Micropara

• Microbiology


  The study of microscopic organisms, such as bacteria, viruses, archaea, fungi and protozoa
• Parasitology


  The scientific discipline concerned with the study of the biology of parasites and parasitic diseases
• Pure Microbiology


  • Bacteriology- study of bacteria
  • Virology- study of viruses
  • Mycology- study of fungi
  • Parasitology- study of parasites
  • Microbial Genetics- study of the genetic mechanisms and processes of microorganisms
  • Microbial Ecology- study of microorganisms in their natural environments
  • Evolutionary Microbiology- study of the evolutionary processes and mechanisms that shape microbial diversity
• Applied Microbiology


  • Medical Microbiology- study and application of microorganisms in medicine
  • Food Microbiology- the study and application of microorganisms in food production, processing, preservation, and safety
  • Microbial Biotechnology- the use of microorganisms or their products in industrial processes
  • Industrial Microbiology- the application of microorganisms in industrial processes
  • Environmental Microbiology- study and application of microorganisms in environmental monitoring, bioremediation, and conservation
  • Agricultural Microbiology- study of microorganisms in agriculture
  • Veterinary Microbiology- the study of microorganisms that affect the health and well-being of animals
• Pioneers in the Science of Microbiology

  • Robert Hooke – First Observation of Cells (1665)
  • Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek – First observation of live microorganisms
  • Carolus Linnaeus – revolutionized taxonomy with his binomial nomenclature system
  • Edward Jenner – Pioneered the smallpox vaccine, the first ever vaccine (1798)
  • Ignaz Semmelweiss – The "Father of Infection Control" & the "Savior of Mothers" due to his promotion of handwashing
  • Louis Pasteur – Developed fermentation, early vaccine pasteurization, germ theory of disease, and disproved spontaneous generation
  • Joseph Lister – the "Father of Antiseptic Surgery" due to his introduction of antiseptic techniques
  • Robert Koch – Developed Koch's postulate and discovered tuberculosis
  • Alexander Fleming – discovered the first antibiotic, penicillin
• Spontaneous Generation


  The theory that living organisms arise from nonliving matter
• Biogenesis


  The theory that living organisms can only arise from pre-existing living organisms
• Spontaneous Generation Theory


  1. Aristotle proposed it based on observations

  2. Persisted into 17th century with experiments by Jan Baptista van Helmont

  3. Experiments by John Needham seemed to support it, but were later refuted by Spallanzani and Pasteur
• Biogenesis Theory


  1. Francesco Redi's experiment with meat and maggots helped disprove spontaneous generation

  2. Lazzaro Spallanzani contradicted Needham's findings with his sealed flask experiments

  3. Louis Pasteur irrefutably disproved spontaneous generation with his swan-neck flask experiment
• Importance of Microorganisms


  • Nutrient Cycling
  • Symbiotic Relationships
  • Food Production
  • Medicine
  • Environmental Remediation
  • Agriculture
  • Research
  • Industrial Applications
• Acellular Microbes


  Typically measured in nanometers (nm), include viruses, prions and viroids, not part of the Three Domain Classification
• Microorganisms/Cellular Microbes


  Typically measured in micrometers (μm), include bacteria, archaea, fungi and protists, belong to the Phylogenetic Tree of Life
• Each organism has two names: the genus (capitalized) and specific epithet or species (lower case)
• After the first use, scientific names may be abbreviated with the first letter of the genus and the specific epithet
• Pathogen


  A micro-organism that has the potential to cause disease
• Infection


  The invasion and multiplication of pathogenic microbes in an individual or population
• Disease


  When the infection causes damage to the individual's vital functions or systems
• An infection does not always result in disease
• Examples of Infectious Diseases

  • Cold - Rhinovirus (Virus)
  • Chickenpox - Varicella zoster (Virus)
  • German measles - Rubella (Virus)
  • Whooping cough - Bordatella pertussis (Bacterium)
  • Bubonic plague - Yersinia pestis (Bacterium)
  • Tuberculosis - Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Bacterium)
  • Malaria - Plasmodium falciparum (Protozoan)
  • Ringworm - Trichophyton rubrum (Fungus)
  • Athletes' foot - Trichophyton mentagrophytes (Fungus)