Lesson 3- Bacteriology

Question 1

What is bacteriology?

Answer 1

Study of micro organisms called bacteria, germs, or microbes.

Question 2

What is bacteria?

Answer 2

• One celled vegetable, microscopic organisms which exist in air, ground and human skin surface, indicate matter, and body fluids, and clothes and under nails
• Have both plant and animal characteristics
• Summer harmful and some are harmless
• some bacteria is carried by animals, some by humans, and some by insects
• Others are transferred by water, food and soil

Question 3

Define microorganism

Answer 3

Any organism of microscopic or sub microscopic size

Question 4

Name the classifications of bacteria

Answer 4

Non-pathogenic organisms which can be beneficial and harmless. And pathogenic which can be harmful and cause disease and infection if they invade the body.

Question 5

Describe nonpathogenic organisms/bacteria

Answer 5

• Constitutes the majority of all bacteria
• Beneficial to indigestion, processing yogurt, and penicillin etc.
• They perform useful function such as decomposing and improving the fertility of soil
• Safe to come in contact with
• Beneficial and harmless

Question 6

Describe pathogenic bacteria

Answer 6

• Can cause disease and infection if they invade the body
• These parasites require living matter for their growth
• Also known as microbes are germs
• Salons, spas, medical facilities and schools must maintain strict standards for cleaning and disinfecting
• are classified into three main groups according to their shape

Question 7

How many classifications, or shapes, are there to identify bacteria strains?

Answer 7

Three

Question 8

Name the three classifications, or shapes of pathogenic bacteria

Answer 8

1. Cocci – round, which appear singular or in groups
2. Bacilli. - Short and rod shaped
3. Spirilla – spiral or screws shaped

Question 9

Describe cocci bacteria

Answer 9

1. Staphylococci
   - these pyogenic or pus forming organisms grow in bunches or clusters. They usually are responsible for pilosebaceous infections such as abscesses, pustules and boils, pimples.
   - Staff Areus can live for two weeks on hard household surfaces
2. Streptococci- 000
   - Pyogenic/pus forming bacteria which grow in chains. They are found in blood poisoning and strep throat.
3. Diplococci- 00 00
   - Grow in pairs and cause pneumonia

Question 10

Describe bacilli bacteria

Answer 10

Bacilli bacteria are rod shaped organisms. They are the most common with some able to survive with oxygen and others without oxygen. They caused diseases such as tetanus, typhoid fever, tuberculosis, and diphtheria.

Question 11

Describe spirilla bacteria

Answer 11

Spirilla bacteria is curved or corkscrew shaped and divided into many groups. The most important of which is treponema pallidum, the causative agent in syphilis, chlamydia etc.

Question 12

Describe the movement of bacteria

Answer 12

Different bacteria move in different ways. Cocci bacteria rarely show active motility (self movement). They are transmitted in the air, and dust, or within the substance in which they settle.
Bacilli and Spirilla bacteria are both motile and use slender hair like extensions known as flagella or cilia for movement. A whip like motion of this hair moves the bacteria in liquid.

Question 13

Describe bacterial growth and reproduction

Answer 13

Bacteria consist of an outer cell wall and an internal protoplasm. They manufacture their own food from the surrounding environment, give off waste products [toxin], grow and reproduce. Under a microscope bacteria looks like tiny bags. Bacteria may exhibit 2 distinct phases in their life cycle which are the active or vegetative stage and the in active or spore forming stage.

Question 14

Describe the two distinct life phases of a bacteria’s life cycle

Answer 14

1. Active or vegetative bacteria

• this is the stage where bacteria is most active, grows and reproduces. In this stage growth division and separation is very fast if conditions are favorable. Bacteria multiply best in warm, dark, damp, or dirty places where food is available. As many as 16 million germs may develop in half a day from one bacterium.
• Cell division happens every 20 to 60 minutes depending on the bacteria. The infectious pathogen staphylococcus aureus undergoes cell division every 20 to 30 minutes
• If conditions become unfavorable, bacteria either die or become an active

2. Inactive or spore forming bacteria

• Some bacteria such as anthrax and tetanus bacilli put themselves in a wax like shell
• Certain bacteria form spores with tough outer coverings to withstand periods of famine, dryness and climate change.
• in this stage spores can be blown about in the dust on flakes of skin and are not harmed by disinfectants, heat or cold
• when favourable conditions are restored spores change into the active or vegetative form and then start to grow and reproduce again

Question 15

Define aerobes

Answer 15

Microorganism which grows in the presence of air. They need oxygen to exist.

Question 16

Define anaerobes

Answer 16

Cannot reproduce or exist in the presence of oxygen. Anaerobic organisms may out number aerobic ones 10 to one especially in areas of the skin supplied with large sebaceous glands as staphylococci and diptheroids thrive and lipids [fats].

Question 17

Define facultative anaerobes

Answer 17

They change their method of survival and can adapt to conditions with or without oxygen

Question 18

Briefly introduce infections and body defences against bacteria

Answer 18

An infectious disease becomes contagious or communicable when it spreads from one person to another by contact i.e. common cold, ringworm, conjunctivitis, viral infections. Should bacteria enter the body it will find a very good breeding ground with warmth, moisture and nutrition. Therefore, your body has a number of defences specifically meant to keep away microbes.

Question 19

What is the body’s first line of defence for infectious disease and bacteria?

Answer 19

Healthy skin is the first line of resistance with its chemical nature. There is much more vulnerability in other areas such as the mucous membrane of the mouth, nose, throat, eyes and ears which are natural breeding grounds for microbes. For this reason there are infections Of the respiratory in digestive tracks. The mucus areas have a disinfectant effect, Celia or hairs in the nose and ears act as mechanical cleaners.

Unbroken skin is the first line of defence as bacteria may enter the body through breaks or wounds in the skin.

Question 20

What are the Chiefs sources of infection?

Answer 20

The chief sources of infection are unclean hands and implements, open sores and pus, mouth and nose discharges, under nails and in webs of fingers, uncovered coughing, sneezing, spitting in the common use of drinking cups and towels. And infection occurs when the body is unable to cope with bacteria and their harmful toxins.

Question 21

When does infection occur?

Answer 21

An infection occurs when the body is unable to cope with the bacteria in their harmful toxins.

Question 22

Define local infection

Answer 22

• It is indicated by a boil or pimple containing pus
• It is confined to a particular part of the body and appears as a lesion containing pus
• staphylococci are amongst the most common bacteria that affect humans and are normally carried by about a third of the population. Staph bacteria can be picked up on door knobs, countertops, and other surfaces but in salons, spas, medical facilities, and Medi spas they are more frequently spread through skin to skin contact or through the use of unclean tools or implements.
• some types of infectious staph bacteria are highly resistant to conventional treatments such as antibiotics. An example of [MRSA]. Clients might not show any signs of infection but are carriers and people that they come in contact with which show more serious symptoms of the infection. MRSA initially appears as skin infection such as pustules, rashes and boils that can be difficult to cure. Without proper treatment, the infection becomes systematic or general and can have devastating consequences that can result in death.

Question 23

Define general infection

Answer 23

• When the blood stream carries the bacteria and there are toxins to all parts of the body such as blood poisoning or syphilis.
• Staff is responsible for food poisoning and wide range of diseases, including toxic shock syndrome

Question 24

Define pus

Answer 24

• Consists of bacteria, body cells and blood cells living and dead
• Usually a sign of infection
• The body defends itself by producing inflammation. Redness and or swelling reveal an increase of body temperature and metabolic activity
• The body then combats infection through the action of the white corpuscles and antibodies which destroy bacteria.
• Saliva and digestive juices also have an antiseptic effect the same way perspiration and other body secretions, tears flush away bacteria. This is called phagocytosis. The body also produces antitoxins which counteract toxins produced by bacteria
• Unbroken skin is the first line of defence as bacteria may enter the body through breaks or wounds in skin. Bacteria can enter by the mouth [food, air, water], nose [air] and eyes [dirt]

Question 25

List how to pathogens enter the body [pathways into the body]

Answer 25

• Break in the skin such as a cut, pimple or scratch
• The mouth [air, contaminated food or water]
• The nose
• The eyes
• unprotected sex

Question 26

What is a virus?

Answer 26

• A parasitic, submicroscopic that infects and resides in the cells of the biological organism.
• A virus is microscopic, capable of infecting almost all plants and animals including bacteria
• It is capable of replication only through taking over the hosts cell reproductive function
• And humans viruses cause the common cold, influenza, herpes, measles, chickenpox, hepatitis, polio and HIV
• Viruses are hard to kill without harming the body own cells in the process
• Vaccinations prevent viruses from growing in the body. Not all viruses have vaccines.

Question 27

What is bacteria?

Answer 27

• One cell organisms that have both plants and animal characteristics. Some are harmful and some are harmless
• One difference between viruses and bacteria is that viruses live only by penetrating cells and becoming part of them, while bacteria can live on their own. Also, bacterial infections can usually be treated with specific antibiotics, but viruses are not affected by the antibiotics.

Question 28

What are blood-borne pathogens?

Answer 28

Disease causing bacteria or viruses that are carried through the body via the blood or body fluids, such as hepatitis and HIV. If you perform extractions on a client who is HIV positive or is infected with hepatitis and you continue to use that implement without disinfecting it, you risk puncturing your skin or cutting another client with a contaminated tool. Similar risks are present during waxing and tweezing. This is why the universal precaution law exists.

Question 29

What is HIV?

Answer 29

• HIV stands for a human immunodeficiency virus. It is the virus that causes aids. AIDS stands for acquired immune deficiency syndrome.
• Person can be infected with HIV for many years without having symptoms; but according to the centres for disease control and prevention, testing can determine if a person is infected within six months after exposure to the virus.
• AIDS, disease, breaks down the bodies immune system
• sometimes people who are HIV positive have never been tested and do not know they are infecting other people. It takes an average of 10 years from the initial HIV infection to develop full-blown aids. Currently AIDS is in curable.

Question 30

Describe HIV transmission

Answer 30

HIV is transmitted mainly through sharing of needles by intravenous drug users and by unprotected sexual contact. Less commonly HIV is spread through accidents with the needles in healthcare setting. If you accidentally cut a client who is HIV positive the toll will be contaminated. You cannot continue to use the implement without cleaning or disinfecting it. It puts you and others in the salon, spa or medical facility at risk for infection.

Question 31

List how HIV can be transmitted

Answer 31

• Semen
• Vaginal secretions[Less often]
• Blood [more often]
• Human breast milk
• body tissues [including those used for organ donation]

Question 32

List the ways HIV has not been transmitted by…

Answer 32

• Sweat
• Tears
• Mosquito bites
• Saliva i.e. kissing
• Holding hands
• Hugging
• Sharing food or household items like the telephone
• sitting on toilet seats

HIV is very sensitive to oxygen. Once it leaves the body it likely won’t last more than five minutes.

Question 33

List the risk factors for transmitting or catching HIV virus

Answer 33

• Unprotected sex
• Intravenous drug use
• Recipients of blood products before 1985
• HIV infected women [30% chance of being HIV positive if not treated during pregnancy]
• accidental needle stick [a risk among healthcare workers]

Question 34

What is hepatitis?

Answer 34

• Is a blood-borne virus that causes a disease marked by inflammation of the liver. This disease is caused by a virus similar to HIV in transmission.
• It is more easily contracted than HIV, however, because it is present in all body fluids. Unlike HIV hepatitis can live on a surface outside of the body for a long period of time. For this reason, it is vital that all surfaces that come in contact with a client are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected
• Three types of hepatitis that are of concern for practising aestheticians or hepatitis A, B and C
• Hepatitis B is the most difficult to kill on a surface. Hepatitis B and C are spread from person to person through blood and through other body fluids such as semen in vaginal secretions
• Those who work closely with the public can be vaccinated against hepatitis

Question 35

What are the non-bacterial causes of infection?

Answer 35

Fungi, parasites and animal parasites

Question 36

Describe fungi

Answer 36

• is a plant parasites such as mold, mildew and yeast (mildew does not cause human infection). Most most fungi are non-pathogenic and make up many of the bodies normal flora. Fungal infections usually affect the skin as they live off keratin, a protein that makes up the skin. It can produce contagious diseases such as tinea corporis or ringworm and athletes foot [tinea pedis] or tinea versicolor, also called sunspots which is characterized by white or varicoloured patches on the skin and is often found on arms and legs
• they also cause onychomycosis, a nail infection
• Both bacterial and fungal infections will spread to others unless everything that touches the client is properly cleaned and disinfected before reuse or it is thrown away after use
• The fungi spores live on surfaces for four months

Question 37

Describe parasites and animal parasites

Answer 37

• Grow, feed and shelter on or in another organism
• Live upon another or living organism without giving anything in return. They are responsible for such contagious diseases as scabies [which is due to itch mite] and Pediculosis Capitis caused by lice.
• They need a host to survive
• Other types are tape worms, hookworms and round worms

Question 38

What is immunity

Answer 38

Immunity is the ability of the body to resist diseases and prevent infections. Immunity against disease can be natural or acquired, and it is a sign of good health.

Question 39

Describe natural immunity

Answer 39

Natural immunity is partially inherited and partially developed through good health. A healthy individual produces white blood cells and antibodies to fight disease causing invaders. Unbroken skin protects the body from pathogens that can invade through openings such as cuts and scratches.

Question 40

Describe acquired immunity

Answer 40

Acquired immunity is developed after the body overcomes a disease, or through inoculation [such as vaccination]. Vaccinations stimulate the body‘s immune response system so that invaders are fought off before they can cause disease.

Question 41

What is a human disease carrier

Answer 41

Human disease carrier – a person who is immune to a disease yet harbours germs that can infect others

Question 42

Define phagocytosis

Answer 42

Saliva and digestive juices also have an antiseptic effect the same way perspiration and other body secretions, tears flush away bacteria. This is called phagocytosis. The body also produces antitoxins which counteract toxins produced by bacteria