Introduction to microbiology: Bacteria Flashcards
List the subjects of microbiology
- bacteria
- viruses
- fungi
- Protozoa
Define microbiology
The study of organisms and agents too small to be seen by the unaided eye ie microorganisms
List some applications of microbiology
- food industry
- agriculture
- medicine
What type of microbiology are light microscopes able to see
Bacteria
What type of microscopes are able to see viruses
Electron microscopes
What scale of microorganisms are harmful
Small amount
How large are viruses
10-1000 nanometers (smallest)
What size are bacteria
0.1-5 micrometers
What size are Protozoa
5-200 micrometers (largest 1/4 of a mm)
What is the name of the virus which causes flu
Influenza A
What is the name of the bacteria which is a normal skin resident found throughout the body
Staph aureus
Which microorganism can cause MRSA
Staphylococcus aureus
What does MRSA stand for
Methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus
What is the name of the antibiotic that MRSA is resistant to
Methicillin
Which bacteria is the most common cause of bacterial conjunctivitis
Staphylococcus aureus
What type of organism is acanthamoeba
Water Bourne organism
What is acanthamoeba found in
Domestic water supplies in the UK
What can acanthamoeba cause
Corneal infection of contact lens wearers who wash their contact lenses in tap water
What two things do infectious diseases cause
- morbidity
- mortality
What does morbidity cause
Harm & disease
What are infectious diseases caused by
Pathogenic microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, parasites or fungi
Which two ways can the diseases be spread by from person to person
Directly or indirectly
Which infectious disease is the biggest killer
Acute respiratory infection
How much amount of deaths do infectious diseases cause worldwide and are leading cause of death
One-third
Why are one third of all deaths caused by infections
Because of disease in developing countries
How much percent of deaths are from infectious diseases caused by a handful of diseases
90%
Name a viral ocular infection
Herpes simplex keratitis
Name a bacterial ocular infection
Bacterial keratitis
Name a chlamydial ocular infection
Trachoma
Name a protazoal ocular infection
Acanthamoeba keratitis
Name a fungal ocular infection
Fungal keratitis
Which is the same virus which causes cold sores
Herpes simplex
What is the meaning of keratitis
Inflammation of the cornea caused by a virus
What type of ulcer does herpes simplex keratitis cause on the cornea
Dendritic (multiple branching pattern)
Which type of patients is bacterial keratitis more common in
Contact lens wearers (90% who got the infection wear cl’s)
Which part of the eye does the chlamydial infection trachoma affect
Conjunctiva
It is a conjunctival infection
What can trachoma be treated with
Antibiotics
What does a chlamydial infection do to the eye to cause corneal scarring
Turns eyelashes towards the eye
And produces a poor ocular surface
What is the treatment following the protazoal infection, acanthamoeba keratitis
Corneal graft due to the scarring
What infection causes a corneal inflammation by a fungus
Fungal keratitis
What are the two ways of fighting infection
- vaccination
- antibiotics
What do the majority of present day vaccination programmes use and why
Active vaccines containing pathogen-specific antigens to elicit a protective immune response in the recipient
What effect does repeated vaccination have
Enhances the effectiveness of the antibody response and for some vaccines
It also elicits cell mediated responses
Which infections were a major killer before there was vaccination
Measles
Mumps
Reubella
What vaccine was a combined vaccine for measles, mumps and reubella
MMR vaccine
During which period did antibiotics come about
1940’s
What microorganism is antibiotics useful for and hopeless against
Useful for bacteria
& hopeless against viruses
How do antibiotics cure diseases
By killing or interfering with the growth of bacteria
How are antibiotics non toxic compounds
They have selective toxicity because bacteria synthesise their DNA differently to body cells
What are narrow spectrum antibiotics
Antibiotics which selectively act on a few specific bacteria
What are broad spectrum antibiotics
Antibiotics which target a wider range of bacteria
What do bacteria synthesis differently to normal human (eukaryotic) cells
DNA & protein
What does a bacteria cell have in addition to a cell wall
A cell membrane
How does antibiotic resistance arise
By the drug killing the defenceless bacteria and selecting those that can resist it
When was resistance to penicillin identified and how long was that after the mass production
1943
4 years after mass production
What is the term superbug often used to refer to
Healthcare associated infections eg
- methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
&
- clostridium difficile (c.difficile)
Are resistant to commonly used antibiotics