar. Assess hemolysis after overnight incubation.
What is the hemolysis test useful for differentiating?
Differentiating members of the genera Staphylococcus, Streptococcus and Enterococcus.
What is the lactose fermentation test useful for differentiating?
Useful for differentiating gram negative bacteria.
What do lactose fermenting bacteria contain allowing them to produce lactic acid from lactose?
Lactase.
What type of agar is used in lactose fermentation test?
MacConkey agar.