CHAPTER 31 VOCABULARY

Agglutination - reaction between antibody & particle-bound antigen resulting in visible clumping of
particles
Bacteremia - presence of microorganisms in the blood
Differential Media - growth medium allows identification of microorg/based on phenotypic properties
Enriched Media - media that allows metabolically fastidious organisms to grow b/c of the addition of
specific growth factors Ex) blood agar
Enrichment culture - use of selective culture media & incubation conditions to isolate specific
microorganisms from natural samples
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)/enzyme immunoassay – test that uses antibodies to
detect antigens or antibodies in body fluids (HIV testing)
Fluorescent antibody - antibody molecule covalently modified w/ fluorescent dye that makes the
antibody visible under fluorescent light
General Purpose Media - growth medium that supports growth of most aerobic & facultatively aerobic
organisms (TSA)
Hemagglutination - agglutination of red blood cells
Hybridoma - fusion of an immortal (tumor) cell w/ a lymphocyte to produce an immortal lymphocyte
Immunoblot (Western Blot) - detection of specific proteins by separating them via electrophoresis,
transferring them to a membrane & adding specific antibodies
Monoclonal antibody - single type of antibody produced from a single clone of B cells; this antibody has
uniform structure & specificity
Myeloma - malignant tumor of a plasma cell (antibody-producing cell)
Neutralization - interaction of antibody w/ antigen that reduces or blocks the biological activity of the
antigen
Nucleic acid probe - strand of nucleic acid that can be labeled & used to hybridize to a complementary
molecule from a mixture of other nucleic acids / In clinical micro or microbial ecology, a short
oligonucleotide of unique sequence used as a hybridization probe for identifying specific genes
Polyclonal antibodies - mixture of antibodies made by many different B cell clones
Precipitation - reaction between antibody & soluble antigen resulting in visible antibody–antigen
complexes
Radioimmunoassay (RIA) - test assay employing radioactive antibody or antigen for detection of
antigen or antibody binding
Selective media - growth medium that enhance growth of certain organisms while inhibiting the growth
of others due to an added media component (EMB, MSA)
Sensitivity – (immunodiagnostics) lowest amt. of antigen that can be detected via immunological assay
Septicemia – bloodborne systemic infection
Serology – the study of antigen–antibody reactions in vitro
Specificity – ability of immune response to interact w/ individual antigens / ability of diagnostic or
research test to identify a specific pathogen
Titer - In immunology, the quantity of antibody present in a solution

CH 31 REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. What are some specimens that are used to isolate pathogens?

- Samples may include blood, urine, feces, sputum, cerebrospinal fluid, pus, or a swab
2. What is the basic protocol to isolate a pathogen using classical techniques? (grow, isolate, ID)
- Specimen should be obtained from site of infection (swab area infected)
- Sample must be taken aseptically
- Sample size must be large enough
- Metabolic requirements for organism must maintain during sampling, storage & transport

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3. What does it mean when a physician orders a culture & sensitivity?
- Specimen must be sent to a lab then streaked onto media (cultured). When you culture bacteria,
you are making it grow. Once the pathogen is isolated, antibiotic sensitivity tests (Kirby Bauer)
are done to decide which antibiotic will best kill the pathogen
4. What type of media are blood agar, MSA & EMB? What are they used to isolate & identify?
- Blood agar is an enriched media that will grow just about all bacteria
- MSA is both a selective & differential media
 Selective for staphylococci b/c it has 7.5% NaCl
 Differential b/c it has mannitol, which S. aureus will ferment
- EMB is both a selective & differential media. Used when looking for an enteric organism
 Selective for gram – rods b/c it contains bile salts & dyes
 Differential b/c it contains lactose (L. fermenters = red / non-fermenters = colorless)
5. What is the difference between bacteremia & septicemia?
- Bacteremia - bacteria are present in the blood. Bacteria are usually not found in blood b/c
neutrophils & monocytes phagocytize them. Once bacteria start to grow in the blood, it is called
septicemia, a blood infection (blood cultures are the only immediate way of isolating &
identifying the causative agent of septicemia)
6. What are the advantages of doing a urine dipstick test?
- Dipstick tests are used to identify infections & help the clinician decide if the urine is normal. It is
non-invasive, easy, fast & cheap
7. What type of specimen is needed for a urine culture? What should you do with a urine sample
if you can’t get it to the lab right away?
- Clean midstream urine specimen is needed & urinary tract pathogens can be cultured using
general purpose media &/or selective media. Refrigerate sample to keep bacteria from growing
8. What organism gives a green metallic scheen on EMB & why does this happen? (see slide 15)
- Escherichia coli gives off a green metallic scheen on EMB agar b/c it’s a lactose fermenter
9. If you did a gram stain on someone w/ bacterial meningitis, what would you expect to see &
what type of media does this organism grow on?
- Would expect to see negative diplococci, which grows on modified Thayer-Martin (MTM) agar
10. What is an anaerobic jar used for & what makes it anaerobic?
- Anaerobic jars are used for incubating cultures under anoxic conditions (Ex = Clostridium)
- The catalyst & hydrogen generator packet produce & maintain a reducing (anoxic) environment
11. What are differential tests used for? What are some examples of differential tests?
- Differential tests are used to measure the presence or absence of enzymes involved in catabolism
of specific substrates. Ex = sugar fermentation, see table 32.3. Examples:
o Use of differential medium to assess sugar fermentation. Acid production is indicated by
color change of the pH indicating dye added to the liquid medium. If gas production
occurs, a bubble appears in the inverted vial in each tube
12. What type of reactions could you possibly see in a glucose phenol red broth?
- red w/ growth (turbidity): could not use the sugar
- yellow w/ growth (turbidity): fermented sugar, pH went down
- pink w/ growth: used peptones instead of sugar; pH went up
- Gas in Durham tube = gas production. If the organism can ferment the sugar (glucose), it will
produce acid (yellow color) and/or gas (space in the Durham tube). red: neutral; yellow: acidic;
pink: basic
13. What are the possible reactions in a TSI tube?
- Red/yellow = Fermentation of glucose only
- Black = Hydrogen sulfide formation
- Yellow/yellow = Fermentation of glucose & another sugar such as lactose or sucrose

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 - Gas = break in the agar
14. What does the citrate test check for?
- Citrate test is to see if an organism can use citrate as a sole carbon source. Normally they use
glucose but this media does not have glucose & has citrate. It’s + if it turns blue. Citrate test
checks for Salmonella on Semmons citrate agar
15. What is the advantage of a multi-test like the APE-20E?
- API-20E is a multi-test used to identify gram negative bacteria.
- Advantage: takes up less space & is cheaper
16. What is the purpose of doing a disk diffusion test like the Kirby Bauer test & what does a zone
of inhibition mean?
- Disk diffusion test is the standard procedure for assessing antimicrobial activity. The Kirby Bauer
test is used to determine antibiotic sensitivity. A zone of inhibition is used to determine an
organism’s susceptibility to an antimicrobial agent. Bigger zone = more effective the antibiotic is
17. What does the MIC determine? What does it mean?
- Minimum Inhibitory Concentration is a procedure used to assess antibiotic susceptibility w/ an
antibiotic dilution assay. It determines the smallest amount of agent needed to inhibit growth of a
microbe. It means that the last clear tube before the tubes become cloudy is the MIC
18. What is the purpose of biosafety levels & what’s the difference between I & IV?
- Biosafety level (BSL) is classifying labs according to their containment potential
BL I = student lab
BL 4 = high safety lab (contains pathogens & ppl wear funny looking clothes)
19. What is fever a symptom of? What does your body do to fight an infection? Why does it take a
couple of weeks to recover from an infection w/o medication?
- Fever is symptom of infection
- Your body uses antibody to fight an infection
- It takes a couple of weeks b/c it takes a while for your body to build antibody titer
20. How are polyclonal antibodies different from monoclonal antibodies? How are monoclonal
antibodies made? What type of diagnostic test are monoclonal antibodies used for?
- Polyclonal antibodies: antibodies made by many different B cell clones. Polyclonal antisera
provide adequate immune protection to host but not precisely reproducible. This situation occurs
in our bodies. Monoclonal antibody is antibody made by a single B cell & is produced in vitro
- Monoclonal antibodies are made by fusing b cells w/ b cell tumor cells to create hybridoma cells
& are useful for diagnostic tests
- Used for clinical diagnostic test, immunological typing of bacteria, & identification of cells
containing foreign surface antigen (Ex = virus infected cell). Can also detect & treat human
cancers (Ex = OTC pregnancy & drug tests)
21. What is serology? What do you find in serum?
- Serology is the study of antigen-antibody reactions in vitro (study of serum). Remember that
antibodies are soluble serum proteins thus are found in the serum portion of our blood
- Serum = blood plasma w/o clotting factors, antibodies
22. What is a neutralization reaction? Give examples.
- Neutralization is the interaction of antibody w/ antigen to block or distort the antigen sufficiently
to reduce or eliminate its biological activity. Reactions can occur in vivo or in vitro. An example
is neutralization of a microbial toxin (flu) by a specific antibody (IgA). IgA binds to the flu virus
& prevents it from binding to the host cell. Toxin will therefore be unable to cause tissue damage
23. How’s a precipitation reaction diff. from an agglutination reaction? Give examples of each.
- Main difference btw precipitation & agglutination reactions: antigen in an agglutination reaction
is particulate. Precipitation results from interaction of a soluble antibody w/ a soluble antigen to
form an insoluble complex. Ex = a quantitative measure of antibody concentration

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 - Agglutination is the visible clumping of a particulate antigen when mixed w/ antibodies specific
for the particulate antigens. Ex = blood typing
24. What is a fluorescent antibody & what would you use it for?
- Fluorescent antibody – antibody w/ a fluorescent label. You cannot normally see antibody b/c
they are soluble, but you can label the antibody w/ a fluorescent dye (bacterial cells) so they are
able to be seen under a microscope. Doesn’t have to be cultured so it’s easy.
- We use fluorescent dye to identify things like bacteria that don't grow in culture to test for
syphilis, diagnose malignant cells, separate mixtures of cells into relatively pure populations,
define the #s of individual cell types in complex mixtures
25. Explain basic principle of ELISA & how is direct ELISA different from indirect ELISA?
 ELISA: employs covalently bonded enzymes to label antibody molecules. Direct = detection
of antigen (pathogen), indirect = detection of antibody (located in patient’s serum). Presence
is determined by what you start w/ (HCG = pregnant)
26. What is the basis of an RIA?
 You have to use photographic film & the isotope gives off radiation. Employs radioisotopes
as antibody or antigen conjugates instead of enzymes. Isotope iodine -125 is commonly used
as the conjugate. RIA is used to measure rare serum proteins like human growth hormone,
glucagon, vasopressin, testosterone, & insulin. Also used in some tests for illegal drugs
27. Do you need to grow a culture to use a nucleic probe? Why or why not?
 No. Probes are ss DNA/RNA & probe will complementary base pair if they’re a match.
Probes are a big deal b/c they are fast & don’t need to be cultured (extremely specific)
Go back & make sure you can answer the learning objectives for this chapter.
CH 31 LEARNING OBJECTIVES

- Review the mechanism of pathogenesis for the following pathogens…

 Streptococcus pyogenes – causes strep throat
 Neisseria gonoherrae – gonorrhea
 Staphylococcus aureus – staph infection
 Streptococcus pneumoniae - pneumonia
 Mycobacterium tuberculosis - tuberculosis
 Neisseria meningitis - meningitis
 Vibrio cholera - cholera
 Clostridium tetani - tetanus
 Clostridium botulinum - botulism
 Corynebacterium diptheriae - diptheria
 E. coli O157:H7 – causes some type of hemolytic syndrome. 1st found in Jackinabox burgers
 Salmonella typhi – typhoid fever
 Influenza type A - flu
 Helicobacter pylori – stomach ulcers
- Identify the sample needed to identify the pathogens in the above question including how they would
be diagnosed & treated.
- Compare & contrast general purpose, enriched, selective & differential media & give ex of each.
- Explain how monoclonal antibodies are made & how they are used.
- Explain how ELISA works & difference between a direct & indirect test. What are ELISAs used for?

CHAPTER 32 VOCABULARY

Acute infection - short-term infection, usually characterized by dramatic onset

Biological warfare - use of biological agents to kill or incapacitate a population

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Carrier – sub-clinically infected individual who may spread a disease
Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) - agency of U.S. Public Health Service tracks disease
trends, provides info to public & HC professionals, forms public policy re: prevention & intervention
Chronic infection – a long term infection
Common-source epidemic - epidemic result from infection of lg # of ppl from single contaminate source
Emerging Infection – emerging DISEASE definition - Infectious disease whose incidence recently
increased or whose incidence threatens to increase in the near future
Endemic disease - disease constantly present in low #s in a population
Epidemic - disease occurring in an unusually high # of ppl in a population at the same time
Epidemiology - study of occurrence, distribution, & determinants of health & disease in a population
Fomite - inanimate objects that, when contaminated w/ viable pathogen, can transfer pathogen to host
Herd immunity - resistance of group to pathogen as result of immunity of lg prop of group to pathogen
Host-to-host epidemic - epidemic resulting from host-to-host contact, characterized by a gradual rise &
fall in disease incidence
Incidence - # of new disease cases reported in a population in a given time period
Morbidity - incidence of illness in a population
Mortality – incidence of death in a population
Nosocomial infection - infection contracted in a healthcare setting
Outbreak - occurrence of a large # of cases of a disease in a short period of time
Pandemic – worldwide epidemic
Prevalence - total # of new & existing disease cases reported in a population in a given time period
Public Health - the health of the population as a whole
Quarantine – restricting movement of ppl w/ highly contagious infections to prevent spread of a disease
Reemerging disease – an infectious disease, thought to be under control, that produces a new epidemic
Reservoir - source of viable infectious agents from which individuals may be infected
Surveillance - observation, recognition, & reporting of diseases as they occur
Vector - living agent, usually an insect/other animal, able to carry pathogens from one host to another
Vehicle - nonliving source of pathogens that infect large #s of ppl; common vehicles are food & water
Zoonosis - disease, primarily of animals, that is occasionally transmitted to humans

CHAPTER 32 REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. What do epidemiologists study? Who would they most likely work for?
- Study occurrence, distribution, & determinants of health & disease in a population. They figure out
what caused the disease & how it spread. Their main purpose is prevention.
- They would most likely work for: CDC, Public Health, NIH, & WHO.
2. Define epidemic, pandemic, endemic, incidence & prevalence. Give examples.
- Epidemic - disease occurs in a large # of ppl in a population at the same time (swine flu, meningitis)
- Pandemic – widespread, usually worldwide (small pox, SARS)
- Endemic - disease that’s constantly present in a population, usually at low incidences (influenza)
- Incidence - # of new cases of the disease in a given period of time
- Prevalence - total # of new & existing cases in a population in a given time
3. What are carriers? Give ex
 Carriers are sub-clinically infected individuals who may spread a disease. Carrier may also be
in the incubation period of the disease, in which case the carrier state precedes development
of actual symptoms. Acute carrier = short term (cold, flu) // Chronic carrier = appear healthy,
may have recovered from a clinical disease but still harbor viable pathogens, or disease may
not be apparent (Typhoid Mary, hepatitis, TB, AIDS)
4. What is mortality & morbidity?
 Mortality = incidence of death in a population
 Morbidity = incidence of disease including fatal & nonfatal diseases

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5. Explain the basic progression of a disease.
 Infection is when the organism invades & colonizes the host
 Incubation period is the period of time b/w infection & the onset of symptoms
 Acute period is the disease at its height
 Decline period is when the disease symptoms are subsiding
 Convalescent period is when the patient regains strength & returns to normal
6. What’s a reservoir? What’s the natural reservoir for Mycobacterium leprae? Clostridium
botulinum?
 When pathogens are not causing active infections, they have to be somewhere & this place is
called a Reservoir - site where infectious agents remain viable & infection of individuals can
occur. Reservoir for Mycobacterium leprae is armadillos & Clostridium botulinum is soil
7. What is zoonoses? Give examples.
 Any disease that primarily infects animals, but is occasionally transmitted to humans (rabies)
8. Who was Typhoid Mary? What was her real name? What was her story?
 Typhoid Mary's or Mary Mallone was a cook w/ Typhoid fever before antibiotics existed.
Salmonella typhi lived in her gallbladder. Bile went into her intestines, infecting her
w/salmonella. She was a cook & did not wash her hands thus spread typhoid fever through
the food & accidentally killed ppl
9. What are some examples of direct host to host transmission diseases? Indirect?
 Direct host-to-host transmission – infected individual transmits a disease directly to a
susceptible host w/o the assistance of an intermediary
Ex) flu, common cold, STD, ringworm which is caused by a fungus
 Indirect host-to-host transmission – occurs when transmission is facilitated by a living or
nonliving agent. Sick person transfers pathogen to inanimate object then to a living thing.
Ex) vectors or fomites
10. What is a vector? Fomite? Give examples?
 Vectors - living agents that transfer a pathogen (tick, flea, rat, mosquito)
 Fomites - inanimate object that when contaminated w/ a viable pathogen can transfer the
pathogen to the host (straws, toys, drinking cups, TV remote, bedding, water)
11. How is a common source epidemic different from a host to host epidemic?
 Common-source epidemics usually arise from contamination of water or food
Ex) cholera from raw oysters - cholera is caused by a bacterium that quickly makes toxin
 Host-to-host epidemics result in diseases that show a slow progressive rise & a gradual
decline (b/c of the time it takes for the infection to process & develop in your body)
Ex) influenza & chicken pox - virus caused by infection
12. What is herd immunity?
 Herd immunity - resistance of a group to infection due to immunity of a high proportion of
the group (refer to 33.6). The ultimate goal of herd immunity is to stop transmission of
pathogens. It is especially effective w/ viral pathogens b/c a virus must have a host to survive.
13. How does herd immunity work?
 Principle of herd immunity: ppl who have been immunized & then come in contact w/ the
pathogen will not get infected. Immunized people protect non-immunized people b/c the
pathogen cannot be passed on & the cycle of infectivity is broken. Therefore, if a large
proportion of a population is immune to an infection, the whole population will be protected.
We see natural cycles in many diseases like influenza
14. What groups are at greatest risk of exposure to HIV?
 82.7% heterosexual contact
 71% male-to-male sexual contact
15. What is a nosocomial infection? Give examples

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 Nosocomial infections / healthcare-associated infection (HAI) - result from infectious agent acquired
during admission to a HC facility which wasn't present upon admission. Some are acquired from
other patients, but others are caused by pathogens that are selected for & maintenance by the hospital
environment. Ex) admittance into a hospital for surgery  come back w/ staph or a UTI
16. What factors increase the risk of nosocomial infections?
 Patient has low resistance to infectious disease
 HC facility treats infectious disease patients
 Multiple patients in one room
 HC personnel move from patient to patient
 HC procedures may breach the skin & introduce infection
 Newborn infants are susceptible to infection b/c they have no adapted immunity
 Surgical procedures expose organs to contamination
 Certain drugs increase a patients susceptibility to infection
 Use of antibiotics has selected for antibiotic resistant organisms
17. What are the two most common body sites for nosocomial infections?
 32% urinary tract infections
 22% surgical site infections
18. What public health measures are used to prevent diseases?
Immunization is how diseases such as small pox, rubella, & tetanus are controlled
Quarantine is important when it comes to respiratory diseases b/c it restricts the movement of an
individual w/ an active infection
Surveillance is the observation, recognition, & reporting of diseases (CDC, MMWR)
Pathogen eradication goal is to remove all of a pathogen from any reservoir Ex) small pox, polio,
& potentially rabies, leprosy
19. Are people in Africa or America more likely to die of infectious diseases? Why?
 Africa b/c they are black (& have less access to antibiotics & preventative health care)
20. What is the leading cause of death in America?
 32% Cardiovascular disease & 20% cancer
21. What are emergent & reemerging diseases? Give examples.
Emergent diseases suddenly come prevalent
Reemerging diseases are those that have become prevalent after having been previously under
control / Ex) H1N1, yellow fever & cholera
22. What are biological weapons? Which organisms could be used?
- Biological warfare is the use of biological agents to kill a military or civilian population. Biological
weapons are organisms or toxins that are easy to produce, deliver, safe to use by the offensive
soldiers & are able to incapacitate or kill individuals under attack in a consistent & reproducible
manner
- Virtually all pathogenic bacteria or viruses are potentially useful for biological warfare. Bacillus
anthracis (anthrax) & Clostridium botulinum could be used as biological weapons. Smallpox virus
has intimidating potential b/c it can easily be spread by contact or aerosol & has high mortality rate
23. What are the three type of anthrax? How do you acquire each & why does it kill you? What
organism causes anthrax? What type of bacteria is this & why would it make a good weapon?
1 Cutaneous anthrax (come in contact through skin / causes tissue necrosis / local & nonlethal)
2 Gastrointestinal anthrax (intestines / ingest / diarrhea)
3 Pulmonary anthrax (inhalation / hemorrhagic meningitis / fatal cases of inhalation anthrax)
 Bacillus anthracis causes anthrax
 B. anthracis is a gram + endospore-forming rod & it makes a good weapon b/c it’s easy to
produce & deliver & vaccination is only done on people at risk. Treatment = ciprofloxacin

CHAPTER 32 LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Microbiology final - Page 7

- Epidemiology - study of occurrence, distribution, & determinants of health/disease in population
- Explain what CDC has to do w/ epidemiology – they hire epidemiologists & focus on diseases in the
U.S. & post stuff to their website for the good of the public
- Compare & contrast the disease progression w/ your body’s immune response…

DISEASE PROGRESSION IMMUNE RESPONSE (PATHOGENESIS)

Infection (invade, colonize) Exposure (contact)
Incubation (btw infection & symptoms) Adherence (host-receptor specific)
Acute period (disease @ its height) Colonization
Decline period (symptoms subsiding) Growth
Convalescent period (regain strength & get well) Cause disease - 2 things can happen:
1 Toxin  tissue death (people death)
2 Infection  spread  could become systemic
(adaptive immunity)

Identify the reservoir & or carrier for the following pathogens…

PATHOGEN RESERVOIR CARRIER

Streptococcus pyogenes Humans School children, Cattle via
milk contamination, anus,
vagina, skin
Neisseria gonoherrae Obligate human carrier
Staphylococcus aureus
Streptococcus pneumoniae Humans Airborne droplets
Mycobacterium tuberculosis Humans, cattle
Neisseria meningitis Human
Vibrio cholera Human
Clostridium tetani Soil spores
Clostridium botulinum Soil Spores
Corynebacterium diptheria Human Infected food
Fomites
Escherichia coli O157:H7 Humans, cattle Fecal contaminated food &
water, inanimate objects
Salmonella typhi Human Cow milk, fecal
contamination of food &
water
Influenza type A Human, animal
Helicobacter pylori Human stomach
Rabies Wild & domestic carnivores

- Explain how a person can get a nosocomial infection including ex of most common nosocomial
infections  patient is more likely to get UTI in the process of catheter insertion b/c the bladder
is a sterile body site, so if any type of bacteria ([Link]) gets on the catheter & into the bladder,
there is nothing there to fight it off therefore we contract a UTI.
- List the methods of controlling spread of disease & how to protect public health – see questions
- Explain how microbes can be used as biological weapons including examples – see questions

CHAPTER 33 VOCABULARY

Microbiology final - Page 8

Antigenic drift – in influenza virus, minor changes in viral proteins (antigens) due to gene mutation
Antigenic shift – in influenza virus, major changes in viral proteins (antigens) due to gene reassortment
Congenital syphilis – syphilis contracted by an infant from its mother during pregnancy
Cirrhosis – breakdown of the normal liver architecture resulting in fibrosis
Fusion inhibitor – synthetic polypeptide that binds to viral glycoproteins, inhibiting fusion of viral &
host cell membranes
Hepatitis – liver inflammation, commonly caused by an infectious agent
Human papillomavirus (HPV) – ST virus that causes genital warts, cervical neoplasia & cancer
Meningitis – inflammation of the meninges (brain tissue), sometimes caused by Neisseria meningitidis &
characterized by sudden onset of headache, vomiting, & stiff neck, often progressing to coma w/in hrs
Meningococcemia – fulminant disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis & characterized by septicemia,
intravascular coagulation & shock
Opportunistic infection- infection usually observed only in ppl w/ dysfunctional immune systems
Pertussis (whopping cough) – disease caused by an upper respiratory tract infection w/ Bordetella
pertussis, characterized by a deep persistent cough
Rheumatic fever – inflammatory autoimmune disease triggered by immune response to infection by
Streptococcus pyogenes
Scarlet fever – disease characterized by high fever & reddish skin rash resulting from exotoxin produced
by cells of Streptococcus pyogenes
Sexually transmitted infection – infection usually transmitted by sexual contact
Toxic shock syndrome (TSS) - acute systemic shock resulting from host response to an exotoxin
produced by Staphylococcus aureus
Tuberculin test – a skin test for previous infection w/ Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Viral load – the # of viral genome copies in the tissue of an infected host, providing a quantitative
assessment of the amount of virus in the host

CHAPTER 33 REVIEW QUESTIONS

1) What is an aerosol?
- Aerosol is an important aspect of person-to-person transmission of many infectious diseases.
Aerosols happen when ppl sneeze/put a hot loop in a broth culture. What happens? The
bacteria move through air in micro-droplets. If you’re in the path of an aerosol & you breathe
in the droplets, the organism goes into your lungs. The alveolar macrophages CAN
phagocytize them but IF they are able to grow & cause an infection you will get sick
2) What types of pathogen are spread by aerosols?
- Most pathogens survive poorly by air, thus are only effective over short distances.
Respiratory infections are spread airborne
3) What is GAS? What causes strep throat? How could you diagnose it? What are the common
characteristics of all streptococci compared to staphylococci? What characteristics are unique
to Streptococcus pyogenes?
GAS stands for group A Streptococcus (pyogenes) & is the causative agent of strep throat
Just looking at the throat is not enough to determine that the symptoms are being caused by a
GAS pathogen. Strep throat is diagnosed by a throat swab (RADT)
Streptococci: gram + cocci in chains / catalase negative (no bubbles)
Staphylococci: gram + cocci in clusters & are catalase positive
S. pyogenes is unique b/c it does have a capsule but also produces toxins. It produces beta
hemolysins that completely lyse the RBC’s (bacitracin sensitive antibiotic)
4) What is impetigo? Erysipelas?
- Impetigo is commonly caused by Streptococcus pyogenes or Staphylococcus aureus. If these
bacteria get into a break in the skin they can cause a major infection. AKA “Indian fire”

Microbiology final - Page 9

 - Erysipelas is an infection of the skin from GAS (S. pyogenes). It’s caused by beta hemolytic
strep & is a skin infection on the face, known as St. Anthony's fire

5) What makes S. pyogenes so virulent? Whats it mean that it carries a lysogenic bacteriophage?
- Has capsule & produces toxins (beta hemolysins lyse RBC completely) Certain GAS strains
code for a lysogenic bacteriophage that encodes exotoxins responsible for symptoms of Toxic
Shock Syndrome (TSS) & Scarlet fever
6) What causes scarlet fever & rheumatic fever?
- Scarlet fever: typical rash is caused by Streptococcus pyogenes which carries a lysogenic
bacteriophage & encodes exotoxins called erythrogenic toxins
- Rheumatic fever: occurs from untreated or insufficiently treated infections
7) What does Streptococcus pneumoniae cause? site of infection / what makes it pathogenic?
- Streptococcus pneumoniae is the causative agent of pneumonia
- Site of infection is the lungs & lower respiratory tract
- Capsule makes it pathogenic - helps prevent being destroyed by phagocytes
8) What cause diphtheria? What type of organism is it? How does it cause disease? Is it
preventable & how is it treated?
- Diphtheria, caused by Corynebacterium diptheriae, is spread by airborne droplets.
- It is a bacterium that forms irregular rods during growth
- Causes disease through the respiratory route. Grows in throat & produces exotoxin that kills
epithelial cells, producing a pseudomembrane. If left to grow, it would cut off air flow & the
person would suffocate. If someone has diphtheria & they cough, the bacteria will aerosol
- Yes, preventable w/ DPT vaccine. Treatment: primary control mechanism: quarantine the
infected. Diphtheria antitoxin & antibiotics available for acute cases
9) What is pertussis? What causes it? How is it prevented? What is a cough plate?
- Pertussis (whopping cough) is an acute, highly infectious respiratory disease caused by
infection w/ Bordetella pertussis
- Pertussis is prevented by administration of the DPT vaccine right after birth
- Cough plate: what an infected person coughs on, which is then cultured on special media
- Can be treated w/ antibiotics but has long lasting effects
10) Etiological agent of tuberculosis? Hansen’s disease? What is unique about these organisms?
- Tuberculosis & Hansen's disease are both caused by Mycobacterium. Tuberculosis is caused
by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Hansen's disease (Leprosy) is caused by M. leprae
- These organisms are acid fast due to the waxy mycoic acid content of their cell walls. They
are also able to grow inside of macrophages
11) How is tuberculosis (TB) treated? spread? diagnosed? What does a positive tuberculin test
mean? Why are we seeing an increase in the number of antibiotic resistant strains?
- Treatment: TB is treated by antimicrobial therapy w/ isoniazid (9 months) & takes a long
time b/c it affects the synthesis of mycoic acids in mycobacterium
- Spread: by airborne droplets (respiratory infection) from infected person coughing
- Diagnosis: 1st check for hypersensitivity thru diagnostic skin test (tuberculin test), then chest
x-ray. Once infected, will always have + TB skin test (delayed type hypersensitivity reaction
simply means ur infected, have been infected, or were vaccinated against the TB bacillus)
- There is an increase in the # of antibiotic resistant strains b/c the antibiotics must be taken for
9 months & some ppl don’t finish taking the medication, therefore it becomes resistant. TB is
diagnosed by a sputum sample

Microbiology final - Page 10

 - + tuberculin test could mean several things such as: could have TB, u were exposed to TB but
didn't get infected, u had TB vaccine. If you get a + skin test & u have never been vaccinated,
an x-ray is done. If it comes out + an aputan sample acid fast test is done
12) How is leprosy spread? Does it grow very fast? Leprosy is transmitted through respiratory
infections & by direct contact. Leprosy is caused by Mycobacterium leprae, & all mycobacterium
grow very slowly by delayed hypersensitivity

13) What is meningitis? What causes it? How is it diagnosed? How is it spread?
- Meningitis: inflammation of meninges, membranes that line the CNS, especially SC & brain
- Caused by viral, bacterial, fungal, protist infections
- Cerebral spinal test to diagnose (spinal tap) CSF  gram stain culture on chocolate agar
- Meningitis is spread through airborne routes. CSF is a sterile body site w/in the CNS so if any
organisms get in there, they will grow. Treatment usually achieved w/ penicillin G
14) What causes rubeola measles? How is it prevented?
- Caused by a negative strand RNA virus called a paramyxovirus, which gives upper
respiratory throat infections / prevented by MMR vaccination (measles, mumps, rubella)
15) What is a characteristic symptom of mumps?
- Mumps (also caused by paramyxovirus) is very infectious. Will cause inflammation in the
parotid gland/salivary gland (chipmunk). Don’t let someone who has mumps around adult
males b/c it could lead to sterility
16) What group of people is of great concern not to German measles? Why?
- Rubella part of MMR = “German measles” Pregnant women b/c it could lead to still birth or
birth defects. Ppl living in the U.S. are not greatly concerned b/c we were vaccinated
17) What is MMR & DPT?
- MMP – measles, mumps & rubella vaccine (controls major childhood viral diseases)
- DPT – diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus vaccine
18) Explain the disease process for chicken pox & shingles. What causes them & are they
contagious?
- Chicken pox (varicella) is a respiratory infection caused by herpes virus, varicella zoster virus
(VZV). Herpes viruses are RNA viruses & could either be lytic or latent. Lytic is when you
actually have the chicken pox & this is the initial infection. It goes latent & hides in the
nerves. When it comes back, it’s called shingles (contagious), which are painful b/c they are
coming back out from nerve endings. They are the same virus, but you cannot have shingles
unless you have had chicken pox. If u have shingles u can spread chicken pox
19) Compare & contrast colds & flu including their etiological agents.
- Colds are the most common infectious disease. The viral infections are transmitted through
airborne droplets & usually only infect for a short time. Commonly caused by rhinoviruses,
coronaviruses & adenoviruses. Symptoms = no fever, no headache, no aches, runny nose,
sore throat
- Influenza (flu) is caused by an RNA virus of orthomyxovirus. Influenza A is the most
common. Flu outbreaks occur annually due to the plasticity of the influenza genome
(antigenic shift = major change / drift = minor change) Symptoms = high fever, headache,
systemic (achy), not runny nose, less sore throat
20) What do coronaviruses & adenoviruses cause?
- Coronaviruses = 15% of colds; also cause SARS which is a deadly upper respiratory infection
- SARS adenoviruses = 10% of colds & affect the adenoids
21) What is antigenic shift & antigenic drift? Why do they occur & which virus are they associated
with?
- Antigenic shift: major change in influenza virus antigen due to gene reassortment
- Antigenic drift: minor change in influenza virus antigens due to gene mutation

Microbiology final - Page 11

22) How does the flu vaccine protect you from getting the flu?
- Flu vaccines expose your body to the pathogen, not full blown pathogen, but enough to build
up the antibodies against the virus. When the person is exposed to the virus their body
already has the antibodies to fight off the infection
23) What type of disease is associated with Staphylococcus aureus?
- Staphylococcus aureus causes diseases including acne, boils, pimples, impetigo,
- pneumonia, osteomyelitis, carditis, meningitis, and arthritis
24) Which gram negative spiral shaped bacterium is associated with stomach ulcers & stomach
cancer? How is it diagnosed & treated? How is it transmitted?
- Helicobacter pylori is a gram negative spiral shaped bacterium associated w/ stomach ulcers
& stomach cancer.
- Diagnosed & treated:
- Transmitted via person-to-person contact/ingesting contaminated food or water.
25) What causes hepatitis? What organ does it infect? Which of the hepatitis viruses are
associated with blood? Contaminated food & water? Which ones are prevented by vaccines?
- Hepatitis is liver inflammation caused by viruses or bacteria
- Hepatitis infects the liver
- Hepatitis B is associated w/ blood
- Hepatitis A is associated w/ contaminated food and water
- Only Hepatitis A and B are prevented by vaccines
26) What organism causes the following STDs? Basic characteristics of each organism? Which
types of infections can be cured or treated? What is the best way to prevent STDs?
- Gonorrhea: Neisseria ghonorrea / can be treated
- Syphilis: Treponema pallidum
- Chancroid:
- Ggenital herpes:
- genital warts:
- AIDS: HIV virus
- PID:
- Yeast infections:
27) What caused an increase in the number of cases of gonorrhea in the 70s?
- Introduction of birth control pills
28) How is HSV type I different from type II?
- HIV-I is more virulent
- HIV-II less virulent, causes a milder AIDS-like disease
29) Why are AIDS patients susceptible to opportunistic infections?
- When HIV buds out of T-cells, it takes some host cells plasma membrane w. it, which
eventually results in death of the host cell. When the T cell count drops below 200 the patient
has full blown AIDS & are immunocompromised thus susceptible to opportunistic pathogens
30) What is the host for HIV? What is the factor that determines full blown AIDS?
- HIV infects cells that contain the CD4 T helper cell (binds to receptors on T helper cell, goes
inside host cell, uncoated, retrovirus, ssRNA  ds DNA, etc.) & macrophages. HIV also
interacts w/ coreceptors on target cells
31) How can AIDS be diagnosed?
- HIV infection can be diagnosed w/ an HIV-EIA, HIV- immunoblot, or rapid tests (these fail
to detect infection in individuals who recently acquired the HIV & haven’t made a detectable
antibody). RT-PCR can detect HIV RNA directly from blood & estimate the # of viruses
present. This is useful for early detection & monitoring the progression of infection
32) What types of drugs are used to treat AIDS?

Microbiology final - Page 12

 - 4 classes of drugs delay symptoms of AIDS & prolong life of those infected w/ HIV:
1. Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors
2. Nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors
3. Protease inhibitors
4. Fusion inhibitors
- Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) is used

CHAPTER 33 LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Identify the etiological agent & virulence factor(s) of each of the following diseases…

DISEASE ETIOLOGICAL AGENT/cause VIRULENCE FACTORS

Strept throat Streptococcus pyogenes Capsule & beta hemolytic toxin
Impetigo Streptococcus pyogenes
Scarlet fever S. aureus / S. pyogenes Lysogenic bacteriophage
Pneumonia Streptococcus pneumoniae Glycocalyx capsule
Diptheria Corynebacterium diptheriae
Whooping cough Bordtadella pertussis (b)
Tuberculosis Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Hansen’s disease (leprosy) M. leprae (reservoir is armadillos)
Meningitis Neisseria meningitidis Protein surface adhesion on pilli
Measles Measles virus
Mumps Mumps virus
Chicken pox Varicella zoster virus (VZV)
Shingles Varicella zoster virus
Cold Rhinovirus, Coronavirus
Flu Influenza virus Spikes on viral envelope
Stomach ulcer Helicobacter pylori
Hepatitis Hepatitis viruses (A-E)
Gonorrhea Neisseria gonoherrae
Syphilis Treponema pallidium Pilli (fimbriae)
STD HPV
AIDS HIV Provirus

CHAPTER 34 VOCABULARY

Enzootic - endemic disease present in an animal population

Epizootic - epidemic disease present in an animal population
Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) - emerging acute viral disease characterized by pneumonia, caused by
rodent hantavirus
Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome - emerging acute disease characterized by shock & kidney failure,
caused by rodent hantavirus
Lyme disease - An emerging tick-transmitted disease caused by spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi
Malaria - insect-transmitted disease characterized by recurrent episodes of fever & anemia; caused by the protist
Plasmodium spp., usually transmitted between mammals through the bite of the Anopheles mosquito
Mycosis - Any infection caused by a fungus
Plaque - A zone of lysis or cell inhibition caused by virus infection on a lawn of cells

Microbiology final - Page 13

Rabies -fatal neurological disease caused by rabies virus usually transmitted by bite/saliva of infected carnivore
Rickettsia - Obligate intracellular bacteria/causes disease, including typhus, spotted fever rickettsiosis &
ehrlichiosis
Rocky Mountain spotted fever - A tick-transmitted disease caused by Rickettsia rickettsii, characterized by
fever, headache, rash, & gastrointestinal symptoms; formerly called Rocky Mountain spotted fever
Sickle cell anemia - A genetic trait that confers resistance to malaria, but causes a reduction in the oxygen-
carrying capacity of the blood by reducing the life expectancy of the affected red blood cells
Tetanus - A disease involving rigid paralysis of the voluntary muscles caused by an exotoxin produced by
Clostridium tetani
Typhus - A louse-transmitted disease caused by Rickettsia prowazekii, causing fever, headache, weakness, rash,
& damage to the central nervous system & internal organs
West Nile Fever - A neurological disease caused by West Nile virus, a virus transmitted by mosquitoes from
birds to humans
Zoonosis - A disease, primarily of animals, that is occasionally transmitted to human

CHAPTER 34 REVIEW QUESTIONS

1) What is a zoonosis?
 A disease that primarily occurs in animals but can be transmitted to humans.
2) What causes rabies? How transmitted? Treated? How diagnosed? What causes hydrophobia?
- Rhabdovirus (negative strand RNA virus) that causes rabies
- Enters body through a wound or bite & infects CNS of warm blooded animals (goes to brain  fever,
dilated pupils, hydrophobia (fear of swallowing)
- Treatment: infected can be passively immunized w/ rabies immune globulin / rabies vaccine disease
Infected will get antibodies that bind to the rabies virus & prevent the virus from binding to the host
cell/entering the body (vaccinations are also possible)
- Diagnosed – tissue samples (after u sacrifice section of brain & see nigri bodies)
- When someone is bitten & contracts rabies, they begin to suffer hydrophobia, fear of drinking water
3) What does Hantavirus cause? How is it spread?
 Hantaviruses cause several severe diseases including Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS)
& Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS). The virus is spread by being exposed to
the urine of infected rodents (breathe it in). There is no treatment or vaccine for hantaviruses.
Spreads quickly & is deadly
4) What is unique about Rickettsias? What type of diseases do they cause?
 Rickettsias are tiny bacteria that must live inside of a host cell. They cause diseases like
typhus, spotted fever, & Ehrlichiosis. They are not free living & thus can only be cultured in
tissue culture or in animals (similar to chlamydia – they both live inside host cells)
5) What is the vector for the rickettsial diseases?
 The vector for typus are lice
 The vector for spotted fever & Ehrlichiosis are ticks
6) What causes Lyme’s disease? What is the vector? What is the characteristic diagnostic
reaction? What type of organism causes Lyme’s disease?
 Lyme’s disease is caused by the bacteria Boreilia burgdorferi & is transmitted by the deer
tick (vector) from infected deer or mice (reservoir) to humans. The characteristic diagnostic
clue for lyme disease is a “bull’s eye” rash known as erythema migrans (EM), at the site of
the tick bite
 Borrelia burgdorferi causes lyme disease
 Deer & mice – reservoir
 Ticks spread it

Microbiology final - Page 14

7) What causes malaria? How is it spread? What is the vector? What type of organism causes
malaria? How is it prevented? What parts of the body are infected by this organism?
 Malaria is caused by the bite of a female Anopheles mosquito carrying the protist,
Plasmodium, which in turn infects the red blood cells & eventually goes to the liver. There
are drugs used to prevent & treat infections, & several vaccines are currently in development.
 Fun fact: People with sickle cell trait are resistant to malaria.
 Protist disease caused by Plasmodium spp
 Spread by mosquito

8) What cause west nile fever? How is it spread?

 West Nile fever is caused b West Nile Virus (WNV). Spread by skeeters
 Reservoir – animal & ppl
9) What causes bubonic plaque? How is it spread? What type of organism is it? What is a
buboe? How is it treated?
 Bubonic plague is caused by Yersinia pestis, a gram-negative, facultatively aerobic, rod-
shaped bacterium. It is also called “Black Death.” Yersinia pestis is carried by fleas from
infected rodents. The bacterium grows in the lymph nodes which forms buboes. It can be
treated with antibiotics such as gentamycin or streptomycin.
 Spread by rats – fleas that live on rats bit animal & transmit it. Humans are accidental hosts
 Buboe – swollen lymph node
 Flea is intermediate host, they spread it form one animal to the next
 Y. pestis produces VF that contribute to the disease process

Fungi cause allergies through spores / Dermatophytes / Microsporum / Nail fungus / Ringworm / Keratin
protein

10) What is a mycosis? Mycotoxin? Dimorphic fungus?

 Mycotoxins are toxins that fungi make. One fungi is aspergillus, & the toxin is called
aflatoxin. Can get it in peanut butter
 Mycotoxin – Secondary metabolites.
 Dimorphic fungus – a fungus that can exist as a mold or a yeast
11) What causes ringworm, athlete’s foot, jock itch, rose handler’s disease, thrush, cryptococcosis,
histoplamosis?
 Ringworm: Superficial mycoses caused by Microsporum
 Athlete’s food: Superficial mycoses caused by Epidermophyton / Trichophyton
 Jock itch: Superficial mycoses caused by Trichophyton / Epidermophyton
 Rose handler’s disease: Actually named Sporotrichosis which is a subcutaneous mycoses
caused by Sporothrix schenckii
 Thrush: infection of mouth caused by the candida fungus, also known as yeast
 Cryptococcosis: Systemic mycosis caused by Cryptococcus neoformans
 Histoplamosis: Systemic mycosis caused by Histoplasma capsulatum
12) What is a dermatophyte?
 Superficial fungal infections are caused by a group of fungi called dermatophytes, which
grown on hair, skin, & nails.
13) How can a fungi cause allergies? Systemic infection? Superficial infection, intoxication?
 Many people are allergic to mold spores like molds of Aspergillus, Mucor & Cladosporium.
The spores act as an antigen which causes a type one hypersensitivity. If you are allergic to
molds it is important to not just kill the mold but to physically remove the spores.
 Superficial mycoses - when the fungi colonize the hair, skin, or nails & infect only the
surface layers.

Microbiology final - Page 15

  Subcutaneous mycoses - when the fungi colonize deeper layers of the skin.
 Systemic mycoses - when the fungal growth is in internal organs of the body.
14) Which fungal toxin is a carcinogen?
 Aflotoxin (associated with peanuts that have been infected with Aspergillus (mold)), if
ingested, has been linked to cancer. So, do not eat moldy peanuts.

15) What causes lock jaw? How does it cause disease? What are the basic characteristics of the
organism? How is it transmitted? What is the disease process?
 Lock jaw is the result of Clostridium tetani infection. It gains access to the body through a
soil-contaminated wound. C. tetani is an anaerobic gram positive rod that makes endospores.
 The spores enter the body via a puncture wound which does not bleed very much, allowing
the area to become anaerobic. The spores germinate & the vegetative cells produce the
exotoxin which causes the continual release of acetylcholine, which causes continuous
contraction of muscles. Eventually the muscle will go into tetani & lock up.
16) Is tetanus preventable?
 Tetanus is preventable, & the existing vaccine is completely effective. It is important to get a
booster for your tetanus shot every seven to ten years.

CHAPTER 34 LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Identify the etiological agent, reservoir, vector & virulence factor(s) associated with each of the following
diseases as appropriate …rabies, hanta virus syndrome, hemorrhagic fever, rocky mountain spotted fever, Lyme
disease, malaria, West Nile fever, plague, ring worm, rose handler’s disease, tetanus, lock jaw.

DISEASE ETIOLOGICAL RESERVOIR VE CTOR VIRULENCE

AGENT FACTOR
Rabies Rhabdovirus Skunk
(negative strand Dog bite
RNA virus) Cyote
Hanta virus Hantavirus rodent Inhale infected
syndrome rodent piss
Hemorrhagic fever Rickettsia spp. unknown Body fluids
Rocky mountain Rickettsia rickettsi Tick
spotted fever
Lyme disease Borreli Deer & mice Deer tick
Burgdorferl
Malaria Plasmodium spp Human Anopheles (vaccination)
(protist) (mammals) mosquito
West Nile fever West Nile virus Bird Mosquito
Plague Yersinia pestis (b) Wild rodent Flea from infected (immunization)
rat
Ring worm Dermatophyte Cat
microporum
Rose handler’s Sporothrix
disease schenckii
Tetanus Clostridium tetani Soil exotoxin
(EPB)
Lockjaw Clostridium tetani soil

Microbiology final - Page 16

 CHAPTER 35 VOCABULARY

Aerobic secondary wastewater treatment - digestive reactions carried out by microorganisms under aerobic
conditions to treat wastewater containing low levels of organic materials
Anoxic secondary wastewater treatment - Digestive & fermentative reactions carried out by microorganisms
under anoxic conditions to treat wastewater containing high levels of insoluble organic materials
Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) - The amount of dissolved oxygen consumed by microorganisms for
complete oxidation of organic & inorganic material in a water sample
Chlorine - A chemical used in its gaseous state to disinfect water. A residual level is maintained throughout the
distribution system
Clarifier (coagulation basin) - reservoir in which the suspended solids of raw water are coagulated & removed
Coagulation - formation of lg insoluble particles from smaller, colloidal particles by the addition of aluminum
sulfate & anionic polymers
Colifors - Gram-negative, nonsporulating, facultatively aerobic rod thatferments lactose with gas formation
within 48 hours at 358C
Cyst - A resting stage formed by some bacteria & protists in which the whole cell is surrounded by a thick-walled
chemically & physically resistant coating; not the same as a spore or endospore
Distribution System - Water pipes, storage reservoirs, tanks, & other means used to deliver drinking water to
consumers or store it before delivery
Effluent water - Treated wastewater discharged from a wastewater treatment facility
Filtration - The removal of suspended particles from water by passing it through one or more permeable
membranes or media (e.g., sand, anthracite, or diatomaceous earth)
Finished water - Water delivered to the distribution system after treatment
Flocculation - water treatment process after coagulation that uses gentle stirring to cause suspended particles to
form larger, aggregated masses (flocs)
Meningoencephalitis - The invasion, inflammation, & destruction of brain tissue by the amoeba Naegleria
fowleri or a variety of other pathogens
Potable - In water purification, drinkable; safe for human consumption
Primary wastewater treatment - The physical separation of wastewater contaminants, usually by separation &
settling
Raw water - Surface water or groundwater that has not been treated in any way (also called untreated water)
Sediment - (1) In water purification, the soil, sand, minerals, & other large particles found in raw water (2) In
large bodies of water (lakes, the oceans), the materials (mud, rock, & the like) that form the bottom surface of the
water body
Sewage - Liquid effluents contaminated with human or animal fecal material.
Suspended solid - A small particle of solid pollutant that resists separation by ordinary physical means
Tertiary wastewater treatment - physicochemical or biological processing of wastewater to reduce levels of
inorganic nutrients
Turbidity - A measurement of suspended solids in water
Wastewater - The liquid derived from domestic sewage or industrial sources, which cannot be discarded in
untreated form into lakes or streams

CHAPTER 35 REVIEW QUESTIONS

1) What’s a coliform? Give ex. Y r they called indicator organisms? How do you test for coliforms?
 Coliforms are gram negative rods that live in the colon; called indicators because presentation in
the water indicates fecal contamination – these gram negative bacteria include: enterobacter,
[Link], klebsiella pneumoniae
2) What test(s) is used to test waste water treatment? What is the goal of wastewater treatment?

Microbiology final - Page 17

  Most-probable number (MPN) Procedure - employs liquid culture medium in test tubes to which
samples of drinking water are added. Growth in the culture vessels indicates microbial
contamination of the water supply
 Membrane filter (MF) Procedure - at least 100 ml of the water sample is passed through a sterile
membrane filter, trapping any bacteria on the filter surface. The filter is placed on a plate of
eosin–methylene blue (EMB)culture medium, which is selective for gram-negative, lactose
fermenting microorganisms, including the coliforms.
 Goal of BOD (Biochemical oxygen demand) – reduction of organic & inorganic materials to a
level that no longer supports microbial growth & to eliminate toxins. Measured in BOD
- Goal of potable (safely drinkable) water for all who use the water – low turbidity (heavy
metals), suspension – to ensure safety of all who use.
3) How are primary, secondary & tertiary wastewater treatments different?
 Primary Wastewater Treatment - Physical separation (screens, ect…) methods to separate
solid & particulate organic & inorganic materials from wastewater – EX: overflow water in
stages of reservoirs (solids settle)
 Secondary Wastewater Treatment - Biological separation of wastewater using bacteria that
takes carbon in the water & breaks it down into CO2+H2O. Involves anaerobic bacteria that are
in sludge digesters that digest & produce methane. ----
1. Anoxic secondary treatment (digestion/fermentation) occurs in enclosed tanks
known as sludge digesters or bioreactors
2. Aerobic secondary treatment – activated sludge & tricking filter (water falling
over rocks with bacteria)
 Tertiary Wastewater Treatment - Chemical separations of wastewater using chemical processes.
Focuses on reduing level of inorganic compounds (ammonia, phosphate, nitrite, nitrate).
Typically chorination.
4) What is a byproduct of anaerobic sludge digesters & what can it be used for?
 By products are CH4 (methane) & CO2 (carbon dioxide). Methane is the major product & is used
as fuel to heat & power the water treatment plant.---that’s fucking smart.
5) What is a trickling filter & an aeration tank?
 A trickling filter is a bed of crushed rocks, about 2 m thick. Wastewater is sprayed on top of the
rocks & slowly passes through the bed. The organic material in the wastewater adsorbs to the
rocks, & microorganisms grow on the large, exposed rock surfaces. The complete mineralization
of organic matter to CO2, ammonia, nitrate, sulfate, & phosphate takes place in the extensive
microbial biofilm that develops on the rocks.
 Aeration tank
6) What can the indigestible end products of wastewater treatment be used for? What is it called?

7) What organisms are used in wastewater treatment?

 Zoogloea ramigera are floating in water flocks to remove organic materials
8) What chemicals are used to disinfect water?
 Chlorine
9) What do the organisms that are transmitted through water typically cause?
 Diarrhea (or the shits)

Microbiology final - Page 18

 10) What is unique about the following organisms & what do they cause? Naegleria fowleri, Giardia,
Cryptosporidium Legonella, E. coli O157:H7, Campylobacter, Norovirus
 Naegleria fowleri - free living amoeba found in soil & water that can cause amebiasis. Enters the
body through the nose & goes to the brain where it causes meningoencephalitis which is deadly.
 Giardia - Protist living in warm-blooded animals, spreads to waterways through feces, lives in
small intestine & causes disease/infection
 Cryptosporidium Legonella - Organism that causes legionellosis & is normally transmitted
through aerosols as it is a gram-negative bacterium with complex nutritional requirements
 E. coli O157:H7 –

 Campylobacter –

 Norovirus –

11) What causes cholera & how is it spread? What type of organism is it? Is it an infection or
intoxication? What are rice water stools?
 Cholera caused by vibrio cholerae. It is a gram negative curved rod that lives in brackish water
(like oysters). Cholera causes intoxications being that the problem arises from the toxins in the
gram negative cell wall. “Rice water stool” is a fancy, polite word for “running shits.” Rice water
stool ontains high amounts of Na+, K+, & HCO3-
12) What is a Giardia cyst? Troph? What is important about the cysts?
 A giardia cyst is a protest or parasite that lives in the intestines of warm blooded animals. The
larvae & adults live in the host. These organisms are resistant to chlorine/UV radiation & feces
contains eggs that contaminate water supplies. These eggs get inside of human intestines & cause
infection & disease. The cyst is the stage in which it can be found in water. The troph is the stage
it enters when it is ingested.
13) Is Legionnaire’s disease contagious?
 No
14) What is Entomoeba histolytica?
 A protist that causes diarrhea or dysentery, if left unattended, these cells can invade the liver,
lungs, & brain. It is transferred to humans through contaminated water & sometimes food.

CHAPTER 35 LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Compare & contrast pathogens that are transmitted thru water & the diseases they cause.
Explain how water is made safe to drink & how we know that it is safe.

CHAPTER 36 VOCABULARY
Boutulism- Food poisoning due to ingestion of food containing botulinum toxin produced by Clostridium
botulinum
Canning- process of sealing food in closed container & heating to destroy living organisms & spores
Fermentation- Anaerobic catabolism of an organic compound in which the compound serves as both an
electron donor & an electron acceptor & in which ATP is usually produced by substrate-level
phosphorylation
Food infection- A microbial infection resulting from the ingestion of pathogen-contaminated food
followed by growth of the pathogen in the host

Microbiology final - Page 19

Food Poisoning- Disease caused by the ingestion of food that contains preformed microbial toxins
Food Spoilage- Any change in a food product that makes it unacceptable to the consumer
Irradiation- In food microbiology, the exposure of food to ionizing radiation to inhibit microorganisms
& insect pests or to retard growth or ripening
Listeriosis- A gastrointestinal food infection caused by Listeria monocytogenes that may lead to
bacteremia & meningitis
Lyophilization- The process of removing all water from frozen food under vacuum
Perishable Food- Fresh food generally of high water activity that has a very short shelf life due to
potential for spoilage by growth of microorganisms
Pickling- The process of acidifying food, typically with acetic acid, to prevent microbial growth &
spoilage
Salmonellosis- Enterocolitis or other gastrointestinal disease caused by any of more than 1400 variants of
Salmonella species
Semi perishable Food- Food of intermediate water activity that has a limited shelf life due to potential
for spoilage by growth of microorganisms
Water Activity- expression of relative availability of water in a substance. Pure water has anaw of 1.000

CHAPTER 36 REVIEW QUESTIONS

1) What makes food perishable?
 The amount of water in the food classifies it as perishable, semi perishable, or nonperishable,
because perishable foods have a higher moisture content than that of nonperishable foods. Food
spoils, perishable, because bacteria & microorganisms will grow in moist places, food helps out
with the many nutrients needed for good growth of the microorganisms. There are many ways to
prevent growth thus stopping the spoilage of the food.
2) What are the food preservation methods & how do they work?
 Cold - slows microbial growth rate & delays spoilage
 Pickling & acidity - pH = important factor in microbial growth b/c bacteria grow in a neutral pH
 Drying & dehydration - removing water causes bacteria to die or at least stop growing
 Heating - heat denatures proteins which in turn kill bacteria
 Aseptic food processing - basically the food is flash heated & then put into sterile packages
 Chemical preservation- redundant
 Irradiation- causes breaks in the DNA which causes mutations & eventually death of the
organism
3) What does psycrotolerant mean? Lyophilization?
 Psycrotolerant tells you that it can grow in a refrigerator.
 Lyophilization- The process of removing all water from frozen food under vacuum. This is used
when storing food with the drying & dehydration method.
4) Why shouldn’t you eat food from a swollen can?
 Canning isn’t 100% effective. Endospores can withstand canning, they can germinate & start to
grow. SWOLL cans are signs of microbial growth, the fermentation starts the development of
sugar thus swelling the can, so you do not want to eat the contents of it.
5) What are some examples of chemical food preservation? SLIDE 20
Sodium & calcium propionate  Bread
Formaldehyde  meat & fish
Sodium Nitrate  Smoked ham, Bacon
6) What types of foods are irradiated?
 This method is used to decontaminate fruits, meats, & spices.
7) What organisms are important in making fermented foods? What are some examples of
fermented foods?
 An organism will use sugar to produce acids, alcohols & gases in fermentation. Important
bacteria in the fermentation food industry are lactic acid bacteria, propionic acid bacteria, &

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 acetic acid bacteria. Yeast, bread, cheese, yogurt, buttermilk, sausage, & soy sauce are some
example of fermented foods.
8) What is the difference in food poisoning & food infection? Give examples of both.
 Food poisoning: ingestion of foods contaminated w/ toxins. The toxins do not have to grow in the
host. Food infection is the ingestion of pathogen contaminated food items, this is followed by the
growth of pathogen in the host.
9) Compare & contrast staph food poisoning & botulism.
 Staph food poisoning is caused by staphylococcus aureus that produces an enterotoxin, which is
heat stable, meaning it is not heat sensitive. Staph food poisoning can grow on salted foods like
ham & is not very deadly, although it can become deadly.
 Botulism is caused by Clostridium botulinum, which produces an enterotoxin. It is an neurotoxin
that blocks the release of acetylcholine causing paralysis, which can occur in the diaphragm
leading to fatality. Botulism toxin is deadly but can be denatured by heat, meaning it is heat
sensitive. The toxin that causes Botulism can be found in soil
10) Why shouldn’t infants eat honey?
 Honey contains spores that can cause infant Botulism
11) How does Salmonella & E. coli O157:H7 cause disease?
 Salmonellosis is a GI illness. Salmonella have gram negative rods that are pathogens.
This illness is associated with undercooked chicken, pet turtles, & contaminated water.
Salmonella is typically self-limiting & is due to an infection not a toxin.
 E. coli O157:H7, although [Link] are usually non-pathogenic, produce a toxin that
destroys the kidneys. Shigella dysentariae is a gram negative rod (lactose negative) that
causes dysentery, which is bloody diarrhea. Shiga toxin is produced w/ EcoliO157H7
which causes Bacillary dysentery bacteria (HUS = hemolytic uremic syndrome)
12) What organism is often associated with recalled lunch meat? What is its gram reaction &
morphology?
 Listeria(Listeriosis) is associated with recalled lunch meat. This is caused by Listeria
monocytogenes which is gram positive rods(Morphology) that do not make endospores, & are
psychrotolerant.
13) How can Bacillus cereus cause poisoning & what food is it associated with?
 Bacillus cereus has makes endospores that causes sickness & is associated with food that is
cooked & left to cool slowly.
14) What type of organism is Shingella & what does it cause?
 Shingella is a bacteria that causes invasive gastroenteritis, inflammation of stomach & intestines.
15) What virus is associated with diarrhea outbreaks on cruise ships?
 Campylobacter is accounted for more than 2,000,000 cases of bacterial diarrhea per year. It
doesn’t say this is passed on mostly on cruise ships, but seeing how many it causes I’m guessing
this is the answer.
16) What causes Creuzfeldt-Jakob disease?
 Prions, infectious proteins.
CHAPTER 36 LEARNING OBJECTIVES: What causes food to spoil & what can be done to preserve food?
List some of the organisms associated with fermented foods & food they make. Explain how fermentation works
to make these foods.
Compare & contrast food poisoning from infections including examples of each.

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