Exam 1 Flashcards
What is microbiology?
The study of small living organisms
What was the very first type of living organism?
Cyanobacteria
What are the most important functions of cyanobacteria?
- They are able to produce oxygen
- decompose dead organisms
- recycle nutrients
What is MRSA and VRSA?
Both of these are an example of the impact of microbiology. Both of these infections are a part of staph and they are resistant to common antibiotics.
What is sepsis condition?
When an infection starts to replicate massively it can potentially reach the bloodstream. Once it does, the bacteria is moved throughout the entire body and the patient is suffering from sepsis condition
What is C. Diff?
It is an intestinal infection that can cause extensive damage to the colon
What is necrotizing fascitis?
It is caused by bacteria, including the species of strep. IT causes tissue to be consumed at an alarming rate and the only way to get rid of it is through amputation
Diseases and infections are examples of what?
The danger/power of microbes
What is bioremediation?
When we use bacteria to help eat the bad toxins we produce in order to help our environment
What is treponema pallidum?
A bacteria (AKA syphillis) that works its way up to the brain and consume some of its tissue, causing lesions. As a result the most common symptom of it is altered behavior and madness
How is treponema pallidum applied to history?
It is said that these people suffered from the madness of the disease
- Hitler
- Ivan the terrible
- Henry VIII
- Shakespeare
- Casanova
What is ergot?
It is a fungal infection that comes from rye and it is said to also cause mental issues since it interferes with neurotransmitters
What are the symptoms of ergot?
Hysteria, Nausea, Headaches
The salem witch trials are associated with ______?
Ergot
What is the Irish potato famine?
It was a huge famine that broke out due to an algae like organism affecting potatoes, which were a huge part of their diet. This overall resulted in starvation and lack of food. People began fleeing Ireland
What is the black death?
A bubonic plague that was caused by yersinia pestis bacteria
What was one of the first signs of bioterrorism?
The Assyrians used ergot to poison the wells of their competitors
Where does karyote come from?
It derives from the word kernel, which came from the people that first used the microscope. They saw a kernel like feature (nucleus)
What were the first signs of the application of microbiology?
This is seen with the mummy man, a 5000 year old mummy who created some type of medication (with shelf fungus) against common diseases (at his time)
Who first came up with the concept of moldy bread (penicillin)?
The Egyptians used to apply moldy bread to wounds because it produces penicillin and prevents putrefaction
Who was Antoine Van Leeuwenhoek?
The inventor of the first microscope
Who is known as the father of microscopy?
Antoine Van Leeuwenhoek
What is the concept of spontaneous generation?
The theory that every living thing magically appeared (out of nowhere)
Who was John Needham?
A scientist who believed in spontaneous generation. He “proved” it by placing broth in a closed flask and letting it sit for a few days. It turned cloudy and he thought that was enough
Who was Francisco Redi?
He was a scientist who performed an experiment with maggots. He placed meat inside a covered jar (cork) and expected something to magically appear. Since nothing grew, he started to deny the belief of spontaneous generation
Who was Pasteur?
A scientist who decided to follow up Redi’s experiment. He performed it with an S shaped flask and came to the conclusion that small organisms would remain trapped in the neck. As soon as the neck came off, microbial growth reappeared. He officially denied the theory of spontaneous generation
Who was Florence Nightingale AKA lady of the lamp?
She was a nurse in the crimean war and she contributed greatly to the field of epidemiology. She advocated for the use of statistics and sterilization.
Who is Ignaz Semmelweis?
A gynecologist/physician who advocated for hand washing. He claimed that by doing so, child birth fever rates would greatly reduce
What is child birth fever?
Sepsis for both women and baby. When a women gives birth there is a lot of tearing and exposure. If not properly taken care of, they can become septic
What were the 2 maternity clinics that Semmelweis worked in?
Dublin and Wein
Why were child birth fever rates much lower in Dublin?
Medical students in Dublin would perform appropriate hand washing techniques. In Wein, students would work with cadavers before handling babies and they never washed their hands.
What is the germ theory of disease?
It basically states that there are microscopic organisms, called germs, that are responsible for causing disease.
