Introduction

to
Microbiology

Thursday, June 30, 2022

CONTENT:

01 Definition
05 Terminologies and
Epidemiology

02 Measurement units
Subsection 1 06 Host-Parasite
relationship

03 Classification of
microbiology 07 Normal microbial flora
of human welfare

04 History and scope of

microbiology 08 Modes of transition of
infectious diseases
01 Definition of
microbiology
Introduction to microbiology

Definition of microbiology

The science that study living organisms that are too small to be seen by the
naked eye, thus can be seen by using light or electron microscope.

Micro means small.

Bio means live.
Logy means science.
02 Measurement
units
Introduction to microbiology

Measurement units used in microbiology

 (Micrometer) µm = 0.001 mm is used to measure the size of bacteria and protozoa.

 (Nanometer) nm = 0.001 µm is used to measure the size of viruses.

03 Classification of
microbiology
Introduction to microbiology

Classification of microbiology

1. Bacteriology: The branch of microbiology that study bacteria.

2. Virology: The branch of microbiology that study viruses.
3. Mycology: The branch of microbiology that study fungi.
4. Phycology: The branch of microbiology that study algae.
5. Parasitology: The branch of microbiology that study parasites.
04 History of
microbiology
Dr.Fatima Shahin
Introduction to microbiology

History and scope of microbiology

 Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek: the first who found

microorganisms by microscope.
 Louis Pasteur: the father of medicinal microbiology. He found
that yeast is responsible for conversion of sugar in fruits into
alcohol by Fermentation. Also, he found that bacteria can be
killed in milk by Pasteurization.
 John Tyndall: discovered endospores (bacterial spores) and
invented Tyndallization process by heating techniques.
 Edward Jenner: invented vaccination against small pox.
Introduction to microbiology

 Joseph Lister: he introduced the use of disinfectants and

antiseptics before surgery.
 Robert Koch: established that specific germ could cause a
specific disease (Germ theory).
 Fanny Hesse: proposed agar as growth media for bacterial
growth.
 Richard Petri: developed the Petri-dish plate.
 Alexander Fleming: discovered Penicillin as the first antibiotic
that combat bacterial growth.
 Paul Ehrlich: used arsenic for treating syphilis and developed
acid-fast stain.
 Terminologies and
05 epidemiology
Terminology

1. Infection: Invasion, growth and multiplication of an infectious agents

in the tissues of the body host and may lead to clinical symptoms or
local cellular injury.
2. Infectious / pathogenic agent: microorganism that are invisible to the
naked eye and can be found everywhere in our environment in the
form of bacteria, viruses and fungi, and have special properties to
invade the body or produce toxins.
3. Invasion: the ability of microorganism to enter host’s tissue, multiply
there and spread to other tissues.
4. Pathogenicity: capability of microbe to induce an infection
Terminology

5. Pathology: the science that deals with the study of the disease
(etiology, pathogenesis, and manifestations).
6. Virulence: The degree of pathogenicity of specific microbe. It
measures the severity of the disease it causes.
7. Infectious disease: disease caused by microorganism.
8. Host: is an organism that shelters and support the growth of
pathogens.
9. Susceptible host: a person who cannot resist a microorganism
invasion to the body. E.g. AIDS patients, patients on
chemotherapy, transplant patients, very young and elderly
patients.
Terminology

10.Carrier: An individual who carries an infectious agent

without manifesting symptoms and can transmit the agent
to another individual.
11. Reservoir: the microbe habitat where it can live,
optimally grow and reproduce.
12. Portal of entry: a path where the infectious agent enters
its reservoir.
13.E.g. mucous membranes, skin, parenteral routes.
Terminology

13.Portal of exit: a path where the infectious agent leaves its

reservoir.
E.g. mucous membranes, human body excretions and
secretions, open skin due to wounds, respiratory and gastro-
intestinal tract.
14. Idiopathic disease: a disease that occur with unknown
etiology (causes).
15. Zoonosis: disease that can be transmitted to humans from
animal reservoir.
16. Nosocomial infection: infection that is acquired during the
process of receiving health care in hospitals.
Terminology

17.Super infection: it is a bacterial infection that appear in its

clinical evidence during the use of antimicrobial drug for the
previous infection.
18. Opportunistic pathogens: microorganisms that do not do not
usually infect healthy hosts but produce infections in to immuno-
compromised persons or those patients presenting underlying
diseases such as diabetes, cancer, AIDS.

19.Incubation period: the time interval between the actual invasion

of microbe to the body and the first appearance to any
manifestations (signs and symptoms) of the disease.
Terminology

20.Epidemiology: the science that study the transmission,

incidence and frequency to occur of diseases in community.
21. Epidemic disease: a disease that is acquired by many
people (unexpected increase in the number) in a specific
geographical area in a short time. (Outbreak).
22. Endemic disease: a disease that is consistently present but
limited to a particular region.
23. Pandemic disease: epidemic disease that affect several
countries and populations worldwide.
Terminology

24.Bacteriostatic: drug that inhibit the growth and multiplication of

bacteria.
25.Bactericidal: drug that kill bacteria.
26.Minimum inhibitory concentration “MIC”: the lowest
concentration of the drug that inhibit bacterial growth.
27.Minimum bactericidal concentration “MBC”: the lowest
concentration of the drug that kill bacteria.
Terminology

28.Normal flora: microorganisms that live and establish

permanent colonies inside or on the body without
producing a disease.
29. Symbiosis: the relation when the host and microorganism as
they live together.
06 Host-parasite
relationship
Introduction to microbiology

Host-parasite relationship
Types of symbiosis (living together):
1.Mutualism: symbiotic relationship in which both species
benefit.
2.Commensalism: symbiotic relationship in which one
species is benefited and the other one neither harmed nor
benefit.
3.Parasitism: symbiotic relationship in which one species
benefit and the other specifies is harmed.
 Normal microbial
07 flora
Introduction to microbiology

Normal microbial flora of human welfare

 The functions of the normal flora include digestion of substrates, production of vitamins
like vitamin K and B12, stimulation of the immune system.
 Normal flora prevents attachment and penetration of pathogenic microorganism through
skin, by producing mucin that makes the surface slippery, so that pathogenic
microorganism cannot attach to skin nor cause disease.
 Normal flora competes with pathogenic bacteria for habitat and nutrition.
 Intestinal normal flora produces enzymes such as galactosidase, glucosidase and helps in
digestion of food and intestinal transit.
 Also, microbes are responsible for degrading dead plants and animals and then recycling of
chemical elements to be used by living plants and animals.
 Modes of transition
08 of infectious diseases
 Introduction to microbiology

Modes of transition of infectious diseases

1. Direct contact; happens through:
1. Skin-to-skin contact like kissing, sexual intercourse and from mother to fetus.
2. Droplet spread produced by sneezing, blowing or coughing. These particles are large
and can be transmitted to a person few feet away from the infected host.
2. Indirect mode of transmission is subdivided into:
 Airborne transmission whereby droplet nuclei from infected agent are suspended into

the air. These droplet nuclei are less than 5 microns in size may remain on air for many
hours making it more transferrable to any susceptible host.
 Vehicle borne transmission transmits infectious agents through food, water, biologic

products.
 Vector borne transmission, spread infectious disease through mosquitoes, fleas and

ticks.
Prokaryotes and
Eukaryotes
Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes

Prokaryotes
 They are unicellular organisms that lack membrane bound
organelles, mainly the nucleus.
 They tend to be small, measuring (around 0.1-5 μm) in diameter
and simple cells.
 E.g. bacteria and archaea.

Eukaryotes
 They are multicellular organisms and can be present as
unicellular.
 They have organelles enclose by plasma membrane.
 They are large and complex. Viruses
 E.g. Viruses are considered neither
• Fungi; (multicellular eukaryote) prokaryotes nor eukaryotes, because
• Algae; (unicellular or multicellular eukaryote) they lack the characteristics of living
• Protozoa; (unicellular eukaryote) things except the ability to replicate
• Parasites (Helminths), Plants and Animals; (multicellular which they accomplish only in living
eukaryote organisms not microorganisms). cells, so they are non-cellular entity.
Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes