INTRODUCTION TO

MICROBIOLOGY
 Objectives
1. Define microbiology.
2. Explain the importance of microbiology in nursing practice
3. List the contribution of the following scientists in the field of
microbiology.
• A.V. Leeunvenhork
• F.Redi
• L. Pasteur
• R.Koch
4. Distinguish between eukaryotic and prokaryotic cell.
5. List some basic properties of virus
6. List basic nutritional requirements of microorganisms
7. Classify bacteria on the bases of their nutritional requirement and
morphology
 WHAT IS MICROBIOLOGY?
• Microbiology is the study of all living
organisms that are too small to be visible with
the naked eye.
• This includes bacteria, archaea, viruses, fungi,
Prions, protozoa and algae, collectively known
as 'microbes'.
 Branches of Microbiology
Medical microbiology deals with the study of microorganisms
responsible for various diseases of low to high intensity and it
can be divided into:
1. Bacteriology, which deals with study of bacteria.
2. Virology, which facilitates study of viruses.
3. Parasitology, which involves unicellular to multicellular
parasites.
4. Mycology, that deals with various fungal microorganisms
5. Immunology deals with the study of Immune system.
6. Nematology deals with the study of nematodes.
7. Phycology deals with the study of algae.
8. Protozoology deals with the study of protozoans.
 Importance of Microbiology in Nursing
Practice
• The role of a nurse is varied, and it is important for a
nurse to multitask intellectually with fundamental
knowledge, decisive thinking, and application.
Evolving nurses with a conceptual clinical approach
towards the following:
1. Asepsis, sterilization, and disinfection
2. Recognition of infection
3. Infection control—pathogenesis and transmission
4. Nosocomial infection
5. Immune system
Why Microbiology is Needed in Nursing?

• Nurses are 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. Nurses utilize
concepts of microbiology while
giving patient care or doing
procedures
 1. 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), air (air-borne), droplets
(sneezing, coughing), some by eating
contaminated food or drink (food
borne), sexual contact (STDs), by
arthropod bite (vector born) and others
by contaminated blood transfusion, etc.
the knowledge would help a nurse to use
particular measures to save community
and hospital spread of infection
 2. To Maintain Sterile Field
• 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.
• The knowledge of microbiology can further
help a nurse to use sterile equipment which
are a necessary part of invasive procedures
done on patients. The principles of asepsis
are based on microbiology. The knowledge
of sterilization techniques is mandatory for
a nurse. The proper disposal of biomedical
waste is equally important.
 3.To collect specimens
• Nurse must recognize the importance of
proper collection of specimens to be sent for
bacteriological examination to obtain accurate
results. For instance, she has to 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.
4. To Implement Immunization Schedule in
Hospitals
• A nurse also plays an important role in
immunization to control threats of various
diseases like diphtheria or MMR etc. So they
must have knowledge of various antisera and
vaccines used in preventing the dreadful
diseases.
• The immunization schedules and the cold chain
used to deliver the vaccines from the
production to the administration should be
known to a nurse. Knowledge of immunology
makes a nurse well prepared for vaccination
and protection of vaccines by using cold chain.
Contribution of Various Scientists in the
Field of Microbiology
1. Van Leeuwenhoek (24 October 1632 – 26
August 1723)
• He is commonly known as
“The Father of
Microbiology", and one of
the first microbiologists.
• Van Leeuwenhoek is best
known for his pioneering
work in microscopy.
 Cont.
• Dutch businessman and scientist in the Golden Age
of Dutch science and technology. A largely self-
taught man in science.
• In the 1670s, he started to explore microbial life with
his microscope. This was one of the notable
achievements of the Golden Age of Dutch
exploration and discovery (c. 1590s–1720s).
• Using single-lensed microscopes of his own design
and make, van Leeuwenhoek was the first to observe
and to experiment with microbes.
 2. Francesco Redi (18 February 1626 – 1
March 1697)
• Italian physician, naturalist
and biologist.
•  He is referred to as the "founder
of experimental biology", and as the
“Father of Modern Parasitology".
•  He was the first person to challenge
the theory of spontaneous
generation by demonstrating
that maggots come from eggs
of flies.
 Spontaneous Generation
• This theory says simpler life forms such
as worms and maggots need no parents –
they emerge alive from the earth and from
rotting organic matter. This idea had been
accepted for over 2,000 years.
• Again, Redi used experiments to research
this subject. He observed that flies laid
eggs on meat. These eggs hatched into
maggots. If the meat was protected from
flies, no eggs were laid and no maggots
appeared.
• He described his work in 1668
in Experiments on the Generation of
Insects.
 3. Louis Pasteur
• French chemist
and microbiologist reno-
wned for his discoveries of
the principles
of vaccination, microbial
fermentation,
and pasteurization.
• He is regarded as one of the
founders of
modern bacteriology and has
been honored as the “Father
of bacteriology"
 Cont.
• Pasteur was responsible for
disproving the doctrine
of spontaneous generation and his
experiment demonstrated that in
sterilized and sealed flasks, nothing
ever developed. Conversely, in
sterilized but open flasks,
microorganisms could grow. For
this experiment, the academy
awarded him the Alhumbert Prize
carrying 2,500 francs in 1862.
 4. Robert Koch
• German physician and microb
iologist. As the discoverer of
the specific causative agents
of deadly infectious diseases
including tuberculosis, cholera
, and anthrax.
• He is regarded as one of the
main “founders of
modern bacteriology”.
 Cont.
• He was the first to use oil immersion
lens, condenser and microphotography in
microscopy.
• In appreciation of his works, he was appointed as
government advisor at the Imperial Health Office in
1880, promoted to a senior executive position
(Geheimer Regierungsrath) in 1882, Director of
Hygienic Institute and Chair (Professor of hygiene)
of the Faculty of Medicine at Berlin University in
1885.
 Cont.
• The methods Koch used in bacteriology led to establishment
of a medical concept known as Koch's postulates, four
generalized medical principles to ascertain the relationship of
pathogens with specific diseases.
• For his research on tuberculosis, he received the Nobel Prize
in Physiology or Medicine in 1905.
Distinguish between eukaryotic and
prokaryotic cell.
 Bacteria
• Bacteria are ubiquitous,
prokaryotic, unicellular
organisms. Mostly freely
living organisms.
• Bacteria were among the
first life forms to appear on
earth.
• Bacteria range from 1 mm in
diameter (largest end of the
scale) to 200 nm in length
(smallest end of the scale).
 Characteristics of Bacteria
Five characteristics of bacteria include being;
• Unicellular
• Prokaryotic
• Microscopic
• Lacking a nucleus
• Having a plasma membrane.
 Classification of Bacteria
Bacteria are classified on the basis of
• Morphology
• Nutritional requirement
Types of Bacteria on the basis of shape
1. “Sphere shaped” referred to as cocci, e.g.
streptococcus pneumoniae.
‘cocci’ are of different forms as mentioned below:
• Monococcus (if the coccus is single)
• Diplococcus (if the coccus lives in pairs)
• Streptococcus (if the coccus exists in chains)
• Staphylococcus (if the coccus occurs in clusters, i.e.,
grape-like)
• Tetrad (if the coccus occurs in groups of four)
• Sarcina (cubical packets of eight or more)
 Cont.
2. Elongated Rod shaped bacteria referred to
as ‘Bacilli’ e.g. E.coli.
Bacilli may again be of different types. They
might be single (monobacillus), in pairs
(Diplobacillus), or in groups to form a chain
(streptobacilli).
 Cont.
3. Vibrio Type: The cells are comma-shaped.
The rod-shaped cell is curved at one end and
hence appears like a ‘comma’.
• Vibrio cholerae is an important example of this
type.
 Cont.
4. Spirillum Type: The cells are spirally coiled and
hence referred to as spirillum.
e.g. Helicobacter Pylori
5. Spirochetes; bacteria that are twisted spirally
along the log axis are called spirochetes.
The main difference between spiralla and
spirochetes is that spiralla have relatively short
and rigid cells whereas spirochetes have longer
more flexible cells.
Types of bacteria on the basis of Nutrition

• In order to get energy and to maintain cellular

biosynthesis, every organism must be provided
with the essential substances needed for
growth from its environment. These essential
substances required for bacterial growth are
referred to as ‘nutrients’.
 Cont.
The classification of bacteria based on nutrition is as
follows:
• Autotrophs
• Heterotrophs
Autotrophs
These are bacteria that can synthesise their own food from
inorganic compounds.
Organisms that obtain carbon from carbon dioxide and use
light energy or inorganic chemical compounds to produce
complex organic compounds are known as Autotrophs.
 Autotrophs
Autotrophic bacteria are further classified into
two:
1. Photoautotroph
Photoautotrophic bacteria use CO2 as their
carbon source to convert it into carbohydrates
in the presence of sunlight. These bacteria have
bacteriochlorophyll and bacterioviridin
pigments in their photosystems. Example:
cyanobacteria, purple sulphur bacteria etc
 Cont.
2. Chemoautotroph
Chemoautotrophs are organisms that use
inorganic sources to synthesise organic
compounds in the absence of light. These
bacteria lack any pigments and carry out only
the dark phase of photosynthesis. Example:
sulphur bacteria, Hydromonas, iron bacteria
etc.
 Heterotrophs

Heterotrophs
Organisms that cannot make their own food but
instead obtain nutrition from other organic
sources that may be living or dead.
 Cont.
• The Heterotrophs are of different forms,
which are mentioned below:
• 1. Parasitic - they derive their food from living
organisms
• 2. Saprophytic – they feed on dead and
decaying matter.
• 3. Symbiotic – they live in symbiotic
association with other organisms