Burton's Microbiology For The Health Sciences: Chapter 10. Microbial Ecology and Microbial Biotechnology

Burton's Microbiology
for the Health Sciences

Chapter 10. Microbial Ecology
and Microbial Biotechnology
Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Chapter 10 Outline
• Introduction
• Symbiotic Relationships Involving Microorganisms
• Indigenous Microflora of Humans
• Beneficial and Harmful Roles of Indigenous Microflora
• Microbial Communities (Biofilms)
• Agricultural Microbiology
• Microbial Biotechnology

Indigenous Microflora of Humans
• Includes all the microbes

(bacteria, fungi, protozoa
and viruses) that reside on
and within a person;
sometimes referred to as
our “normal flora”
• Blood, lymph, spinal fluid,
and most internal tissues
and organs are normally
free of microorganisms (i.e.,
they are sterile).
• Transient microflora take up
temporary residence on and
within humans.
• Destruction of resident
microflora disturbs the
delicate balance between
host and microorganisms.
Normal flora of the oral cavity

Areas of the body where
most of the indigenous
microflora reside.
Indigenous Microflora of Humans,
cont.
• Microflora of the Skin

– Primarily bacteria and
fungi – about 30
different types; most
common =
Staphylococcus spp.
– Number and variety of
microorganisms depend
on:
• Amount of moisture
present
• pH
• Temperature
• Salinity
• Presence of chemical
wastes and other
microbes
cont.
• Microflora of the Ears and Eyes

– Middle ear and inner ear are usually sterile;
outer ear and auditory canal contain the
same microorganisms as on the skin
– Eye is lubricated and cleansed by tears,
mucus and sebum – few microorganisms
present
• Microflora of the Respiratory Tract

– Divided into upper respiratory tract (nasal
passages and throat) and lower respiratory
tract (larynx, trachea, bronchi and lungs)

cont.
• Microflora of the Respiratory Tract,

cont.
– Upper respiratory tract (nasal

passages and throat) has an
abundance of microorganisms;
many are harmless, some are
opportunistic pathogens
– Carriers harbor virulent pathogens

in their nasal passages or throats,
but do not have the diseases
usually caused by these pathogens
• Examples: people harboring the

bacteria that cause diphtheria,
pneumonia, meningitis, and
whooping cough
– Lower respiratory tract is usually

free of microbes
cont.
• Microflora of the Oral Cavity

(Mouth)
– A shelter for numerous
anaerobic and aerobic
bacteria; remaining food
particles provide a rich
nutrient medium for
bacteria
– Careless dental hygiene pneumonia
may cause:
• Dental caries (tooth
decay)
• Gingivitis (gum
disease)
• Periodontitis
– The most common
organisms within the
indigenous microflora of Peptostreptococcus
the mouth are various
species of alpha-hemolytic
streptococci
cont.
• Microflora of the
Gastrointestinal (GI) Tract
– The colon (large intestine)
contains the largest
number and variety of
microorganisms of any
colonized area of the
body; an estimated 500-
600 different species -
primarily bacteria.
– Colon is anaerobic;
bacteria in colon are
mostly obligate-,
aerotolerant-, and
facultative anaerobes.
– Many of the microflora of
the colon are
opportunists.
cont.
• Microflora of the Genitourinary (GU)

Tract
– The GU tract consists of the

kidneys, ureters, urinary bladder,
urethra, and parts of the
female/male reproductive
systems
– Kidney, ureters and urinary

bladder are usually sterile; the
distal urethra and its external
opening harbor many microbes
including bacteria, yeasts and
viruses
– Most frequent causes of urethral

Chlamydia trachomatis
infections include Chlamydia
trachomatis, Neisseria
gonorrhoeae, and mycoplasmas
– The male and female reproductive

systems are usually sterile, with
the exception of the vagina
Beneficial and Harmful Roles of
Indigenous Microflora
• Humans derive many benefits

from their indigenous microflora;
examples - vitamins K and B12.
• Microbial Antagonism
– Means “microbes versus
microbes”
– Many members of our
indigenous microflora are
beneficial in that they
prevent other microbes from
becoming established
– Other examples of microbial
antagonism involve:
• Production of antibiotics
and bacteriocins
E. coli
(antibacterial proteins);
an example is colicin,
produced by E. coli

Beneficial and Harmful Roles of
Indigenous Microflora, cont.
• Opportunistic Pathogens and
Biotherapeutic Agents
– Opportunistic pathogens are

those microorganisms that
“hang around,” waiting for the
opportunity to cause infection
• Examples: E. coli, other

members of the family
Enterobacteriaceae, S.
aureus, and Enterococcus
spp.
– The delicate balance of the

indigenous microflora can be
upset by antibiotics, other
types of chemotherapy, and
changes in pH
– Bacteria and yeasts used to

stabilize the microbial balance
are called biotherapeutic
agents or probiotics
Microbial Communities
• It is rare to find an ecologic niche
in which only one type of
microorganism is causing a
particular effect
• Microorganisms are often
organized into biofilms – complex
communities of assorted
organisms. Biofilms are
everywhere; example – dental
plaque.
• Biofilms consist of a variety of
different species of bacteria plus a
gooey polysaccharide that the
bacteria secrete; the bacteria Iodine staining of biofilm plaque
grow in tiny clusters called (upper right)
microcolonies, separated by water
channels
• Biofilms have medical significance;
they form on urinary catheters
and medical equipment and can
cause diseases like endocarditis
Microbial Communities, cont.
• Microbes commonly associated with

biofilms on medical devices include
the yeast, Candida albicans, and
bacteria like Staphylococcus
aureus, Enterococcus spp.,
Klebsiella pneumoniae, and
Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
• Biofilms are very resistant to

antibiotics and disinfectants
– Antibiotics that are effective

against pure cultures of
organisms have been found to
be ineffective against those
same organisms within an Biofilm on contact lenses
actual biofilm
http://www.clspectrum.com/pr
• Bacteria in biofilms produce intarticle.aspx?article=102915
different types of proteins that may
not be produced by the bacteria in
pure culture.
Synergistic Infections
• When 2 or more organisms
“team up” to produce a
disease that neither could
cause by itself
• The diseases are called
synergistic infections,
polymicrobial infections, or
mixed infections
– Examples:
• Acute necrotizing
ulcerative gingivitis
(ANUG, trench
mouth, or Vincent’s
disease).
• Bacterial vaginosis
(BV)
Agricultural Microbiology
• There are many uses for
microorganisms in
agriculture
• Role of Microbes in Elemental
Cycles
– Microorganisms play an
important role in the
cycling of nutrients and
elements like nitrogen,
carbon, oxygen, sulfur,
and phosphorus.
• N2 is converted by
nitrogen-fixing
bacteria and
cyanobacteria into
ammonia (NH3) and
ammonium ion (NH4).
Root nodules

Agricultural Microbiology, cont.
• Other Soil
Microorganisms
– There are a
multitude of other
microorganisms in
soil – bacteria,
fungi, algae,
protozoa, viruses,
and viroids; many
are decomposers.
– A variety of
human pathogens
live in soil
including
Clostridium spp.
(such as C. tetani
and C. botulinum)
and the spores of
Bacillus anthracis.
Biotechnology
• Defined as “any technological

application that uses biological
systems, living organisms, or
derivatives thereof, to make or
modify products or processes for
specific use”
• Microbes are used in a variety of
industries, including the production
of certain foods and beverages, food
additives, vaccines, and antibiotics.
• Microbes are used in the production
of foods like bread, cheeses, olives,
pickles, vinegar and yogurt, as well
as in the production of alcoholic
beverages like beer and wine.
• Many antibiotics and drugs are
produced in pharmaceutical
companies by fungi and bacteria
(penicillin for example).

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Burton's Microbiology For The Health Sciences: Chapter 10. Microbial Ecology and Microbial Biotechnology

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Burton's Microbiology

for the Health Sciences

Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

• Includes all the microbes

Normal flora of the oral cavity

• Microflora of the Skin

• Microflora of the Ears and Eyes

• Microflora of the Respiratory Tract

Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

• Microflora of the Respiratory Tract,

– Upper respiratory tract (nasal

– Carriers harbor virulent pathogens

• Examples: people harboring the

– Lower respiratory tract is usually

• Microflora of the Oral Cavity

• Microflora of the Genitourinary (GU)

– The GU tract consists of the

– Kidney, ureters and urinary

– Most frequent causes of urethral

– The male and female reproductive

• Humans derive many benefits

Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

– Opportunistic pathogens are

• Examples: E. coli, other

– The delicate balance of the

– Bacteria and yeasts used to

• Microbes commonly associated with

• Biofilms are very resistant to

– Antibiotics that are effective

Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

• Defined as “any technological

Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

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