Bacteriology - Blog Posts

Medical microbiology

A clinical or medical microbiologist, typically with a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Microbiology and sometimes a Ph.D. in life sciences, studies the characteristics of pathogens, their transmission modes, and mechanisms of infection. They play a vital role in providing identification of pathogens, suggesting treatment options, and contributing to the development of health practices.

The historical milestones in medical microbiology include Anton van Leeuwenhoek’s observations of microorganisms in 1676, Edward Jenner’s development of the smallpox vaccine in 1796, and Louis Pasteur’s work on vaccines and pasteurization in 1857. Robert Koch’s germ theory and postulates in the late 19th century were pivotal. The Gram stain, developed by Hans Christian Gram in 1884, revolutionized bacterial identification.

Infectious diseases, including bacterial, viral, parasitic, and fungal, are commonly treated in medical microbiology. Diagnostic tests involve microbial culture, microscopy, biochemical tests, and genotyping. Microbiological culture isolates pathogens in the laboratory, while microscopy provides detailed observations. Biochemical tests and serological methods aid in identifying infectious agents.

However, the rise of antibiotic resistance poses a significant challenge. Medical microbiologists must consider the specificity and effectiveness of antimicrobial drugs, as well as the presence of resistant strains. Phage therapy, an alternative to antibiotics, is being explored to combat antimicrobial resistance.

In conclusion, medical microbiology is a dynamic field that not only diagnoses and treats diseases but also explores the benefits of microbes for human health. With historical milestones and continuous advancements, this field plays a crucial role in shaping healthcare practices and combating infectious diseases.

Wishing you all the best in pursuing your studies in Medical Bacteriology. It involves a lot of detailed focus on the causative agents of diseases.

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Some pics of my mircobology lab😛🧫🔬

Meet the obscure microbe that influences climate, ocean ecosystems, and perhaps even evolution

Penny Chisholm has had a 35-year love affair—with a microbe. For her, it’s been the perfect partner—elusive during courting, a source of intellectual fulfillment, and still full of mystery decades after their introduction during an ocean cruise.

To look at, the object of her passion is just a green mote, floating in vast numbers in the world’s oceans. But Chisholm has found hidden complexity within Prochlorococcus, a cyanobacterium that is the smallest, most abundant photosynthesizing cell in the ocean—responsible for 5% of global photosynthesis, by some estimates. Its many different versions, or ecotypes, thrive from the sunlit sea surface to a depth of 200 meters, where light is minimal. Collectively the “species” boasts an estimated 80,000 genes—four times what humans have, and plenty to deal with whatever the world’s oceans throw at it. “It’s a beautiful little life machine and like a superorganism,” Chisholm says. “It’s got a story to tell us.”

Viruses support photosynthesis in bacteria: An evolutionary advantage?

Viruses propagate by infecting a host cell and reproducing inside. This not only affects humans and animals, but bacteria as well. This type of virus is called bacteriophage. They carry so called auxiliary metabolic genes in their genome, which are responsible for producing certain proteins that give the virus an advantage. Researchers at the University of Kaiserslautern and the Ruhr University Bochum have analysed the structure of such a protein more closely. It appears to stimulate the photosynthesis of host bacteria. The study has now been published in the journal The Journal of Biological Chemistry.

Raphael Gasper, Julia Schwach, Jana Hartmann, Andrea Holtkamp, Jessica Wiethaus, Natascha Riedel, Eckhard Hofmann, Nicole Frankenberg-Dinkel. Auxiliary metabolic genes- Distinct Features of Cyanophage-encoded T-type Phycobiliprotein Lyase θCpeT. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 2017; jbc.M116.769703 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.M116.769703

The association between the virus protein and bacterial pigment is incredibly stable. Furthermore, the complex is highly fluorescent. Credit: AG Frankenberg-Dinkel