MICROBIOLOGY AND

INFECTION
PREVENTION/CONTROL

INTRODUCTION
 OBJECTIVE
 At the of the lesson the student should be able to explain:
Basic Principles of Microbiology in Nursing
The branches of microbiology.
Importance of microbiology in nursing practice.
Why microbiology is needed in nursing?
Usesof the knowledge of microbiology to adapt safety
measures in carrying out nursing procedures.
Some common terms use in microbiology
 Introduction to Microbiology
The word microbiology is derived from the Greek
word, MICRO means small, BIOS means life and
LOGIA means study. It is the study of microscopic
organisms either unicellular, multicellular or
acellular.
Microbiology is therefore the scientific, study of
microorganisms and agents that are generally too
small to be seen clearly by the unaided eye.
 Introduction to Microbiology
These organisms include viruses, bacteria, algae, fungi,
and protozoa.
Microbiology is linked to many other scientific
disciplines including biochemistry, cell biology,
evolution, ecology.
Branches of Microbiology:
Two main branches
1. Pure microbiology
2. Applied microbiology
 Pure microbiology
Bacteriology: study of bacteria
 Mycology: study of fungi
Phycology: study of algae
Immunology: study of immune system
Virology: study of viruses
Microbial physiology: study of microbial cell
function. It includes the study of microbial growth,
metabolism and cell function.
 Pure microbiology
Microbial cytology: study of microscopic and
sub-microscopic details of organisms.
Microbial genetics: study of organization and
regulation of genes in microbes in relation to their
cellular function.
 Applied Microbiology
Microbial biotechnology: manipulation of
microorganisms at genetics and molecular level to
generate useful products e.g. generation of insulin
from E. coli.
 Food microbiology: study of microorganism
causing food spoilage and food borne illness. It is
all the use of microbes to produce food.
 Applied Microbiology
Pharmaceutical microbiology: study of
microorganisms which are related to the production
of antibiotics, enzymes, vitamins, biologics and
other pharmaceutical products and those microbes
which cause pharmaceutical contamination and
spoilage.
Veterinary microbiology: study of microbes of
veterinary importance such as probiotics and
pathogens which are related to veterinary medicine.
 Historical Perspectives of Microbiology

Robert Hooke
One of the most important discoveries of biology
occurred in 1665, with the help of a crude
microscope, Robert Hooke observed the smallest
life’s structural units the cell.
Antony Van Leeuwenhoek
Antony Van Leeuwenhoek – first to observe and
describe microbes accurately
 Historical Perspectives of Microbiology

Edward Jenner (ca. 1798)

 Develop the first Vaccine and used a vaccination
procedure to protect individuals from smallpox
Oliver Holmes (1773 - 1843)
Showed that sepsis could be transmitted by hands
of medical student and may cause disease.
Historical Perspectives of Microbiology
M. J. Berkeley (ca. 1845)
demonstrated that the Great Potato Blight of
Ireland was caused by a Fungus
Louis Pasteur (1822 - 1895)
Developed the germ theory in 1864
 Also developed vaccine against anthrax.
 Pasteurization technique
 Developed the germ theory of disease
 Historical Perspectives of Microbiology
ROBERT KOCH (1843 - 1910)
Using criteria developed by his teacher, Jacob
Henle (1809-1895), established the
relationship between Bacillus anthracis and
anthrax.
His criteria became known as Koch’s
Postulates and are still used to establish the
link between a particular microorganism and a
particular disease.
 Historical Perspectives of Microbiology
JOHN TYNDALL (1820 – 1893)
In 1876 discovered that there were two different types of
bacteria.
a) Heat sensitive or heat labile forms (vegetative cells)
easily destroyed by boiling.
 b) Heat resistant types known as an endospore.
Tyndall demonstrated that alternate process of heating &
cooling if repeated five times, can kill all the endospores.
This is known as Sterilization process or Tyndallization.
 Historical Perspectives of Microbiology
JOSEPH LISTER (1827 - 1912)
 developed a system of surgery designed to prevent
microorganisms from entering wounds – phenol (Carbolic
Acid) sprayed in air around surgical incision.
PAUL EHRLICH
 Inthe 1890’s Ehrlich proposed a theory of immunity in
which antibodies were responsible for immunity( Antitoxin).
 Inaddition, he is known as the father of modern
chemotherapy.
 Historical Perspectives of Microbiology
ALEXANDER FLEMING
 In 1928 Fleming observed that the growth of the bacterium
staphyloccus aureus was inhibited in the areas surrounding
the colony of a mold that had contaminated a Petri plate.
 The mold was identified as Penicillium notatum, and its
active compound was named penicillin.
Golden Age of Microbiology
 The period from 1860 to 1900 is often named the Golden
Age of Microbiology.
 During this period, rapid advances, spear-headed by
Louis Pasteur and Robert Koch, led to the establishment
of microbiology as a science.
Understand the Basic Principles of Microbiology in Nursing
 Understanding the basic principles of microbiology is crucial for
nurses to provide safe and effective patient care, particularly in the
context of infection prevention and control. Here's how nurses can
apply these principles in their nursing practice:
Infection Prevention and Control:
Nurses should be familiar with the characteristics and modes of
transmission of various microorganisms to implement
appropriate infection control measures. This includes
understanding how infections spread through contact, droplets,
airborne routes, and more.
 Understand the Basic Principles of Microbiology in Nursing

Hand Hygiene and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE):

Applying proper hand hygiene techniques and using PPE
(gloves, masks, gowns, goggles) correctly are critical to
preventing the spread of infections. Nurses should understand
when and how to use these measures.
Aseptic Technique:
Aseptic technique involves practices that prevent contamination
during procedures. Nurses must understand and apply aseptic
principles when inserting catheters, administering injections,
and performing wound care to prevent introducing pathogens
into a patient's body.
Understand the Basic Principles of Microbiology in Nursing
Safe Medication Administration:
Microbiology knowledge helps nurses understand how
antibiotics and other medications work against specific
microorganisms. This understanding is crucial for
administering medications correctly and monitoring for
adverse effects.
Patient Education:
Nurses play a pivotal role in educating patients about
preventing infections. They should be able to explain
concepts like hand hygiene, the importance of vaccinations,
and how to manage infections at home.
 Understand the Basic Principles of Microbiology in Nursing
 Recognizing Signs of Infection:
Understanding the signs and symptoms of different infections
allows nurses to promptly recognize when a patient may have
an infection. This helps in initiating appropriate interventions
and preventing the spread of the infection to others.
 Isolation Precautions:
Nurses need to be knowledgeable about different isolation
precautions based on the type of infection. They should be
able to communicate effectively with patients, families, and
colleagues about these precautions.
Understand the Basic Principles of Microbiology in Nursing

Wound Care and Infection Management:

Nurses need to know how to care for wounds to prevent
infection and promote healing. This includes recognizing
signs of wound infection, assessing wound drainage, and
selecting appropriate dressings.
Documentation and Reporting:
Accurate documentation of infectious conditions, treatments,
and interventions is vital. Nurses should be able to
communicate the patient's condition effectively to other
healthcare team members.
 Understand the Basic Principles of Microbiology in Nursing
Ethical Considerations:
 Nurses should understand the ethical implications of managing
infections, including maintaining patient confidentiality, respecting
informed consent, and advocating for patient rights.
Interprofessional Collaboration:
 Collaborating with microbiologists, infectious disease specialists, and
other healthcare professionals is essential. Nurses should understand the
roles of different team members in infection prevention and control.
Emergency Preparedness:
 Nurses should be aware of infectious disease outbreaks and understand
how to respond in emergency situations to minimize the spread of
infections.
 Importance of Microbiology in Nursing Practice
 Everyday nurses’ encounter microbial world while working in
health care settings.
 Nurses are engaged in managing all aspects of patient health and
infection control in the hospitals.
 The microbial world is integral part of all healthcare settings.
 The role of a nurse is varied, and it is important for a nurse to have
a fundamental knowledge in microbiology.
 Importance of Microbiology in Nursing Practice
 These microorganisms are present on and in the human body.
Some are pathogenic giving rise to various diseases, some
are commensals which help a person remaining disease free.
 The study of microbiology will help a nurse in understanding
clinical approach towards the following:
• Asepsis, sterilization, and disinfection
• Recognition of infection
• Infection control—pathogenesis and transmission
• Nosocomial infection
• Immune system
 Why microbiology is needed in nursing?

 Nursesare involved in managing all aspects of patient’s health

and infection control in the hospitals.

 Nurse must know microbiology to take care of patient and to

protect oneself from pathogenic microorganisms.

 Nursesutilise concepts of microbiology while giving patient care

or doing procedures.
 Why Microbiology is Needed in Nursing?
 To prevent spread of infection:
 Nurses should have knowledge about the mode of spread of
infection.
 Some of the infections are spread by:
contact (touch)/ sexual contact (STDs),
air (air-borne)
droplets (sneezing, coughing)
some by eating contaminated food or drink (food borne)
by arthropod bite (vector born)
contaminated blood transfusion, etc.
 Why Microbiology is Needed in Nursing?
Knowledge would help a nurse to look for specific
control of spread of infection.
If a nurse knows how the disease producing organism
enters into the body, how they are discharged from the
body and how they spread from person to person.
The knowledge of microbiology would help a nurse to
use measures to save community and hospital from the
spread of infection.
 Why Microbiology is Needed in Nursing?
 To maintain sterile working area:
 A nurse must know procedures used to create and maintain a sterile field
in the hospitals and these are based on the knowledge of microbiology.
 In operation theatres sterile field is very necessary, so a nurse must know
how to create it and maintain it so that the post-operative infections could
be avoided.
 One of the most important things is handwashing.
 This simple yet over looked act can prevent or reduce the chances of
spreading infections.
 Hand washing technique reduces load of microorganisms on hands of a
nurse which further helps in reducing hospital acquired infection.
 Why Microbiology is Needed in Nursing?

 To collect specimens:
 Nurse must recognise the importance of proper collection of
specimens to be sent for bacteriological examination to obtain
accurate results.
 A nurse must be familiar with the various infectious disease
and their route of infection so as to collect clinical specimen
from a proper site like, pustule or blood or stool etc.
 Nurse must recognise the importance of proper collection of
specimens to be sent for bacteriological examination to obtain
accurate results.
 Implementation of Microbiology In Nursing

Burns’ unit
 Initially
a burn wound is sterile but within a short period of time
microorganisms starts colonizing it.
 The nurse takes all precautions while caring for this type of
patient so that there should not be, more and more contamination
of the wound.
 The nurse follows not only aseptic techniques but also uses
sterile equipment while looking after such patients.
 Implementation of Microbiology In Nursing
 Operation theatres:
 Before operation, it is the duty of a nurse to ensure that the
atmosphere of the operation theatre is free of microorganisms.
 Nurse ensure that all procedures on a patient are done under
sterile conditions.
 Obstetric units
 The wound infection of birth canal after child birth or abortion
is a major cause of maternal mortality.
 Uses of the Knowledge of Microbiology
 To combat infectious diseases
 Not only cross infection could occur during a hospital stay but there is
danger of patient’s normal flora turning pathogenic in
immunocompromised individuals.
 It is required for bacteriological investigation that which organism is
responsible for infection.
 Targeted treatment
 Mutational changes in microorganisms make treatment difficult,
therefore, identification of specific pathogen and administration of
recommended antibiotic treatment for a particular duration is based on
knowledge of microbiology.
 Uses of The Knowledge Of Microbiology
 Create and maintain a sterile working environment
 Sterilization and disinfection procedures are used to create and
maintain a sterile field in healthcare setting
 To implement Asepsis
 Principles of asepsis are followed to control and prevent
transmission of infection and to follow these, mode of entry and
exit of an infection must be known to a nurse.
 Dispose of biomedical waste
 If the biomedical waste is not disposed of wisely and carefully it
may lead to eruption of some dreadful disease. Therefore proper
disposal of biomedical waste is must which is based on principles
of microbiology.
 Some Common Terms Use In Microbiology
 Infection:- successful invasion and multiplication of
pathogenic organisms, either on the body surface or in the
body’s system.
 Pathogenic organi[Link] these are disease causing micro-
organisms.
 Pathogen:- refers to microbes that has the ability to cause
host tissue injury.
 Pathogenesis:- steps/mechanisms involved in the
development of a disease.
 Some Common Terms Use In Microbiology
 Pathogenicity:- refers to the ability of an organism to cause
disease.
 Virulence:- refers to degree of pathogenicity of the micro-
organisms.
 Host:- refers to an animal in which a parasites lives and
multiply.
 Asepsis:-refers to an object which is free from micro-
organisms.
 Antiseptic:-refers to chemical agent which prevents the
growth of micro-organisms on a body surface and endothelial
lining.
 Some Common Terms Use In Microbiology
 Commensals (Normal flora):- these are harmless organisms in their
normal sites, but capable of causing disease when transmitted to an
abnormal sites.
eg. Escherichia coli (E. coli) are harmless residents of the gut but
cause urinary tract infection and wound infection.
Staphylococcus aureus is carried in the carried in the nostrils of 40%
of normal human being.
 Septicaemia:- Presence of bacteria and their toxins in the blood stream.
 Sepsis:- infection of the body by bacteria/ pathogenic micro-organisms
or presence of pathogenic microorganism in the body.
Any Question?????
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