INTRODUCTION TO MICROBIOLOGYDefinition
Micro
–
small,Bio
–
Life,Logy
–
Study
Microbiologyisthestudyoflivingorganism/microorganism(bacteria,
fungi,algae,protozoanandviruses)ofmicroscopicsize.Itisconcernedwiththeirmorphology,structure,reproduction,metabolismandclassification.
History and evolution
-Lecretius(98-55BC)andGirolamoFracastro(1478-1553)suggested
thatadiseasewascausedbyaninvisiblelivingcreature.
-RobertHooke(1635-1703)
–
Coinedtheword
“cell”
-MatthiasSchleidenandTheodorSchwann
–
Describedthecelltheory
(Acellisthebasicstructuralandfunctionalunitofanorganism)
1.Thespontaneousgeneration(Abiogenesis)
WasstatedbyAristotlein346BC,thatlivingorganismscoulddevelopfromnonlivingordecomposingmatter.TheorywassupportedbyJohnNeedham(1748)-Heboiledmuttonbrothandthentightlystopperedtheflasks.-Cloudwasformedintheflask -Heconcludedthatthecloudwasmicroorganisms
2. Biogenesis
Living organisms could develop from other organisms.
A. Francesco Redi and the fly experiment (1629 -1697)
B.LazaroSpallanzani(1729-1799):Theheatingchallenge
He opposed Needham’s
work.
C. Louis Pasteur (1822 -1895)
His experiment ended the spontaneous generation.
The germ theory of disease:
Bacteria are the cause of disease in human, plant and animal.
The germ theory of fermentation:
Pasteurization ( heating milk at 62.8
0
C for 30 min).
Protection against infection (Immunity)
: attenuated vaccines (older cultures of bacterium are on virulent bacteriums of same disease e.g.,
Chicken cholera
)
Principle of immunization
Pasteur applied this principle for prevention of Anthrax