MICROPARA LEC || Science of Microbiology and Parasitology

• Microbiology and parasitology focuses on the mechanisms that underlie diseases caused by a number of important: (possible causes for diseases)

  1. Bacteria
  2. Protozoa
  3. Helminths
• Viruses are acellular, meaning that they are not composed of cells. They are often referred as "infectious agents" or "infectious particles" rather than microorganisms.
• Micro-flora are beneficial bacteria. Some examples are: lactobacilli and E.coli - prevents other pathogenic microorganisms to get into our system.
• Photosynthetic algae and bacteria (cyanobacteria) releases oxygen into the atmosphere.
• In the importance of microbes, decomposers or saprophytes aid in fertilization by returning inorganic nutrients to the soil.
• In the importance of microbes, bioremediation cleans and decomposes industrial waste.
• Microorganisms involved in elemental cycles include:

  1. Carbon
  2. Nitrogen
  3. Oxygen
  4. Sulfur
  5. Phosphorus
• Microbes can cause either infectious diseases or intoxication.
• Before the age of microscopy, disease was believed to be caused by miasma - an unpleasant of unhealthy smell.
• Antoni Van Leeuwenhoek demonstrated the presence of microorganisms via microscope.
• Louis Pasteur detected the presence of germs in the environment, opened the field of sterilization, and invented the Anthrax vaccine.
• Robert Koch described the methods of preparing cultures, and discovered the causative agents of tuberculosis and cholera.
• Christian Gram in 1884 discovered the Gram Stain.
• Louis Pasteur in 1885 discovered the first vaccine for rabies.
• RJ Petri in 1887 invented the Petri dish.
• Dmitri Iosifovich Ivanoski discovered viruses in 1892.
• In 1900, Walter Reed discovered yellow fever in mosquitoes.
• The Golden age of microbiology was discovered in the later 1800's and the first decade of 1990's.
• Eduard Jenner discovered the vaccine for smallpox.
• Joseph Lister discovered septic surgery.
• Paul Ehrlich discovered salvarsan (magic bullet for chemotherapy) for syphilis.
• Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin in 1929.
• Parasitology is the study of parasites, their host, and the relationship between them. 


  Parasitism is the association beneficial to one partner and harmful to the other.
• Immunology is the study of the immune system.
• In the ecological characteristics, the host harbors a guest organism.
• In the ecological characteristics, the parasites live within a host.
• In the ecological characteristics, pathogens are a biological agent that cause diseases.
• Ecological relationships are the interaction within or between overlapping niches.
• In the ecological relationships, competition competes for the same resource.
• In the ecological relationships, predation is when an organism eats another to obtain nutrients.
• In the ecological relationships, commensalism is when one organism benefits and neither harmed nor helped.
• In the ecological relationships, mutualism benefits both organisms.
• In the ecological relationships, parasitism is when one organism benefits (parasite) and the other is harmed (host).
• In factors that promote growth and development of microorganisms, nutrients is when microorganisms need food.
• In factors that promote growth and development of microorganisms, temperature discourages growth according to how it is high or low.
• In factors that promote growth and development of microorganisms, pH level is where organisms prefer it neutrally.
• In factors that promote growth and development of microorganisms, moisture is where all microorganisms require some level of water.
• In factors that promote growth and development of microorganisms, oxygen requirement is needed since some microorganisms are anaerobes and aerobes.
• In the importance of microorganisms, fungi helps in the degradation of the dead.
• In the importance of microbes, biotechnology is utilized to produce food such as Yakult drink, wine, and cheese.