Microorganisms are living things that are so small they can't be seen clearly without a microscope
Microorganisms play an important role in the world, both for good and bad
Microorganisms can be found everywhere, including on surfaces, in water, and in the air
Microorganisms can be single cells or clusters of single cells, belonging to different kingdoms such as Monera, Protista, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia
Microorganisms are critical to element recycling in the environment, contributing to the carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur cycles
Pathogens are disease-causing microorganisms, with around 2,000 different microbes causing various types of diseases
There are approximately 10 billion new infections across the world every year caused by pathogens
Infectious diseases are among the most common causes of death worldwide
Microbes are utilized in the production of food, such as alcoholic beverages, dairy products, and bread
Microbes are also used in the production of industrial and medical products like antibiotics, vaccines, and plastics
Antibiotics were discovered by Louis Pasteur and Alexander Fleming, inhibiting the growth of bacteria
Genetically-engineered microorganisms can be used to produce biomedical reagents and useful genes
Microbes play a role in decomposition, breaking down dead matter and wastes into simple compounds
Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery (MEOR) is a biological-based technology to manipulate microbial environments in oil reservoirs
Microbes are abundant and ubiquitous, existing in the air, food, water, soil, and even on our bodies
Microbiologists study various aspects of microorganisms, including cell structure, genetics, immunology, biochemistry, epidemiology, and ecology
Microbiologists also study food microbiology, dairy microbiology, aquatic microbiology, agricultural microbiology, biotechnology, genetic engineering, and recombinant DNA technology
Nurses historically had no knowledge of diseases, but the act of caring for individuals was essential to their practice
As civilization progressed, new ideas and social constructs began to impact nursing, with some nurses becoming servants
In ancient Persia or Babylon, slaves could be forced into nursing and if their master died, they could be burned alive to provide care in the afterlife
Most societies were male dominated, and nurses were subservient to "doctors"
Nursing regressed to the role of an assistant caregiver
In the Middle Ages and Renaissance, nursing moved from wealthy families to nunneries and a few schools
St. Vincent de Paul enriched nursing in the 1600s, recognizing it as a social force to help the ill, poor, hungry, sad, and lonely
Florence Nightingale, born in 1820, began nursing in 1845 and became well known for her skills and healthcare reform push
Nightingale's sanitation and infection control practices during the Crimean War reduced mortality rates significantly
Florence Nightingale introduced cleanliness and antiseptic techniques into nursing
Microorganisms are categorized into Prokaryotic (bacteria and cyanobacteria) and Eukaryotic (possessing membrane-bound organelles)
Over 90% of microorganisms are neutral or beneficial to humans
Less than 10% of microorganisms are harmful
Microbiology history includes Leeuwenhoek's discovery of microorganisms, Pasteur's Swan Neck Flasks experiment, and Koch's work on anthrax and tuberculosis
Joseph Lister introduced antiseptic surgery techniques, reducing wound infections
John Tyndall demonstrated that dust carried germs, supporting the importance of sterility
Robert Koch identified the bacterium causing anthrax and tuberculosis
The Germ Theory of Disease states that microorganisms cause disease
Koch's Postulates are used to prove if an infectious agent causes a disease
Christian Gram developed the Gram stain technique
Julius Richard Petri invented the petri dish for isolating pure cultures
Iwanowski discovered the first virus, tobacco mosaic virus
Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin, the first antibiotic, in the 1920s