Introduction to Microbiology
MICROBIOLOGY
 The scientific study of microorganism
MICROORGANISM
 also known as germs or microbes in non medical
person
 minute organism that are individually too small to be
seen with naked eye
 may exist as single cell or cell clusters
 includes bacteria, fungi (mold/yeast), protozoa and
algae
 also include viruses (non-cellular entities straddling
between life and non life)
Note: virus do not possess non-living thing characteristic
BACTERIA
 classified as prokaryotes
 unicellular organism that lacks a nuclear membrane
and true nucleus
 Lack membrane-bound organelles such as
mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi
apparatus.
 enclosed in cell walls that are largely composed of
peptidoglycan slayers
Note:
Nucleoid – nucleus – like cell that aggregate the genetic
materials of prokaryotes but not separated in cytoplasm
Peptidoglycan – can be used to identify the types of
bacteria
BACTERIOLOGY – study of bacteria
ARCHAEA
 prokaryotic cells that may or may not have cell walls
(if cell wall or present this lack peptidoglycan)
 most found in extreme environments and not known
to cause disease to human
Examples:
1. Methanogens – produce methane as a waste product
2. Extreme halophiles – found in extremely salty
environment
3. Extreme thermophiles – found in hot sulfurous water
such as hot spring.
FUNGI
 Eukaryotes that obtain nutrients through absorptions.
 Yeast – group of unicellular fungi that reproduce
asexually “true” yeast do not form hyphae or my
cilia
 Molds – multicellular fungi composed of
filaments called hyphae which interweave to form
mats called mycelia can produce asexually or
sexually.
Note:
Budding – production of yeast resulting a daughter cell
that is a smaller than the parent cell
Hyphae – filamentous structure
Mycelia – group of interweaved hyphae
 Dimorphic fungi
o assume both morphologies of yeast and
mold
o yeast form at incubator or body
temperature
o formed mold at room temperature
o highly pathogenic
o systemic mycoses
MYCOLOGY – study of fungi
PROTOZOANS
 unicellular eukaryotic microorganisms that move by
pseudopods, flagella or cilia
 live as either free-living or parasitic
 can reproduce asexually or sexually
PROTOZOOLOGY – study of protozoa
HELMINTHs
 Strictly microorganism because some point of their
life stage, can be seen. (multicellular parasitic
eukaryotes)
 microscopic in some stages of their life cycle
 classified as roundworms (either nematodes,
cestodes or trematodes)
HELMINTHOLOGY – study of helminths
Introduction to Microbiology
VIRUS
 Smallest infectious material or particle that cannot be
seen under an ordinary light microscope
Note: electron microscope (100kx) is used to see
virus.
 either prokaryotes or eukaryotes and are
distinguished from living cells with the following
characteristic:
1. Consist of either dna or rna but not both
2. Do you know maybe double-stranded dna or
double-stranded rna, double stranded dna or
single stranded rna
3. Acellular
4. Obligate intracellular parasites (they don’t need
energy or proteins)
5. Host or host cell specific
Example:
EBV – b cells or b lymphocytes
HIV – cd4 containing cells or the surface cells and helper
t cells or the macrophage
VIROLOGY – study of virus
DISCIPLINES OF MICROBIOLOGY
 Medical or clinical microbiology – study of different
treatments for infectious diseases
 Diagnostic microbiology – where medical
technologist perform different laboratory procedure.
Isolate and identify microorganisms.
 Public health microbiology – studies use create a
preventive measures
 Immunology – study of immunity
 Microbial genetics – studies the mechanism by
which microorganism inherit traits
 Molecular biology – look at how genetic information
is carried in molecules of dna and how dna directs
the synthesis of proteins
 Microbial ecology – study of the relationship
between microorganism and their environment.
BACTERIAL TAXONOMY
“Taxon” – arrangement; the classification of organism in
an ordered system that indicates a natural relationship
Three separate but interrelated areas in bacterial
taxonomy
1. Classification
2. Nomenclature
3. Identification
Note: this three is important for diagnostic for it helps us
identify and understand the characteristics of bacterial
pathogens.
CLASSIFICATION
 way of characterization or categorization of
organisms into taxonomic groups based on
biochemical physiologic genetic and morphologic
NOMENCLATURE
 naming of organisms by international rules according
to its characteristic
IDENTIFICATION
 Practical application of your knowledge of
classifications and nomenclature.
 isolate and identify causative agents of a diseases
 Isolate and distinguish desirable organisms from
undesirable ones.
 verified authenticity or special properties of a culture
in a clinical settings
TAXONOMIC RANK
Kingdom > division > class > order > family > genus >
species > subtype
Linnaean taxonomy – most familiar to biologist
Note: scientific name is composed of genus and species.
NOMENCLATURE
 provides naming assignment to each organisms
 family name is capitalized and has an “aceae” ending
(e.g enterobacteriaceae)
 Genus is capitalized and is followed by lowercase.
Both should be italicized in print, underlined when
written.
 when referring to the entire genus the word “species”
may be abbreviated as sp. (Singular) spp. (Plural)
Introduction to Microbiology
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
ROBERT HOOKE (1665) LOUIS PASTEUR (1861)
 Coined the term “cell” or little boxes after  the first one to totally disprove the spontaneous
observing a thin slice of cork through a crude generation theory thru his swan neck flask
microscope. experiment
 cell theory – all living things are composed of  Microbes can be present in nonliving matter.
cell  microbes can be destroyed by heat
 his microscope lacks the resolution that would  methods can be devised to block access of
have allowed him to view microbes clearly airborne microbes to nutrients environment
(which became the basis for a septic techniques)
ANTON VAN LEEUWENHOEK (1673-1723)
 considered as the father of modern
 first microbiologist to have fully functional microbiology
microscope
Fermentation
 first observe live microorganism that he called
“animalcules”  Anaerobic decomposition of carbohydrates
 Made detailed drawings of microorganisms in converting sugar to alcohol
rainwater, feces materials and materials scraped
from his teeth. Pasteurization
 the father of microbiology  foods are treated with mild heat not less than 100
 the father of Bacteriology degrees Celsius to eliminate pathogens and
 the father of protozoology shelf-life
 made the first attenuated vaccine
SPONTANEOUS GENERATION THEORY
Note: attenuated means weakened/killed virus.
o Some forms of life could arise spontaneously from
nonliving matter.  Developed the vaccine against anthrax and
o Animal could be born from soil, flies from manure and rabies
maggots from decaying corpses.
EDWARD JENNER
FRANCISCO REDI (1668)
 Introduce the first vaccine or the concept of
 Demonstrate that maggots could not arise vaccine.
spontaneously from decaying meat  Vaccine for smallpox
JOHN NEEDHAM (1745)  Coined the word vaccine from the Latin vacca for
cow
 Boiled mutton broth using flask that eventually
became cloudy. Boiled chicken and both became ROBERT KOCH
laden with microbes even with cover  discovered the mycobacterium tuberculosis and
 opposes redi bacillus anthracis
LAZZARO SPALLANZANI (1765)  germ theory of disease (Koch’s Postulates)
1. Microorganisms are isolated from a disease or
 improve the previous experiment of needham dead animal
 heating the broth place in a sealed jar 2. The microorganism are grown in pure culture
 Spallanzani’s result contradicted the findings of 3. Microorganisms are inoculated into a healthy
Needham. laboratory animal
 Microbes move through the air and that they 4. Disease is reproduce in the laboratory animal.
could be killed through boiling.
RUDOLF VIRCHOW
Introduction to Microbiology
 Challenge spontaneous generation theory with
the concept of biogenesis
IGNAZ SEMMELWEIS
 Demonstrated that routine hand washing can
prevent the spread of disease (puerperal fever)
JOSEPH LISTER
 Perform surgery under aseptic conditions using
phenol.
 Introduced the system of antiseptics surgery in
Britain.
 Use of phenol as an antimicrobial agent for
surgical wound dressing.
PAUL EHRLICH
 Discovered Salvarsan (Arsphenamine) – arsenic
derived drug against syphilis
ALEXANDER FLEMING
 Discovered penicillin or antibiotic produced by
penicillium chrysogenum/notatum
MICROORGANISMS AND HUMAN DISEASE
Roles of Microorganisms
1. Part of food chain
2. Biodegradation and incorporation of atmospheric
nitrogen to organic compound
3. Photosynthesis (food and oxygen generating
process essential to other life form) (e.g.
cyanogenesis microorganism or bacteria)
4. Vitamin synthesis (Vitamin K) – comes from
enterobacteria part of normal microbiota
5. Production of synthetic vitamins organic acids,
enzymes, alcohols and drugs.
6. Food production (e.g. yogurt , cheese and beer)
7. Associated with disease only the minority of
microorganism
MICROORGANISMS ACCORDING TO
PATHOGENICITY
Non pathogenic – do not cause disease harm or death
Pathogenic – capable of causing disease to host
Opportunistic – typically non-pathogenic but act as a
pathogen under certain circumstances (example:
enterobacteria e. coli)
NORMAL FLORA / MICROBIOTA
 microorganisms that are normally found in and on the
body
 do not cause harm under normal conditions; benefits
to host by preventing the overgrowth of pathogenic
microbes and by producing certain vitamins such as
vitamin k and some b vitamins.
 growth of these microorganisms are kept in check by
the immune system
BIOFILMS
o complex aggregation of microorganisms on solid
surfaces
o beneficial effect: protects mucous membrane from
harmful microorganism
o Harmful effect: can contaminate medical implants
such as joints prosthesis and catheters and cause
infections.
INFECTION AND INFECTIOUS DISEASE
INFECTION
 invasion or colonization of the body – causing
microorganism
 an infection may exist in the absence (e.g. HiV
infection vs. Aids)
INFECTIOUS DISEASE
 a disease in which pathogens invades a susceptible
host
 a pathogen carries out a part of life with causes
disease
EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASE
 Infectious disease that are new or changing and
are increasing or have a potential to increase
Example: COVID 19, SARS-CoV-2, Avian Flue, Swine
flu, monkey pox.