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Microbiology in a Nutshell

  Yes, you will need to know this
Microbes
Ever wonder why Robin Williams is hirsute,
while Patrick Stewart is follecularly
challenged? Well, the answer is in their DNA
-
Viruses

•   Microscopic (can’t see with the naked eye)
•   nonliving particle
•   Invades and reproduces inside a host.
•   Contains DNA or RNA
                       The red spots are
                       the AIDS virus, they
                       are surrounding
                       other body cells.
Virus Multiplication
• Active
  – Become sick within hours or days
• Hidden
  – Illness can be delayed for weeks, months, or
    years
  – Triggered by environment?
Bacteria
• Microscopic
• Prokaryotes (means they don’t have a
  nucleus)
• Living
• Contains DNA
Shapes of bacteria
•   Spherical
•   Rodlike
•   Spiralshaped
•   They can also be in chains
    – Spherical chain
Bacteria Multiplication
• Sexual reproduction
  – Two parents
  – Conjugation (transfer of genetic material
    through bridge)
• Asexual reproduction
  – Binary Fission-Simply splitting in two
Growth in Action
More on Growth
• Rapid, as fast as once
  every 20 minutes
• Continues until they
  run out of the basics
   – Food
   – Air
   – Space
Parasites
• Organisms that live on or in a host and
  cause harm.
• Examples: Viruses, Bacteria, and
  tapeworms.
• Can a bacteria be a host?
How many can there be?
           •   These bubble-headed creatures
               are called bacteriophages,
               viruses that target bacteria. The
               head holds DNA and the tail
               acts as a needle attaching to a
               specific site on the bacterial cell
               wall, the virus squirts DNA
               through the tail into the
               bacterium. Ouch! They are
               among the smallest of
               organisms. You could fit about
               680,000 of these creatures on
               the head of a pin.
What can you do?
•   Get Vaccines
•   Personal Hygiene
•   Use Disinfectants
•   Lines of Defense
    – Skin
    – Mucus barriers
    – Immune System
Defenses cont. .



This is a human macrophage, found in your
blood that wards off infection. It is homing in
on a chain of nasty Streptococcus bacteria.
Hitching a ride aboard the macrophage is a
sphere-shaped lymphocyte. Both macrophage
and lymphocyte can be found near the site of
an infection, and the two act in concert to help
eliminate it.
The deadliest pandemic in history was the 1918
influenza epidemic, the Spanish Flu. By the time the
"Spanish lady" departed, 22 million people had died of
the mysterious killer.




Positively identifying the 1918 flu
strain is made more difficult by the
fact that the flu virus is capable of
very rapid mutations
Personal example
• A doctor stationed at
  Camp Devens, a military
  base just west of Boston,
  writes to a friend, and
  fellow physician, of the
  conditions to be found
  there as influenza was
  making its presence felt.
Vaccines
Existing flu shots are 70
  percent to 90 percent
  effective at preventing flu
  in healthy young people
• 50 percent effective in the
  elderly, (And even if the
  vaccines don't prevent the
  flu, they do tend to reduce
  symptoms and serious
  complications).
High Risk Groups
        • aged 65 and older
        • with chronic diseases
          affecting the heart, lung or
          kidneys
        • with diabetes,
          immunosuppression, or
          severe anemia
        • people in contact with
          doctors, nurses and
          nursing-home staff
Prevention
     • "The current U.S. plan in
       the event of a pandemic is
       to vaccinate virtually the
       entire population," says
       epidemiologist Nancy
       Arden.
     •   Despite its advantages, less
         than 60 percent of the high-risk
         population gets the flu shot
         each year.

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Microbiology

  • 1. Microbiology in a Nutshell Yes, you will need to know this
  • 3. Ever wonder why Robin Williams is hirsute, while Patrick Stewart is follecularly challenged? Well, the answer is in their DNA -
  • 4. Viruses • Microscopic (can’t see with the naked eye) • nonliving particle • Invades and reproduces inside a host. • Contains DNA or RNA The red spots are the AIDS virus, they are surrounding other body cells.
  • 5. Virus Multiplication • Active – Become sick within hours or days • Hidden – Illness can be delayed for weeks, months, or years – Triggered by environment?
  • 6. Bacteria • Microscopic • Prokaryotes (means they don’t have a nucleus) • Living • Contains DNA
  • 7. Shapes of bacteria • Spherical • Rodlike • Spiralshaped • They can also be in chains – Spherical chain
  • 8. Bacteria Multiplication • Sexual reproduction – Two parents – Conjugation (transfer of genetic material through bridge) • Asexual reproduction – Binary Fission-Simply splitting in two
  • 10. More on Growth • Rapid, as fast as once every 20 minutes • Continues until they run out of the basics – Food – Air – Space
  • 11. Parasites • Organisms that live on or in a host and cause harm. • Examples: Viruses, Bacteria, and tapeworms. • Can a bacteria be a host?
  • 12. How many can there be? • These bubble-headed creatures are called bacteriophages, viruses that target bacteria. The head holds DNA and the tail acts as a needle attaching to a specific site on the bacterial cell wall, the virus squirts DNA through the tail into the bacterium. Ouch! They are among the smallest of organisms. You could fit about 680,000 of these creatures on the head of a pin.
  • 13. What can you do? • Get Vaccines • Personal Hygiene • Use Disinfectants • Lines of Defense – Skin – Mucus barriers – Immune System
  • 14. Defenses cont. . This is a human macrophage, found in your blood that wards off infection. It is homing in on a chain of nasty Streptococcus bacteria. Hitching a ride aboard the macrophage is a sphere-shaped lymphocyte. Both macrophage and lymphocyte can be found near the site of an infection, and the two act in concert to help eliminate it.
  • 15. The deadliest pandemic in history was the 1918 influenza epidemic, the Spanish Flu. By the time the "Spanish lady" departed, 22 million people had died of the mysterious killer. Positively identifying the 1918 flu strain is made more difficult by the fact that the flu virus is capable of very rapid mutations
  • 16. Personal example • A doctor stationed at Camp Devens, a military base just west of Boston, writes to a friend, and fellow physician, of the conditions to be found there as influenza was making its presence felt.
  • 17. Vaccines Existing flu shots are 70 percent to 90 percent effective at preventing flu in healthy young people • 50 percent effective in the elderly, (And even if the vaccines don't prevent the flu, they do tend to reduce symptoms and serious complications).
  • 18. High Risk Groups • aged 65 and older • with chronic diseases affecting the heart, lung or kidneys • with diabetes, immunosuppression, or severe anemia • people in contact with doctors, nurses and nursing-home staff
  • 19. Prevention • "The current U.S. plan in the event of a pandemic is to vaccinate virtually the entire population," says epidemiologist Nancy Arden. • Despite its advantages, less than 60 percent of the high-risk population gets the flu shot each year.