Lecture 1: Introduction Flashcards
pathogen
microbes that cause disease
microbiology
Microbiology is the study of the dominant form of life on Earth, and the effect that microbes have on our planet and all of the living things that call it home.
infectious disease
Infectious diseases are disorders that are caused by organisms, usually microscopic in size, such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites that are passed, directly or indirectly, from one person to another.
Does the pathogenicity of a microbe depend on the host?
No, pathogenicity means microbe will become a pathogen regardless of host
Do pathogens always cause disease?
Yes
How do microbes and microorganisms differ?
Microbes and microorganisms are the same
microbial community
A group of different microorganisms that interact with one another while living in an environment together
Growth
the increase in cell number as a result of cell division
Culture
a collection of cells that have been grown in or on a nutrient medium
Medium
a liquid or solid nutrient mixture that contains all of the nutrients required for a microorganism to grow
When was microbiology born?
Microbiology was born of the microscope, and microscopy is foundational to microbiology
In what ways are microorganisms important to humans?
microscopic organisms are diverse in form and function, and they inhabit every environment on Earth that supports life
Why are microbial cells useful for understanding the basis of life?
Microorganisms represent a major fraction of Earth’s biomass, and their activities are essential to sustaining life.
What is a microbial colony and how is one formed?
a macroscopically visible population of cells growing on solid medium, arising from a single cell
Microbial community
two or more populations of cells that coexist and interact in a habitat
Enveloped
In reference to a virus, having a lipoprotein membrane surrounding the virion
Host cell
a cell inside which a virus replicates
Virus
a genetic element that contains either RNA or DNA surrounded by a protein capsid and that replicates only inside host cells
Colonization
the growth of a microorganism after it has gained access to host tissues
Disease
an injury to a host organism, caused by a pathogen or other factor, that is accompanied by specific signs and symptoms that affect host function
Infection
an event during which a microorganism not a member of the local microbiota is established and grows in a host, regardless of whether the host is harmed
Opportunistic pathogen
an organism that causes disease only in the absence of normal host resistance
Pathogenicity
the ability of a pathogen to cause disease
Virulence
the relative ability of a pathogen to cause disease
Virulence factors
substances or strategies of a pathogen that indirectly or directly enhance invasiveness and host damage by facilitating and promoting infection
Microorganisms
life forms too small to be seen by the unaided human eye
Epidemiology
the study of the occurrence, distribution, and determinants of health and disease in populations
Clinical/Medical microbiology
subdiscipline of microbiology whose focus is diagnosing infectious diseases by identifying pathogenic microbes and advising medical providers on treatment
Can ethanol hand sanitizer destroy all viruses?
NO: Enveloped virus have phospholipid bilayer which sanitizer CAN destroy. Non Enveloped viruses cannot be destroyed by hand sanitizer.
Sterilization
the process of making something free from bacteria or other living microorganisms
Can drinking beer destroy pathogens?
No, need ethanol to be 60-80% strength which beer is not
Are viruses alive?
No- need a host cell to imitate what we would consider to be living
Does ingesting a pathogenic microbe always result in infection?
No- pathogens bind to specific receptors. The pathogen may not bind to gastrointestinal receptors and is therefore unable to cause disease in gastrointestinal track
What colour is the photo produced by an electron microscope?
Always black and white
Culture-dependent microbiology
means of obtaining microorganisms from natural samples
culture-independent microbiology
the use of methods that are not based on cultivation of microorganisms from their natural environment to study microorganisms in a specific ecosystem.
