Week 1 Intro & History Flashcards
What is
microbiology?
The study of small life forms, including:
1. Viruses
2. Bacteria
3. Fungi (molds, yeasts)
4. Protozoa
5. Algae
Microbiology
• Several sub-disciplines within microbiology:
• Several sub-disciplines within microbiology:
• 1.Bacteriology ( study of bacteria)
• 2. Mycology (study of fungi)
• 3. Protozoology
• 4. Virology
Immunology
Knowledge of body defense mechanisms (immune system) add to the understanding of disease prevention through immunization, and the natural barriers of the body against infection
• Girolamo Fracastoro
• 1546- recognized the existence of tiny “living particles” that cause
“catching” (contagious) diseases
• Spread by direct contact with humans, indirect contact with objects.
• Famously known for naming syphilis (in a poem)
Antoni van Leeuwenhoek
• Discovered bacteria
• First person to “see” a microbe.
• Developed a primitive microscope
• Named these small forms of life
‘animacules “
• 1683 - wrote to the Roval Society about his observations on the plaque between his own teeth, “a little white matter, which is as thick as if ‘twere batter.”
Edward Jenner
• 1749-1823
• Credited with concept of
Immunization
• Injection of cowpox(mild disease) and were then protected from smallpox (more serious disease)
Louis Pasteur
Known as the “Father of
Immunology”
Known as the “Father of
Immunology”
• 1850’s - Associated living organisms with disease
• Saved the wine industry by heating the grape juice to reduce the amount of bacteria:” pasteurization” =destroying pathogens in milk or other fluids by heating it to 63 degrees Celsius for 30 min, or 72 degrees Celsius for 15 seconds
• Use of heat to destroy vegetative bacteria and resistant bacterial spores.
• Discovered bacteria produced diseases such as anthrax and cholera
• Created first vaccines for rabies, anthrax and cholera
John Tyndall
• 1820-1893
• Discovered the need for prolonged heating
to destroy bacteria
• Discovered that bacteria existed in two forms:
• Heat-sensitive
• Heat-stable
• Discovered the process of
“tyndallization “(prolong or intermittent heat to destroy heat-stable/heat-sensitive bacteria)
Ferdinand Cohn
•1828-1898
• Discovered
“endospores
(dormant form of bacteria with enhanced resistance to heat, staining and disinfection.)
Joseph Lister
• 1827-1912
Discovered the role of airborne microorganisms
• Discover that airborne microorganisms can be reduced with carbolic acid (known as phenols today)- spray with phenols to reduce airborne microorganisms.
• Used them in WWII surgeries to clean wounds
• Using phenol to boil instruments, and wash hands and
surgical linens before surgery = reduced complications
Christian Gram
• 1853-1938
• Discovered Gram staining
• Gram staining consists of 2 dies; crystal violet (purple/blue) & safranin (red)
• Gram staining has the ability to divide the bacterial world into two distinct groups; Gram positive & Gram negative
• Gram staining determines the differences in the cell wall.
Ignaz Philipp Semmelweis
Ignaz Philipp Semmelweis
• In 1861, Semmelweis published his principal work, ‘The Cause, Concept and Prophylaxis of Childbed Fever’ = how handwashing by doctors would save thousands of lives every year.
• Responsible for recognizing the importance of handwashing.
Sir Alexander Fleming
• In 1928, while working on influenza virus, he observed that mold had developed accidently on a staphylococcus culture plate and that the mold had created a bacteria-free circle around itself.
• He was inspired to further experiment and he found that a mold culture prevented growth of staphylococci, even when diluted 800 times.
• He named this active substance penicillin
Wendell Stanley
• 1904-1971
• Developed electron microscope
• Viruses magnified 35,000 times of their normal size
Robert Koch
1843-1910
• Identified the specific causative agents of tuberculosis, cholera and anthrax Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Koch’s postulates, Mycobacterium, Anthrax bacterium, Asiatic cholera)
