article : Content the MICROBIOLOGY TOPICS

This relatively new science began with the erroneous belief in spontaneous generation (abiogenesis) and matured into the germ theory on which today’s understanding of infectious disease is based.

MICROBIOLOGY TOPICS

VIRTUAL MICROBIOLOGY CLASSROOM

Click here to visit the online materials used in an actual college-level Microbiology Course. The Virtual Microbiology Classroom provides access to a wide range of educational resources including Power Point Lectures, Study Guides, Review Questions and Practice Test Questions.

HISTORY OF MICROBIOLOGY

From spontaneous generation (abiogenesis) to modern immunology, this link will take you to a series of articles summarizing the key contributors and discoveries.

SPONTANEOUS GENERATION DEBATE

• Spontaneous Generation of Life
  
• Anton van Leeuwenhoek and the Microscope

GERM THEORY OF DISEASE

• Early Germ Theory of Disease
• Late Germ Theory of Disease
• Robert Koch's Experiments and Postulates 1/10
• Why Is Hand Washing Important? 6/09

EARLY HISTORY OF IMMUNOLOGY

• Edward Jenner and the First Vaccine
• Louis Pasteur and Attenuated Vaccines

CLASSIFYING ORGANISMS (SYSTEMATIC & TAXONOMY)

• Linnaeus and Binomial Nomenclature

TYPES OF MICROBES

All life is composed of cells, and only two basic models exist; prokaryotes and eukaryotes. All bacteria are prokaryotic cells. Viruses are acellular, or non-living particles that are able to cause infectious disease.

PROKARYOTES (Bacteria & Archaea)

• Prokaryotic Microbes
• Classification of Bacteria
• What Are Normal Flora? 2/10
• Probiotic Bacteria that Promote Digestive Health 11/09

EUKARYOTIC MICROBES

• Eukaryotic Microbes

VIRUSES

• Viruses, Viroids and Prions
  
• What Is the Difference Between Bacteria & Viruses?

HOW TO USE A MICROSCOPE

SPO provides a number of articles on how to properly use a compound light microscope. The main page provides descriptions and links to help you easily find the specific information that you are looking for.

• What Is a Compound Light Microscope?
  
• Focusing and Finding Objects with a Microscope
• How to Identify Parts of a Compound Microscope
• Tips for Using a Compound Light Microscope
• Preparing a Microscope Slide of Bacteria
• Viewing Bacteria under Oil Immersion
  

BACTERIAL IDENTIFICATION

Microbes are tiny and often colorless. That wouldn't be a problem if we didn't so often have to identify them. Without the ability to ID specific microbes, the treatment of infectious disease would not be possible. The following links provide information on several methods used to sleuth out the identity of different bacteria, including differential staining, specialized media and other metabolic tests.

• Tests for Identification of Bacteria
• How to Use a Microscope
  
• Differential Staining of Bacteria
• Differential and Selective Media (MAC, MSA & BAP)
• API-20E Bacterial Idintification Test Strip

MICROBIAL CONTROL (How to Kill Microbes)

Control of microbial growth (killing microbes) can be carried out number of ways, through use of chemical, physical and chemotherapeutic (antibiotic, antiviral and antifungal) agents.

Here are links to additional pages each covering a specific microbial control method.

• Physical Control of Microbes (Heat, UV radiation)
• Chemotherapeutic Control of Microbes (Antibiotics and other meds)
  
• Chemical Control of Microbes (Disinfectants, cleaners like bleach and lysol)

INFECTIOUS DISEASE

So small that they can only be seen with a light microscope or electron microscope, humans have battled these tiny pathogens throughout our history. The following links lead to articles that describe and give examples of infectious diseases caused by eukaryotic pathogens, bacteria, viruses, viroids and prions.

• Infectious Disease Main Page
• Infectious Diseases Caused by Viruses
• Infectious Diseases Caused by Bacteria
• Cause of Mad Cow Disease
• Infectious Diseases Caused by Eukaryotic Microbes
  

Sources

Image

van Leeuwenhoek, Public Domain, Wiki