Microbiology and Parasitology in Nursing

Importance of Microbes

• Microbes are essential as decomposers, releasing inorganic nutrients into the soil.
• They aid in bioremediation, cleaning up industrial waste like oil spills.
• Microbes play a crucial role in elemental cycles, including carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, and phosphorus.
• They serve as a food source for smaller animals, forming a vital part of the food chain.
• Microbes facilitate food digestion and produce beneficial substances or solutions.
• They are utilized in various industries, such as food, beverages, chemicals, and antibiotics.

History of Microbiology

• Prior to scientific understanding, diseases were attributed to witchcraft and the devil.
• Later, people believed diseases were caused by miasma (an unpleasant or unhealthy smell).
• Antoni Van Leeuwenhoek was the first to demonstrate the presence of microorganisms using a microscope (1632-1723).
• Louis Pasteur showed that germs were present in the environment.
• Louis Pasteur opened the field of sterilization and developed vaccines, including the anthrax vaccine.
• Robert Koch described methods of preparing cultures and discovered the causative agents of tuberculosis and cholera (1881-1882).
• Christian Gram developed the Gram Stain in 1884.
• Louis Pasteur developed the first rabies vaccination in 1885.
• RJ Petri invented the Petri Dish in 1887.
• Dmitri Iosifovich Ivanovski discovered viruses in 1892.
• Walter Reed proved that mosquitoes carried yellow fever in 1900.

Golden Age of Microbiology

• The golden age of microbiology occurred in the late 1800s and the first decade of the 1900s.
• Key contributors during this period included:
  • Edward Jenner, who developed a vaccine for smallpox.
  • Joseph Lister, who introduced septic surgery.
  • Paul Ehrlich, who developed Salvarsan, a treatment for syphilis.
  • Alexander Fleming, who discovered penicillin in 1929.

Parasitology

• Parasitology is the study of parasites, their hosts, and the relationship between them.
• Parasitism is an association where one partner benefits and the other is harmed.

Immunology

• Immunology is the study of the immune system, which protects us from infection.

Microbiology and Parasitology in Nursing

• Knowledge in microbiology is essential for nurses in every field of healthcare.
• Understanding the mode of spread of infection helps nurses identify specific control measures.
• Microbiology and parasitology are crucial in understanding diseases caused by various bacteria, protozoa, and helminths.

Microbiology

• Microbiology is the study of small organisms or microbes.
• Microorganisms are ubiquitous, meaning they are virtually everywhere.
• Viruses are acellular, so they are often referred to as "infectious agents" or "infectious particles" rather than microorganisms.

Reasons for Studying Microbiology

• To understand the indigenous micro-flora, such as beneficial bacteria like lactobacilli and E. coli.
• To develop awareness of the presence of opportunistic pathogens or opportunists.