MICROBIOLOGY

Molecular Tools for Microbial Taxonomy and Phylogenetic Studies

Introduction: Some of the most powerful approaches to determine the taxonomy and phylogeny of the organisms is through the study of nucleic acids and proteins, since they are genes themselves or direct gene products that provide considerable information about the true relatedness. Phylogenetic inferences based on molecular tools characterization provide the strongest and most reliable […]

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Bacterial Pneumonia: Etiology, Risk Factors, and Diagnosis

Introduction: Lower respiratory tract infections are the most common human infections, estimated to cause 2.74 million deaths annually. LRTIs are diverse and can present as tracheitis, bronchitis, bronchiolitis and pneumonia. Community Acquired Pneumonia (CAP) is the one that is contracted outside hospital settings. Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia (HAP) is the infection of the lungs whose evidence was

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Zika Virus (ZIKV): Introduction, Transmission and Diagnosis

Introduction to Zika Virus and Vector-Borne Diseases: Emergence and re-emergence of Vector Borne Diseases (VBD) have posed a huge threat to public health worldwide. Flaviviruses like Dengue Virus (DENV), Yellow Fever Virus (YFV), and Japanese Encephalitis Virus (JEV) are already circulating globally. Since the vectors, transmission cycle, favorable climate, and epidemiology of Zika virus (ZIKV)

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Single cell proteins (SCPs): Microbial proteins, Introduction, Substrate, Production, Nutrition, Advantages, Disadvantages

Introduction: Single-cell protein (SCP), often called microbial protein, is a type of crude or refined protein obtained from filamentous fungi, algae, yeasts, molds, microbes, or bacteria. It is edible and can used directly either as animal feed or human food supplements, that usually contain above 40% of crude protein on dry weight bases. Due to

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Diagnosis of Parasitic Diseases: Introduction, Clinical presentation, Diagnostic Tests

Introduction: Parasitic disease, a public health issue, is a type of infectious disease that is caused by parasites which live on or in a host organism.  In annual, millions of morbidities and mortality is caused by these infections which is one of the most devastating and prevalent infections. It is a type of infectious disease

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Bioremediation: Introduction, Contaminates, Types, Microorganisms, Strategies, Advantages

Introduction: Type of contaminants: Microorganisms in Bioremediation: Aerobic bacteria Many of these bacteria grow in the presence of oxygen that use the contaminant as the sole source of carbon and energy. It degrades pesticides and hydrocarbons, both alkanes and polyaromatic compounds. Examples: Pseudomonas, Alcaligenes, Sphingomonas, Rhodococcus, and Mycobacterium Methanotrophs/ Methylotrophs Bacteria that convert methane into

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Bacterial Growth Curve: Introduction, Phases, Microbial Growth, Cell count, Cell Mass

Background: Introduction: Bacterial growth is a complex process that involves both catabolic (breakdown of cell constituents and metabolites) and anabolic (biosynthesis of cell constituents and metabolites) process. Basically, bacterial growth curve is sigmoid shows various recognizable stages of the growth of bacteria- lag phase, log phase or exponential growth phase, stationary phase, and the death

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Bacterial Toxins: Introduction, Types, Mechanisms of Toxin Action, Symptoms, Treatment, Diagnosis

Introduction: Types: Exotoxin Fig: Different types of bacterial toxins Endotoxin Endotoxins are the outer parts of the bacterial cell wall especially Gram-ve bacteria such as E. coli, Shigella, Salmonella, Neisseria, Haemophilus Pseudomonas, and other pathogens. Basically, it is released upon cell death, autolysis, phagocytic digestion, and cell lysis which trigger a widespread inflammatory response. Although

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Biopesticides: Introduction, classification, Benefits, Disadvantages

Introduction: Biopesticides are certain types of natural, biologically occurring pesticides that are used to control various agricultural pests and pathogens. It is derived from such natural materials as animals, plants, certain minerals, and microorganisms such as bacteria, cyanobacteria, and microalgae. It is a biological agent, class of pesticides that tend to pose fewer risks than

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Pathogenic Microorganisms: Introduction, Types, Source of infection, symptoms and Diseases

Introduction: Pathogens are defined as organism that are taxonomically widely diverse that cause diseases to their respective hosts with the severity of symptoms of diseases. It comprises not only viruses’ bacteria and fungi but also unicellular and multicellular eukaryotes. Generally, depending on their relationship to the host, microorganism can be classified as saprophytes and parasites.

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