Microbiology - Glossary

Question 1

mutual opposition or contrary action; the inhibition of one microorganism by another

Answer 1

antagonism

Question 2

glycoprotein substance developed by the body in response to, and interacting specifically with, an antigen; also known as immunoglobulin

Answer 2

antibody

Question 3

a foreign substance that stimulates the formation of antibodies that react specifically with it

Answer 3

antigen

Question 4

the prevention or inhibiting of the growth of causative microorganisms

Answer 4

antisepsis

Question 5

dilution or weakening of the virulence of a microorganism; reducing or abolishing pathogenicity

Answer 5

attenuation

Question 6

self-nourishing bacteria

Answer 6

autotrophic bacteria

Question 7

rod-shaped bacteria

Answer 7

bacillus / pl. bacilli

Question 8

the presence of bacteria in the blood

Answer 8

bacteremia

Question 9

a prokaryotic one-celled microorganism of the Kingdom Monera, existing as free-living organisms or as parasites, multiplying by binary fission and having a large range of biochemical properties

Answer 9

bacteria

Question 10

a visible group of bacteria growing on a solid medium, presumably arising from a single microorganism

Answer 10

bacterial colony

Question 11

an agent that destroys bacteria but not necessarily their spores

Answer 11

bactericide

Question 12

science that studies bacteria

Answer 12

bacteriology

Question 13

a method of asexual reproduction involving halving of the nucleus and cytoplasm of the cell followed by the development of each half into a new individual cell

Answer 13

binary fission

Question 14

an arthropod vector in which the disease-causing organism multiplies or develops within the arthropod prior to becoming infective

Answer 14

biological vector

Question 15

chlorine-containing compounds

Answer 15

bleaches / hypochlorites

Question 16

a coating that surrounds some bacterial cells; a loose gel-like structure that, in pathogenic bacteria, helps to protect against phagocytosis

Answer 16

capsule

Question 17

a large group of nonmotile, gram-negative intracellular parasites

Answer 17

chlamydia

Question 18

the type of bacteria that is spherical or round in form

Answer 18

coccus / pl. cocci

Question 19

the symbiotic relationship of two organisms of different species in which one gains some benefit such as protection or nourishment, and the other is not harmed or benefited

Answer 19

commensalism

Question 20

a disease that may be transmitted directly or indirectly from one individual to another

Answer 20

communicable

Question 21

the act of introducing pathogens or infectious material into or on an inanimate object

Answer 21

contamination

Question 22

a pair of bacilli, linked end to end

Answer 22

diplobacilli

Question 23

spherical bacteria that occurs in pairs

Answer 23

diplococci

Question 24

a chemical or physical agent that destroys or inhibits disease-causing microorganisms

Answer 24

disinfectant

Question 25

the destruction or inhibition of disease-causing microorganisms by chemical or physical means

Answer 25

disinfection

Question 26

fast-resistant, as in bacteria, to the action of a drug or drugs

Answer 26

drug

Question 27

disease that occurs continuously in a particular region

Answer 27

endemic

Question 28

organism disordered caused by an infectious agent already present in the body

Answer 28

endogenous infection

Question 29

a thick-walled body produced by a bacterium to enable it to survive unfavorable environmental conditions

Answer 29

endospore

Question 30

a bacterial toxin that is liberated only when the cell producing it disintegrates

Answer 30

endotoxin

Question 31

organism disorder caused by an infectious agent already present in the body

Answer 31

endogenous infection

Question 32

disease or condition that is currently in higher than normal numbers in a given community

Answer 32

epidemic

Question 33

a form of infection caused by a pathogen or agent not normally present in the body

Answer 33

exogenous infection

Question 34

a bacterial toxin produced within a living cell and secreted into its surrounding medium

Answer 34

exotoxin

Question 35

a microorganism that prefers an environment devoid of oxygen but has adapted so that it can live and grow in the presence of oxygen

Answer 35

facultative aerobe

Question 36

prefers dead organic matter as a source of nutrition but can adapt to the use of living organic matter under certain conditions

Answer 36

facultative parasite

Question 37

prefers living organic matter as a source of nutrition but can adapt to the use of dead organic matter under certain conditions

Answer 37

facultative saprophyte

Question 38

one in which the organisms are originally confined to one area but enter the blood or lymph vessels and spread to other parts of the body

Answer 38

focal infection

Question 39

any inanimate object that harbors a disease agent and may serve to transmit it

Answer 39

fomite

Question 40

a substance that kills fungi

Answer 40

fungicide

Question 41

a group of diverse and widespread unicellular and multicellular organisms, lacking chlorophyll, usually bearing spores and often filamentous

Answer 41

fungus / pl. fungi

Question 42

an infection that involves the whole body

Answer 42

general (systemic) infection

Question 43

a substance that destroys microorganisms

Answer 43

germicide

Question 44

organisms that must obtain their nourishment from complex organic matter

Answer 44

heterotrophic bacteria

Question 45

chlorine-containing compounds

Answer 45

hypochlorites / bleaches

Question 46

the state or condition in which the body or a part of it is invaded by a pathogenic agent that, under favorable conditions, multiplies and produces injurious effects

Answer 46

infection

Question 47

a compound containing iodine which is often used as a preoperative skin disinfectant

Answer 47

iodophores

Question 48

an infection confined to one area of the body

Answer 48

local infection

Question 49

temperature above which bacterial growth will not take place

Answer 49

maximum temperature

Question 50

a living organism capable of transmitting infections by carrying the disease agent on its external body parts or surfaces

Answer 50

mechanical vector

Question 51

bacteria that prefer moderate temperatures and develop best at temperatures between 25o and 40oC

Answer 51

mesophile

Question 52

requiring very little free oxygen; as found with certain bacteria

Answer 52

microaerophilic

Question 53

scientific study of microorganisms and their effects on other living organisms

Answer 53

microbiology

Question 54

temperature below which bacterial growth will not take place

Answer 54

minimum temperature

Question 55

infection caused by two or more organisms

Answer 55

mixed infection

Question 56

a relationship in which organisms of two different species live in close association to the mutual benefit of each

Answer 56

mutualism

Question 57

the branch of science concerned with the study of fungi

Answer 57

mycology

Question 58

a group of bacteria that lack cell walls and are highly pleomorphic

Answer 58

mycoplasmas

Question 59

organisms that are free-living; relationships are not required for survival

Answer 59

non-symbiotic

Question 60

the microbial population that lives with the host in a healthy condition

Answer 60

normal flora

Question 61

an organism that exists as part of the normal flora but may become pathogenic under certain conditions

Answer 61

opportunist

Question 62

temperature at which organisms grow best

Answer 62

optimum temperature

Question 63

pressure that develops when two solutions of different concentrations are separated by a semipermeable membrane

Answer 63

osmotic pressure

Question 64

an epidemic that has become very widespread or is worldwide

Answer 64

pandemic

Question 65

a symbiotic relationship between two organisms in which one is harmed and the other benefits

Answer 65

parasitism

Question 66

the state of producing or being able to produce pathological changes and disease

Answer 66

pathogenicity

Question 67

the first infection that a host has after a period of health from which a second infection develops

Answer 67

primary infection

Question 68

a small proteinaceous infectious particle that is believed to be responsible for spongiform encephalopathies in humans and o there mammals

Answer 68

prion

Question 69

eukaryotic, animal-like, unicellular organisms; some of which may be pathogenic

Answer 69

protozoa

Question 70

science that deals with the study of protozoa

Answer 70

protozoology

Question 71

bacteria that prefer color, thriving at temperatures between 0 and 25oC

Answer 71

psychorophile

Question 72

a genus of gram-negative pathogenic, obligate intracellular parasitic bacteria

Answer 72

rickettsia

Question 73

area of science that studies Rickettsia

Answer 73

rickettsiology

Question 74

process to promote and establish conditions which minimize or eliminate biohazards

Answer 74

sanitation

Question 75

infection caused by a different organism than the one causing the primary infection

Answer 75

secondary infection

Question 76

condition characterized by the multiplication of bacteria in the blood

Answer 76

septicemia

Question 77

a genus of spiral bacteria having a corkscrew shape with a rigid cell wall

Answer 77

spirillum / pl. spirilla

Question 78

spiral-shaped bacteria having a flexible cell wall

Answer 78

spirochete

Question 79

a disease which occurs occasionally in a random or isolated manner

Answer 79

sporadic

Question 80

a genus of gram-positive, nonmotile, opportunistic bacteria which tend to aggregate in irregular, grape-like clusters

Answer 80

staphylococcus

Question 81

a process of completely removing or destroying all life forms and their products including endospores

Answer 81

sterilization

Question 82

rod-shaped bacteria occurring in chains

Answer 82

streptobacilli

Question 83

spherical-shaped bacteria occurring in chains

Answer 83

streptococci

Question 84

a microbe that can live only in the presence of free oxygen

Answer 84

strict (obligate) aerobe

Question 85

a microbe that can survive only in the absence of free oxygen

Answer 85

strict (obligate) anaerobe

Question 86

an organism that is completely dependent on its living host for survival

Answer 86

strict (obligate) parasite

Question 87

an organism that can survive only on dead or decaying organic matter

Answer 87

strict (obligate) saprophyte

Question 88

a relationship in which organisms of different species live in close nutritional relationships

Answer 88

symbiosis

Question 89

the relationship between two or more microorganisms of different species in which they grow better together but can survive alone

Answer 89

synergism

Question 90

bacteria that thrive best at high temperatures, between 40c and 70oC

Answer 90

thermophile

Question 91

the presence of toxins in the blood

Answer 91

toxemia

Question 92

a poisonous substance of plant, animal, bacterial, or fungal origin

Answer 92

toxin

Question 93

an organism that due to its own virulence is able to produce disease

Answer 93

true pathogen

Question 94

a genus of spiral bacteria which are curved or bent rods that resemble commas

Answer 94

vibrio

Question 95

an agent destructive to viruses

Answer 95

virucide

Question 96

the study of viruses and viral disease

Answer 96

virology

Question 97

relative power of an organism to produce disease

Answer 97

virulence

Question 98

an intracellular, infectious parasite capable of replicating only in living cells, containing only one form of nucleic acid

Answer 98

virus