MEDICAL

MICROBIOLOGY

SHOAIB ALI
 Microbiology

Bacteria Fungi

Microbiology (Greek,
mikros—small; bios-life)
is the study of
microscopic organisms,
such as
bacteria, viruses, archaea,
fungi and protozoa.

Protozoa Viruses Algae

micron
What = small
is Microbiology?

biologia = studying life

How small is “small”?

Study of too small organisms to be

not seen with the naked eye (< 0.1
mm)
Microbiology:
 In the broadest sense, microbiology is the study of all
organisms that are invisible to the naked eye-that is the study
of microorganisms.
Introduction to Microbiology
 These organisms include viruses, bacteria, fungi, and protozoa.

 Microbiologists are concerned with characteristics and

functions such as morphology, cytology, physiology, genetics,
and molecular biology.
• When you hear the word bacteria, what comes to
your mind?
Not all bacteria cause disease

Most bacterial species cannot cause disease

• Many species play beneficial roles

 Production of antibiotics and foodstuffs
 Decompose organic waste
 Produce industrial chemicals such as ethyl alcohol and acetone
 Produce fermented foods such as vinegar, cheese, and bread
 History of Microbiology
Discovering organisms
First microbes were observed in 1673
 Robert Hooke- In 1665 reported that living things were composed
of little boxes or cells
devised the compound microscope and illumination system
https://ucmp.berkeley.edu/history/hooke.html
 Antoni van Leeuwenhoek- (1673-1723)
He is considered the father of bacteriology
Made simple microscopes and began observing with them
(1674) Discovered bacteria (he called them animalcules).
Golden Age of Microbiology
1857- 1914

• Beginning with Pasteur’s work, discoveries

included the relationship between microbes and
disease, immunity and antimicrobial medicine
• Germ Theory of Disease
Germ theory states that specific microscopic
organisms are the cause of specific diseases.
 Prokaryote & Eukaryotes

Prokaryote is a unicellular organism, that lacks a membrane-bound

organelles such as nucleus, mitochondria, etc

The word prokaryote comes from the Greek (pro) "before" and (karyo)
refers to nucleus

Eukaryotes are organisms whose cells have a nucleus enclosed within

membranes. The word Eukaryotes comes from the Greek (eu, "well" or
"true") and (karyon) refers to nucleus

Eukaryotic cells also contain other membrane-bound organelles such as

mitochondria and the Golgi apparatus, and in addition, some cells of
plants and algae contain chloroplasts.
 Basic structural and functional unit of life: Cell

Prokariyotic cell Eukariyotic cell

Organisms Bacteria Algae, Fungi, Protozoa,

Plants, Animals
Size 0.2–2.0 µm >5 µm

Nucleus Nuclear membrane absent, Nucleus bounded by nuclear

Nucleolus absent membrane, Nucleolus
present
Cell wall Peptidoglycan present Peptidoglycan absent

Plasma membrane Sterols absent, Cytoplasmic Sterols present, Cytoplasmic

streaming absent streaming present
Membrane-enclosed Absent Present
organelles
Ribosome 70 S 80 S
INTRODUCTION TO CLINICAL BACTERIOLOGY
• The study of bacteria and their relation to medicine and
to other areas.

• The main function of all diagnostic bacteriology

laboratories is the detection and identification of
microorganisms in a variety of samples of human,
animal, food, industrial, or environmental origin.

• Also drug susceptibility testing of the isolates to allow

correct treatment decisions is of major importance
 Bacteria
A member of a large group of unicellular microorganisms which have cell
walls but lack organelles and an organized nucleus.
Size:
0.2–2.0 µm

Important Characteristics:
•Prokaryotic ,Unicellular
•Simple internal structure
•Grow on artificial laboratory media
•Reproduction asexual (mostly simple cell division)

Practical significance:
•Some cause diseases
•Some perform role in natural cycling of elements and increase soil
fertility
•Manufacture of valuable compounds in Industry
The discipline of bacteriology evolved from the need of
physicians to test and apply the germ theory of disease and from
economic concerns relating to the spoilage of foods and wine.

The initial advances in pathogenic bacteriology were derived from

the identification and characterization of bacteria associated with
specific diseases.

During this period, great emphasis was placed on applying

Koch's postulates to test proposed cause-and-effect relationships
between bacteria and specific diseases.
 Koch’s Postulates

1. The causative (etiological) agent must be present in all affected

organisms but absent in healthy individuals

2. The agent must be capable of being isolated and cultured in pure

form

3. When the cultured agent is introduced to a healthy organism, the

same disease must occur

4. The same causative agent must be isolated again from the affected
host
In developed countries, 90 percent of documented infections in
hospitalized patients are caused by bacteria.

These cases probably reflect only a small percentage of the actual

number of bacterial infections occurring in the general population, and
usually represent the most severe cases.

The World Health Organization has estimated that each year, 3 million
people die of tuberculosis, 0.5 million die of pertussis, and 25,000 die
of typhoid.

Diarrheal diseases, many of which are bacterial, are the second

leading cause of death in the world (after cardiovascular diseases),
killing 5 million people annually.
Diagnosis of Microbial Infections