Introduction to Medical microbiology,

parasitology & immunology

Sept 2022 KRCHN Basic Class
Dr. Matiang'i M.O (PhD)
Lecture outline
Definition of terms
The scope of microbiology
The history/milestones of medical microbiology
Classification and characteristics of micro-organisms (including
structures of bacterial, viral, protozoa and fungal cells)
Diagnostic techniques for micro-organisms
Disinfection and sterilization
Infection prevention and control
Classification of parasites and their life cycle
The history of immunology
Components of the immune system
Hypersensitivity reactions
Definition of terms
Micro= very small that it must be viewed by a microscope
Bio= living organisms
Ology = the study of
Therefore microbiology is the study of very small living
organisms
Examples of small living organisms include bacteria, algae,
protozoa, fungi and viruses.
The small micro-organisms are usually called microbes,
germs, pathogens or single-celled organisms
• Have you been afffected by micro-organisms?
• Is it all micro-organisms that are harmful?
• Where do you find micro-organisms?
Therefore what is microbiology?

Study of Micro-organisms: Organisms that EXIST as

Single

Cells or cell clusters and must be viewed individually

with the

aid of a Microscope
The scope or fields of microbiology
 There are many fields of study within microbiology e.g
 Specialising in study of bacteria (bacteriology)
 Specialising in study of algae (phycology)
 Specialising in study of fungi ( mycology)
 Specialising in study of protozoa ( protozoology)
 Specialising in study of viruses (Virology)
 Specialising in study of parasites (Parasitology)
 Further to this, there are many professional diciplines where
knowledge in microbiology can be utilised e.g General
microbiology (having general understanding on how micro-
organisms are classified & how they function), medical
microbiology (study of pathogens and diseases they cause as well
as body defene mechanisms against them). Other fields are
veterinary, agricultural & industrial microbiology. Others include
microbial genetics and environmental microbiology.
Milestones/History of microbiology
 Microbes have been with us since beginning of humanity
 In ancient Egypt & china people cleaned hands repeatedly
to prevent disease
 In the bible the book of leviticus records the first public
health laws that were to be observed by the Hebrew people
e.g to bury their waste from their camping sites
 During Renaissance (14th- 16th century), widespread
epidemics of smallpox, syphyllis, rabies etc caused
physicians & alchemists to research on reasons for
contraction and transfer of disease. Otherwise people
believed that diseases were caused by curses of the gods
thus bizzare treatments e.g bleeding & drilling holes into the
head were used to drive away evil spirits.
Milestones of microbiology ……..cont
 In 1546 an italian physician ( Girolamo Fracastorius) observed that syphillis epidemic
was caused by living communicable agents/germs. However experimental evidence
lacked.
 In 1590 Johannes Jansen built a compound microscope using two lenses to increase
magnification
 Further modifications of the mircoscope done by Galileo Galilei (1609), Robert Hooke
( 1660).
 In 1667 Antony Van Leeuwenhoek described a bacterial cell using a simple microscope
with one lens the size of a pinhead thus he was named the father f microbiology because
he was able to describe the three shapes of bacteria as well as protozoa, sperm and
blood cells . He referred to the cells he observed as “animalcules” but he wasn’t able to
link them to disease.
 In the 19th century, Lois pasteur and Robert Koch were able to demonistrate the
relationship between pathogens and diseases they caused.
 Further studies by Lois pasteur in mid 1800s resulted in the advances of streilization,
pasteurization, fermentation and the ultimate disease-germ theory i.e a specific disease
is caused by a specific type of micro-organism.
 Thus Lois pasteur discovered vaccines against diseases like Anthrax, rabies etc using an
attenuated (weakened) pathogen. This earned him the name the Father of immunology.
The milestones of microbiology
In 1876 Robert Koch established an experimental
procedure to prove the germ theory of disease i.e
disease is caused by a specific pathogen. This
scientific procedure was known as Koch’s postulates.
Koch’s postulates includes,
 The causative agent must be present in every case of the disease
& must not be present in healthy animals
 The pathogen must be isolated from the diseased host animal &
grown in pure culture
 The same disease must be produced when microbes from the
pure culture are inoculated into healthy susceptible animals
 The same pathogen must be recoverable once again and grown in
pure culture from this artificially infected host animal.
Milestones/History of microbiology..cont
 Sir Alexander Fleming (1928); a Scottish bacteriologist found a patch of green
mould which had fallen haphazardly upon one of his cultures and he became
interested in its antibacterial action. He reported that this mould- penicillium notatum
elaborated during its growth a substance which inhibited the development of certain
bacteria. He called the substance “penicillin”. Fleming own life at one time was saved
from an overwhelming pneumonia by the very agent he had discovered. To his great
delight, he made a speed and dramatic recovery.
 Edna Steinhardt (1913).She was the first person to use culture technique to grow
virus.
 Alice C. Evans (1917-1923). She investigated undulant fever (Brucellosis).
 Gladys Dick (1921-1927). She assisted her husband George Dick in his work on
bacteriological and serological study of “scarlet fever”.
 Alice Woodruff (1931). She grew virus in a fertile egg.
 Rebecca Lancefield (1928-1933). She published the methods of classification of
streptococci.
 Sarah Steward (1953). She carried out a significant research in tumours in animal
induced by virus.
Are micro-organisms true cells? They have
1.CELL MEMBRANE –barrier that separates the inside of the cell
from the outside
2.NUCLEUS OR NUCLEIOD – location of genetic information
(DNA)
3.CYTOPLASM –location of the machinery for cell growth and
function
4.MACROMOLECULES – proteins, nucleic acids, lipids,
polysaccharides

A single microbial cell can have an independent existence—our

specialized cells need to interact with other cells in order to carry
out their cellular functions for the good of the entire organism
Bacterial cells are prokaryotic while protozoa,fundi and algae as
well as slime moulds are eukaryotic
Diagram of a bacterial cell
Prokaryotic and eukaryotic micro-organisms

Eukaryotes
1. Membrane bound nucleus
containing DNA
2. DNA-linear molecules arranged
to form several chromosomes
3. Diploid-Two copies of a gene
4. Plasma membrane contains
sterols
5. Reproduction—meiosis and
mitosis
6. Presence of membrane bound
organelles such as chloroplasts
and mitochondria
Why study medical microbiology?
Helps us identify the causes of diseases especially infectious ones
Informs manufacturing of antibiotics and other antimicrobials used in
treatment of various infections
Informs development of policies/guidelines in prevention and control of
diseases
Helps in determining the approaches/interventions used in mil
pasteurization, water purification and even waste disposal
It informs the various research initiatives being undertaken to strengthen
disease surveillance.
Knowledge gained in medical microbiology helps hospital staff to
mitigate the incidence of nosocomial/hospital acquired infections
To understand the approaches used in diagnosis of various disease
causing pathogens
Understand the normal flora of the human body and how it can cause
autoinfection.
Modern medical microbiology
Bacteriology – the science of bacteria, the causative
agents of a member of infectious diseases.
Virology – the science of viruses, non-cellular living
systems, capable of causing infectious diseases in
man.
Immunology – the science which concerned with
mechanisms of body protection against pathogenic
microorganisms and foreign cells and substances.
Mycology – the study of fungi pathogenic for man.
Protozoology – which deals with pathogenic
unicellular animal organisms.
 Classification of micro-organisms
Generally Microbes in medical
microbiology can be classified into four
major groups:
1- Protozoa 2- Bacteria.
3- Fungi. 4- Viruses.
END