Microbiology and Human Disease

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Microbiology and Human Disease

• Overview of Microbiology

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Some Basic Terms

• Microbiology-scientific study of microbes and
  microbial processes
• Microbe/microorganism- microscopic things that
  have characteristics of life (including viruses)
• Agent-thing that produces a certain effect such
  as a disease
• Pathogen-microbial agent of disease
• Culture (cultivate)-v. to grow microbes
• Isolate-to separate different lineages of
  microbes from each other in a growth medium

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• Infectious agents can be divided into some basic
  categories
• Non-cellular (some would say non-living)
• Prions-infectious proteins
• Viruses-infectious particles made of DNA or RNA,
  protein, sometimes lipid membrane
• Cellular (living)
• Bacteria- single-celled organisms with circular
  DNA and no nucleus
• Protists-single celled organisms with nucleus and
  other membranous organelles
• Fungi-most are multi-celled some are single
  celled (yeasts) organisms with nucleus and
  mitochondria
• Animals-all are multi celled organisms with
  nucleus, mitochondria, elaborate cellular
  structure, tissue, and organs

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Modern Microbiology
Extremely diverse branch of the life
sciences American Society For Microbiology one
of the largest scientific associations in the
world http//www.asm.org The divisions of ASM
exemplify the important disciplines within
microbiology http//www.asm.org/Meetings/index.asp
?bid28090
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Overview of topics

• Scientific Method and Historical Perspectives
• Molecules and Cells
• Diversity of Microbes
• Microbial Genetics
• Host-Microbe interactions and Immunity
• Epidemiology
• Microbiological Methods
• Specific Agents of Disease
• Prokaryotes (bacteria)
• Eukaryotes (protists, fungi, helminthes)
• Viruses and Prions

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Global Microbiology
Microbes have power to influence the planet. The
Earths atmosphere was dramatically changed when
bacteria first appeared. Pandemics occur when a
disease outbreak is worldwide in distribution
such as HIV
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Applied Microbiology
Biomedical engineering
Conservation and Environmental policy
Public Health
Bio-defense
Microbiology
Food and Drugs
Agriculture
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Water Quality Microbiology
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Conservation and Environmental Policy
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Agriculture and Genetic Engineering
Bacterial DNA
Insecticide Gene
Genetically modified corn
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Genetic Engineering and Medicine
Gene inserted into chromosome when virus invades
cells
Virus with good gene
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Food Production, Food Safety and Nutrition

• Microorganisms are used in the production of
• Fermented beverages
• Cheese
• Yogurt
• Bread
• Some food may contain microbes that can be
  harmful and cause food-borne illness

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Bio-Defense

• Many pathogenic organisms are potential
  bio-warfare/bioterrorism agents
• Rajneeshees cult used salmonella in the 1980s
• Unknown perpetrator used anthrax in 2001
• http//www3.niaid.nih.gov/biodefense/