Introduction to Medical Microbiology

Question 1

Name the 5 microorganisms that cause infection

Answer 1

Bacteria
Viruses
Fungi
Parasites
Prions.

Question 2

What is a prion?

Answer 2

A microorganism made of protein

Question 3

Name some common specimen types.

Answer 3

Blood, CSF, urine, sputum, faeces, skin.

Question 4

What does gram staining allow you to see?

Answer 4

Bacteria, yeast, fungi.

Question 5

What can you see in a light microscope without gram staining?

Answer 5

Pus cells (urine)
parasites (faeces)

Question 6

Is microscopy rapid?

Answer 6

Yes

Question 7

Is microscopy sensitive?

Answer 7

No. - as you only see a tiny part of the culture.

Question 8

Can you see viruses by Light Microscopy?

Answer 8

no.

Question 9

Name some sterile sights.

Answer 9

Blood, csf, lungs, bladder.

Question 10

Name some unsterile sights.

Answer 10

Skin, nasopharynx, urethra, gut.

Question 11

Whats difficult about getting a specimen from a non-sterile sight?

Answer 11

May contain irrelevant parasites and be very confusing.

Question 12

Is culture slow?

Answer 12

Yes

Question 13

Is culture sensitive?

Answer 13

Yes.

Question 14

What is selective media?

Answer 14

Growing a species in a culture that is good for that particular species to grow in , but suppresses other specie’s growth.

Question 15

What are important things to take into account when growing a culture?

Answer 15

The favourable atmosphere, temperature, incubation period.

Question 16

What is typing?

Answer 16

A technique to distinguish different strains within a species.

Question 17

Name 3 methods used in the modern day to detect viruses.

Answer 17

PCR
Antigen Detection
Serology.

Question 18

What is PCR?

Answer 18

polymerase chain reaction - to amplify DNA sequence.

Question 19

What is serology?

Answer 19

Examining the blood serum to determine immunity.

Question 20

Name 2 techniques of detecting viruses which are not used much in modern day.

Answer 20

Cell culture.

Electron microscopy.

Question 21

How do you identify a species from Bacterial culture?

Answer 21

What are their observable characters?
Typing
DNA based tests.

Question 22

What is important to take into account when identifying species.

Answer 22

The normal fauna at sight.

The likely pathogens at sight.

Question 23

What is a parasite.

Answer 23

An organism that lives in or on its host and benefits by deriving nutrient’s at its host expense.