INTRODUCTION TO

MICROBIOLOGY
 DEFINITIONS
• SCIENCE ---The study or collection of knowledge of
natural events and materials in an orderly fashion for the
purpose of learning the basic laws that govern these
events.
• BIOLOGY--- The study of living organisms and how
they interact with the environment around them.
• MICROBIOLOGY--- The study of very small living
organisms (Microorganisms or Microbes)
• Microorganisms (Microbes)
• 87% Beneficial Microorganisms

10% Opportunists

3% Pathogens
 HISTORICAL MILESTONES
• 3.5 billion years ago-- Fossils of primitive microbes
found dated.
• 3180 BC--- earliest account of pestilence occurred in
Egypt.
• 1900 BC--- Bubonic plague (Greek army)
• 1500 BC---Ebers papyrus was discovered in a tomb in
Thebes, Egypt containing description of epidemic fever.
• 1122 BC– smallpox epidemic in China
• 790, 710 and 640 BC--- epidemics occurred in Rome
• 430 BC– Epidemics in Greece.
• 1493– Syphilis first appearance was in Europe and was
given many names: Neopolitan Disease (French), French
or Spanish Disease(Italians), French pox (English)
PIONEERS IN THE SCIENCE OF
MICROBIOLOGY
• ANTON VAN LEEUWENHOEK (1632-1723)
• Father of Microbiology, Father of Bacteriology,
Father of Protozoology
• Made the single lens microscopes or simple
microscopes.
• Discovered “animalcules” (live bacteria and
protozoa)
• Spontaneous generation or abiogenesis arose
from his findings--- life can arise spontaneously
from nonliving materials.
 LOUIS PASTEUR (1822-1895)
• French chemist
• Discovered the process of alcoholic
fermentation.
• Disproved the Spontaneous generation or
Abiogenesis.
• Introduced terms “aerobes” and “anaerobes”
• Pasteurization and sterilization
• Discovered infectious agents that were causing
the silkworm diseases.
• Gave significant contributions to the Germ theory
of Disease– specific MO cause specific
infectious disease.
• Developed a vaccine to prevent rabies in dogs
and used it as a vaccine to treat human rabies.
 ROBERT KOCH (1843-1910)
• Gave significant contributions to the Germ
Theory of disease
• Koch’s postulates--- scientific steps
• Developed methods of fixing, staining and
photographing bacteria.
• Developed methods of cultivating bacteria on
solid media.
• Discovered Bacterium (Mycobacterium
tuberculosis and Vibrio cholerae – El Tor)
 OTHER PIONEERS
• Edward Jenner—Late 1700
--discovered 1st vaccine (used for smallpox)
• Joseph Lister (1865-1870)and Ignaz
Semmelweiss (1847)
--Aseptic techniques
• Paul Erlich (1890’s to 1900)
--Developed the 1st chemotherapeutic agent:
Salvarsan vs. Syphilis.
 BRANCHES OF MICROBIOLOGY

• Bacteriology– the study of Bacteria

• Phycology– the study of Algae
• Mycology– the study of Fungi
• Protozoology– the study of protozoa
• Virology– the study of viruses
• Immunology- the study of immune
response
APPLICATION OF MICROBIOLOGY

• Indigenous microflora--- beneficial

• Opportunistic pathogens—colonize or inhabit
bodies.
• MO involve in the decomposition of dead
organisms---saprophytes
• MO cause 2 categories of diseases
1. Infectious disease– pathogen—colonize—
disease.
2. Microbial intoxication—pathogen—toxin—
humans ingest toxin---disease.
 FUNCTIONAL CLASSIFICATION
• GENERAL MICROBIOLOGY– The study &
classification of MO & how they function.
• MEDICAL MICROBIOLOGY—the study of
pathogens, the disease they cause and the body’s
defenses against disease.
• VETERINARY MICROBIOLOGY– the study of
the spread and control of infectious diseases
among animals.
• AGRICULTURAL MICROBIOLOGY– the
study of the beneficial and harmful role of
microbes on the soil, plants, crops and foods.
• SANITARY MICROBIOLOGY—purification
and processing of water supplies and processing
and disposal of garbage and sewage wastes.
• INDUSTRIAL MICROBIOLOGY– growth and
maintenance, research of microorganisms to produce
commercial and pharmaceutical products.
1. Industrial microbiologists---produce commercial
products.
2. Applied Microbiologists--- produce commercial
products.
• ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(MICROBIAL ECOLOGY)– cycling of elements by
microbial, environmental and geochemical processes.
• MICROBIAL PHYSIOLOGY AND GENETICS–
function of MO, structure and physiology.