Microbiology in Industrial Production and Public Health

Microorganisms and Human Health

• Living microorganisms are present in and out of the human body, known as indigenous microflora or indigenous microbiota.
• Opportunistic pathogens can cause problems for people with weak immune systems or when they gain access to a part of the human body where they do not belong.
• Microorganisms are essential for life, and some microbes produce oxygen through photosynthesis.
• Some microbes are capable of decomposing industrial wastes, such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Microbiology and Biotechnology

• Biotechnology involves the use of microorganisms in industry and commercial enterprises.
• Bioremediation is the use of microorganisms to clean up environmental wastes.
• Clinical Microbiology involves epidemiology, transmission of pathogens, disease-prevention measures, treatment of infectious diseases, and production of vaccines.

Cell Structure and Function

• Cytoplasm is a water-based solution filling the entire cell, composed of 70-80% water and larger, discrete cell masses.
• Ribosomes are tiny particles composed of RNA and protein, responsible for protein synthesis.
• Capsules are highly organized polysaccharides that provide protection to the bacteria cell.
• Slime layers are a loose shield that protects some bacteria from loss of water and nutrients.
• Inclusions are stored nutrients such as fat, phosphate, or glycogen deposited in dense crystals or particles.

Kingdom Protista

• Protists are eukaryotes that are not fungi, animals, or plants.
• They can be tiny and unicellular, like an amoeba, or large and multicellular, like seaweed.
• There are between 60,000 and 200,000 protist species, and many have yet to be identified.

Antimicrobial Agents

• β-lactams include penicillin, cephalosporins, monobactams, and carbapenems.
• Glycopeptides include vancomycin.
• Bacitracin is a polypeptide antibiotic.
• Cefalexin, Cefazolin, and Cefradine are 1st generation cephalosporins.
• Cefaclor, Cefprozil, and Cefuroxime are 2nd generation cephalosporins.
• Cefdinir, Ceftriaxone, and Ceftazidime are 3rd generation cephalosporins.
• Cefepime and Cefpirome are 4th generation cephalosporins.
• Ceftobiprole and Ceftaroline are 5th generation cephalosporins.
• Macrolides include erythromycin, clarithromycin, and azithromycin.
• Fluoroquinolones include ciprofloxacin.
• Multi-drug therapy involves using two or more drugs simultaneously to kill all the pathogens.

Resistance and Infections

• Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus spp. (VRE) are resistant to most anti-enterococcal drugs, including vancomycin.
• Synercid and Zyvox are used to treat VRE infections.
• Isoniazid, rifampin, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol are used to treat Mycobacterium tuberculosis infections.