Systemic Bacteriology I

Bacterial Shapes

• Bacillus is a type of bacteria characterized by a rod-shaped structure.

Bacterial Cell Wall

• The outermost layer found in many bacteria is usually made of polysaccharides and is known as the capsule.

Bacterial Growth Requirements

• Aerobic bacteria require oxygen for growth.
• Anaerobic bacteria are killed by oxygen.
• Facultative anaerobic bacteria tolerate oxygen but can also grow in its absence.

Bacterial Shapes

• Spirillum is a type of bacteria characterized by a rigid spiral shape.

Defensive Structures

• Endospores are inert structures resistant to physical and chemical challenges.

Media and Identification Techniques

• Differential media produces visible changes in colonies that facilitate identification through the incorporation of chemicals.
• Selective media permits the growth of one organism over another based on the presence of specific substances.
• Biochemical tests use biochemical characteristics, such as the utilization of carbon sources, for bacterial identification.
• Immunological tests use an antibody-antigen interaction to help identify bacteria.
• MALDI-TOF (Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization-Time of Flight) produces a characteristic signature based on the generation of ions from a sample.