Medical Microbiology

Introduction and History:

9 Different forms of life exist on earth. Animals, human beings, plants, which are visible to naked eye
and are called macro-organisms. Other forms of life invisible to naked eye are called micro-organisms,
(micro = small, bious = life).
9 Microbiology is the science that deals with the study of microorganisms and their activities.
The term was introduced by the French chemist Louis Pasteur. Microorganisms are studied with
reference to their:
• Form and structure
• Reproduction
• Physiology and metabolism
• Identification
• Distribution in nature
• Relationship with each other and with other living organisms
• Beneficial and detrimental effects on human beings and animals
• Physical and chemical changes induced by them in their environment, etc.
9 Animal and plant cells can exist only as parts of animals and plants. In contrast, microbial cells are generally able
to carry out their activities such as growth and multiplication, generation of energy and reproduction
independently.
9 Microorganisms are found everywhere in nature (air, water, food, soil, sewage, lakes, sea, etc.). They are also
present in and on our body-on the skin and mucous membranes, in gastrointestinal and urogenital tracts and
other parts of the body. The place/environment where a microorganism normally lives is known as Habitat.
9 Some possess plant-like characters, while others have animal-like characters and few of them are
altogether different.
9 Based on morphological and functional properties, they are grouped as:
• Bacteria are small, unicellular, microscopic organisms with primitive nucleus
• Fungi are unicellular or multicellular microscopic organisms with well-developed nucleus. They
possess plant-like characters but are devoid of chlorophyll and are not differentiated into roots,
stem, leaves, etc.
• Algae are unicellular or multicellular microscopic organisms possessing plant-like characters. They
possess chlorophyll but are not differentiated into roots, stem, leaves, flowers, etc. Most of them
possess well-developed nucleus, except blue green algae
• Protozoa are unicellular, nonphotosynthetic microscopic organisms possessing animal-like
characters, i.e. they do not possess rigid cell wall. They have a well developed nucleus
• Viruses are very small, ultramicroscopic (seen under electron microscope), noncellular
microorganisms capable of multiplying only inside the living cell. They are different from other living
creatures
9 Various branches of Medical Microbiology are:
Features of Microbes
• General Microbiology
• Immunology M = Microscopic
• Bacteriology I = Independent units
• Virology C = Complex (less)
• Mycology R = Rapid growth rate
• Parasitology O = Omnipresent
• Clinical Microbiology

9 Medical Microbiology is the branch of microbiology that deals with the study of disease-producing
microorganisms in human beings. It also includes prevention and control of the disease.
9 Paul Ehrlich is known as the father of Chemotherapy

CONTRIBUTIONS OF LOUIS PASTEUR:

• Microbial theory of fermentation and proving that all forms of life including microorganisms arise
from their like and not spontaneously
• Principles and practice of sterilization
 • Development of initial bacteriological techniques
• Control of diseases of silkworms
• Development of vaccines against:
o Anthrax
o Chicken cholera
o Rabies

CONTRIBUTIONS OF ROBERT KOCH:

• Verification of germ theory of diseases
• Introduction of staining techniques for visualization of microorganisms
• Discovery and use of solid medium in bacteriology
• Discovery of causative agents of:
o Tuberculosis
o Cholera
o Anthrax
• Koch's postulates
• Use of laboratory animals for experimental infections

KOCH’S POSTULATES:
Robert Koch postulated the criteria for proving that a microorganism isolated from a disease was indeed
causally related to it. According to these postulates, a microorganism can be accepted as the causative
agent of the disease only if following conditions are satisfied:

• The microorganism should be constantly associated with the lesions of the disease
• It should be possible to isolate the organism in pure culture from the lesions of the disease
• Inoculation of such pure culture in suitable laboratory animals should produce a similar disease in
animals
• It should be possible to reisolate the organism in pure culture from lesions produced in the
experimental animals
• An additional criteria introduced subsequently requires that-specific antibodies to that organism
should be demonstrable in the serum of patients
• These postulates have proved to be useful in confirming doubtful claims made regarding the
causative agents of infectious diseases.

CONTRIBUTIONS OF PAUL EHRLICH:

• Discovery of salvarsan as a chemotherapeutic agent against syphilis. This opened the new field of
antimicrobial agents which has saved the lives of millions of people till date.
• Identified that mycobateria have acid fastness nature
• Proposed a theory for the production of antibody called as "side chain theory"
• Refined the science of staining the organisms
• Advocated standardization of biologicals including toxins and antitoxins to ensure uniformity

Scientists and their contributions:

Year Scientists Discoveries

1850 Davaine and Pollender Anthrax bacilli
1874 Hansen Lepra bacilli
1879 Neisser Gonococci
1881 Ogston Staphylococci
1882 Robert Koch Tubercle bacilli
1883 Robert Koch Cholera bacilli
1884 Loeffler Diphtheria bacillus
1885 Nicolaier Tetanus bacilli
1886 Frankel Pneumococci
1886 Escherich E. coli
1887 Weichselbaum Meningococci
1887 Bruce Brucella
1892 Pfeiffer Influenza bacilli
1892 Welch and Nuttall Clostridium welchii
1894 Yersin and Kitasato Plague bacilli
1896 Shiga Shigella

ROLE OF MEDICAL MICROBIOLOGY

Medical microbiology plays an important role in the diagnosis, prevention, treatment and
control of infectious diseases. Some of the applications of medical microbiology are:
• Confirmation of diagnosis which helps in starting specific treatment
• Detection of newer pathogens
• Determination of antimicrobial susceptibility patterns
• Development of vaccines and immunotherapeutic agents
• To trace the source/reservoir of infection
• To trace the route of spread of pathogens using epidemiological markers such as gene sequencing
• Monitoring of changing profile of pathogens
• Distinction between recent and past infections
• Monitoring the quality of air, water and food