University:
Texas A&M University
Course:
BIOL 206 | Introductory Microbiology
Academic year:

2019
Views:

49

Pages:

2
Author:

Athena Harrison

Invisible Intruders Notes Outline KEY Introduction • • Infectious microorganisms are organisms like bacteria, fungi, and protozoa that can infect humans. Microorganism agents can produce reactions or disease in the body and may result in severe illness. Lesson • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • All infectious agents have the ability to reproduce, survive in the environment, be transmitted to their hosts, survive host defenses, and cause disease. The Latency period of infectious agents is the time from initial infection until the start of infectiousness. The Incubation Period goes from the time of the initial infection until the onset of clinical symptoms. The Period of Communicability is the period during which an individual is infectious and can spread disease to other hosts. A virus is a very small infectious agent that contains mostly genetic material and can cause a variety of diseases. Only a small fraction of bacteria can cause disease and many types of them are beneficial to humans. At the center of a bacterial cell, there is usually a single chromosome that has the full capability to replicate itself. Bacteria also contain plasmids, which are extra pieces of DNA, and ribosomes, which help chromosomes replicate. Some bacteria also have flagella that help them to move around. Bacteria that release chemicals that are capable of causing disease are called pathogenic bacteria. Toxins that are stored within the cell walls of bacteria and that are released when the cells are broken open are called endotoxins while toxic proteins that are excreted due to bacterial metabolism are called exotoxins. Bacteria can be killed by antibiotics that are typically found in molds. Protozoa are single-celled microorganisms that can be parasitic to humans and animals and can result in serious diseases. Protozoa are more complex than bacteria and have their genetic material separated from the cytoplasm by a double membrane layer. Fungi are microorganisms that can be found in almost any environment and their growth is stimulated by warm and humid conditions. Certain molds can be beneficial to us, such as the blue-green mold spots on certain types of cheese. • • • • • • • • The penicillium mold can be used to kill some species of bacteria and is used to make anti-bacterial drugs. Another beneficial fungus is yeast, which is very important for baking to allow products to rise. Household molds are commonly grey or black and can produce spores in the air that can spread and cause damages. Tiny particles of mold can float in the air and can be inhaled, which can cause allergy-like reactions. There are two main structures of fungi: septate and aseptate. Individual thread-like filaments of fungi are called hyphae and they intertwine to form a web-like structure called a mycelium. One example of a fungal infection is Athlete’s Foot (tinea pedis) that can occur in individuals whose feet are damp and sweaty. Fungi reproduce through tiny budding bodies called spores.

Invisible Intruders Notes Outline Key

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