Module 2: Microbiology

Question 1

Antibiotics

Answer 1

Agent used to manage infection causing bacteria

Question 2

Antimicrobials

Answer 2

Any agent that inhibit growth or kill microbes

Question 3

Antiseptics

Answer 3

Antimicrobial substances that are applied to living tissue/skin to reduce the possibility of infection

Question 4

Bacteria

Answer 4

Unicellular organisms that do not require living tissue to survive

Question 5

Colonisation

Answer 5

Presence and multiplication of microorganism that is not yet causing disease

Question 6

Commensal microorganism

Answer 6

An organism participating in a symbiotic relationship with the host in which one derives some benefit while the other is unaffected

Question 7

Disinfectant

Answer 7

Antimicrobial agents that are applied to non-living objects to destroy microorganisms that are living on the objects

Question 8

Endemic

Answer 8

Disease or infection regularly found among particular people or in a certain area

Question 9

Epidemic

Answer 9

A widespread occurrence of an infectious disease in a community at a particular time

Question 10

Fungi

Answer 10

Spore-bearing eukaryotic organism that becomes pathogenic if it breaches the hosts defences

Question 11

Helminth

Answer 11

Parasitic intestinal worm

Question 12

Infection

Answer 12

The invasion of the body’s tissues by disease-causing agents

Question 13

Nosocomial infection

Answer 13

An infection that develops during hospitalisation

Question 14

Opportunistic infection

Answer 14

An infection by a non-pathogenic organism that has become pathogenic due to an immunosuppressed state

Question 15

Pathogen

Answer 15

A microorganism that causes disease

Question 16

Pathogenicity

Answer 16

Capacity of microbes to cause disease

Question 17

Protozoa

Answer 17

Single-cell organism that reproduce asexually by cell division

Question 18

Virulence

Answer 18

A generic term for the ability of a pathogen to cause disease

Question 19

Virus

Answer 19

A microscopic pathogen, that uses the host to replicate. Can only reproduce inside a host cell

Question 20

Aerobic bacteria

Answer 20

Bacteria that can live and grow in the presence of oxygen

Question 21

Anaerobic bacteria

Answer 21

Bacteria that can live and grow in the absence of oxygen. Some anaerobic bacteria are inhibited or killed by oxygen

Question 22

Bacilli

Answer 22

Rod-shaped bacteria

Question 23

Binary fission

Answer 23

The primary method of reproduction of prokaryotic organisms

Question 24

Cocci

Answer 24

Spherical shaped bacteria

Question 25

Diplo

Answer 25

Pair clusters

Question 26

Endotoxin

Answer 26

Present in the cell wall of gram negative bacteria, liposaccaride

Question 27

Exotoxin

Answer 27

Usually produced from gram positive bacteria, very toxic, protein substance

Question 28

Facultatively anaerobic bacteria

Answer 28

Bacteria which is able to derive energy from aerobic or anaerobic metabolism (includes most intestinal pathogens)

Question 29

Gram negative

Answer 29

A group of bacteria that do not retain the crystal violet stain used in the Gram staining method of bacterial differentiation. Characterised by their cell envelopes, which are composed of a thin peptidoglycan cell wall sandwiched between an inner cytoplasmic cell membrane and a bacterial outer membrane

Question 30

Gram positive

Answer 30

A group of bacteria that give a positive result in the Gram stain test. Characterised by thick peptidoglycan layer cell wall

Question 31

Gram staining

Answer 31

A method of staining used to differentiate bacterial species into two large groups (gram-positive and gram-negative). Gram staining differentiates bacteria by the chemical and physical properties of their cell walls by detecting peptidoglycan.

Question 32

Obligate aerobic bacteria

Answer 32

Require oxygen as a source of energy and therefore for growth

Question 33

Pili

Answer 33

Tiny hairlike structures to assist in attachment of bacteria to tissue and share genetic material

Question 34

Spiral

Answer 34

Wavy shaped bacteria

Question 35

Staph

Answer 35

Irregular clusters of bacteria

Question 36

Strep

Answer 36

Chain clusters of bacteria