...Assessment of Microbial quality of different vegetables in various markets Comparison of internal and external surface contamination of vegetables The mean microbial counts of both external and internal parts of the vegetable samples showed overall high contamination for total coliform (TC), faecal coliform (FC) and yeast count (YC). The mean FC levels of all the crops (external and internal surface combined) exceed the International Commission on Microbiological Specifications for Food (ICSMF, 1974) recommended level of 1.0 x 105 fecal coliforms per gram fresh weight. This observation has been reported in Ghana and elsewhere (Obeng, 2007; Mensah et al., 2001). In this study, the contamination of external surface of vegetables was significantly higher than the internal contamination. The total means of the internal microbial counts (TC and FC) of the vegetable samples are high and comparable with counts observed in some non-vegetable foods such as milk and meat (Agbodaze et al. 2005; CDC, 2003; Aning, 2002). The sources of contamination of vegetables includes Soil, irrigation water, green or inadequately composted manure, air (dust), wild and domestic animals, insects, human handling. harvesting, transporting containers, transporting vehicles, wholesale facilities, washing and rinsing water, improper storage, cross contamination and improper ambient temperature (Beuchat, 1996). The only non-bacterial quality indicator investigated was yeast contamination, and the levels...
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...vaccination and antibiotics we are using, understand that microorganism play a key role in maintaining life on earth, fixing gases and breaking down dead plant and animal matter into simpler substances that are used at the beginning of the food chain 6. Biotechnologists can also exploit the activities of microbes to benefit humans, such as in the production of medicines, enzymes and food. The goal of this lab report is 1) to demonstrate comprehension of the methods and lab techniques learned during the semester 2) to explain the tests performed on each isolated unknown that led to the identification of each unknown 3) and to give a background on the characteristics, pathogenicity and some uses of one of the identified unknowns. II. Introduction In this lab report I will discuss how I came to find my two unknown bacteria. Each bacteria have undergo many different test to eventually identifying both bacteria. We understand that bacteria6 the discussion on the role of microbes in human welfare may be divided under two headings - good and bad 6. Microbes as we know are capable of both good and bad as for as human life is concerned. We will now list both the harm and benefit by microbes and then let us draw a conclusion as to how microbiology has helped us to control or kill...
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...The moment we enter the world, microbes colonize our bodies. And depending on how and where we're born, we're colonized by different types of microbes. Babies pick up microbes not only from their mothers, but also from the environment. Babies delivered vaginally are colonized by different species of microbes from babies delivered by surgery. These very first differences - vaginal vs. C-section birth - are still measurable months and possibly even years after birth. In fact, studies show that delivery by C-section, in comparison to vagina birth, is associated with an increased risk of allergies, ADHD, autism, celiac disease, obesity, and type 1 diabetes. Other early infant experiences such as whether the infant is breast-fed, or treated with antibiotics, can also have an impact to the infant’s gut flora. A 2013 study published by the...
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...Microbes used in Oil Spill Cleanup Oil spills are very harmful to the environment and destroy coastal habitat and wildlife. Clean up and recovery from oil spills can be very difficult and costly. There are many factors to take into consideration when evaluating an oil spill such as what type of oil was spilled, water temperature, weather conditions, and the impact on the surrounding coastlines. A typical oil spill clean up approach is the controlled burn called IN-SITU Burning. This is where a high volume of oil is gathered together, using the help of ships and fire resistant booms, and then is ignited in a controlled burn. IN-SITU burning is a very fragile process because there are many factors to take into consideration and each burn has to be closely monitored by professionals. Another approach to cleaning up an oil spill is mechanical recovery. This method consists of using boats, booms, skimmers, vacuums, and separators to gather spilled oil on the surface and separate it from the water. Mechanical recovery requires cooperative weather, calm seas, and lots of man power to operate the work boats and equipment used to perform these processes. Mechanical recovery is usually the first and most common line of defense when it comes to oil spills. Dispersants are also commonly used to cope with disastrous oil spills. A dispersant is an agent used to spray on oil slicks to break them up into water soluble molecules and transfer them into the...
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...The bacterium Treponema pallidum pallidum is a spirochetal bacterium that is the cause of syphilis. T. pallidum pallidum is a spirochete it can range from 6 to 20 um in length and 18 to 20 um in diameter it requires low amounts of oxygen which it is able to draw from the atmosphere around it. Spirochetes are usually Gram negative but T. pallidum pallidum will not show up on a gram stain because the organism is too thin. It can however be detected using special stains such as the Dieterle stain. Spirochetal bacterium have long helical shaped cells the reason for the helical shape if because of the different arrangement of the axial filaments which is known as endocellular flagella the filaments run the length of the cell causing the spiral shape, these flagella are used to move the spirochete. Spirochetes are usually found in liquid environments such as blood, lymph or water. (Encyclopedia Britannica 2010.) The disease that is caused by T. pallidum pallidum is Syphilis; syphilis is usually a sexually transmitted disease though it can be passed in several other ways such as from mother to child. Syphilis can present in four different forms, Primary, Secondary, Latent and Tertiary. These forms of syphilis all present with different symptoms and they all progress from each other. Primary syphilis is the first stage of the infection this is where a sore or Chancre (possibly more than one) appears at the site of the infection, it is small and white and usually painless...
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...ISOLATION,IDENTIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION AND APPLICATIONS OF MICROBES ISOLATED FROM THAR DESERTSOIL,INDIA INTRODUCTION This study was done to identify the characterization, isolation and identification of microorganism from the desert soil. In the present study, thermal resistant and osmotolerant bacteria from the Thar soils were reported. Bacteria were isolated from 20 soil samples of 100gm each, collected from sand dunes. As Thar Desert were also evaluated for their plant growth promontory effects in terms of seed germination, shoot and root length elongation and total biomass production. It also tells about the occurrence of nodulated legumes. Most of the bacteria grow best in normal environmental conditions, but some grow in extreme conditions like extremes of pH, temperature, high salt reservoirs of microorganisms, as bacteria, protozoans, yeasts, molds, and microscopic worms are routinely found in this environment and are continuously submitted to environmental and anthropogenic perturbations which can lead to serious modifications of microbial taxonomic and functional diversity present in desert soil, therefore some of the fungi like Thermophilic fungi are also present in these conditions. Moreover DNA Based Identification and Characterization of microorganisms were also done from the soil of Thar Desert. Along with this, application of the microorganism isolated from the thar desert are like in biofertiliser, for medicinal parouses etc., example Ricinus communis...
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...When bacteria get out of balance, entire ecosystem can be affected. Unhealthy conditions occur and the environment becomes distressed. When a bacterial imbalance occurs within or on the ecosystems of our bodies, we call it illness or disease. Gonorrhea is one of the most common sexually transmitted infectious diseases and as many as 700,000 people in the U.S. get gonorrhea every year (CDC). Sometimes it is transmitted from mother to baby during vaginal delivery, if the mother is affected. Men usually have no symptoms, although infrequently they may have pain when urinating, swollen testicles and/or discharge from the penis. According to a Study completed by the European Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, it was discovered that 15% of male infertility are caused by bacteria, parasites or viruses. These infections affect the testicles, the epididymis (a reservoir where the sperm is collected after it leaves the testicles), and the production of male sex hormones. If a woman has a partner that has been diagnosed with a low sperm count, this might have originated from a urinary tract infection or a previous infection of venereal disease. Sperm themselves can also be affected since micro-organisms can affect their development, maturation and motility (how they swim). Another common type of urinary infection is from Escherichia Coli (E-coli). The e-coli bug grows in the intestines of humans and is usually good for you. They are part of the immune system as well as being...
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...pathogenesis- the characteristics/traits the microbe has that leads to the disease. II. NORMAL MICROBIOTA * 1 x 10^13 human cells in our body * 1x10^14 bacterial cells on/in our body (permanent residence that under normal conditions do not cause disease) * Areas with normal Microbiota: 1. GI tract 2. Upper respiratory 3. Skin 4. Urogenital Tract * Areas that are relatively sterile: 1. The Nervous System * The blood brain barrier (blood vessel cerebrospinal fluid) 1) Endothelial cells 2) Astrocytes 3) Neurons *A structural impediment with restricted permeability * The lower respiratory tract * Upper respiratory- nasal hairs, mucous membrane, ciliary escalator, alveolar macrophages * In healthy person, microbes shouldn’t be able to make it down that far (past the upper respiratory) * The cardiovascular system (blood) * Septicemia- “blood poisoning,” growth of a pathogenic microorganism in the blood (non-specific term) * Bacteremia- bacteria in the blood * Toxemia- presence of toxin in the blood * Viremia- in the blood * Q: Do we all have the same resident flora? A: Bacteria from our skin remains on the things we touch and could be used for the same purpose as fingerprints. Own personal bacteria can stay on things we touch for days or even weeks at a room temperature if left untouched. Dislodged microbes could help identify an individual ...
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...breaking down organic matter. What would occur if an organic pollutant such as oil contaminated this environment? Some of the microorganisms would die, while others capable of eating the organic pollution would survive. Bioremediation works by providing these pollution-eating organisms with fertilizer, oxygen, and other conditions that encourage their rapid growth. These organisms would then be able to break down the organic pollutant at a correspondingly faster rate. In fact, bioremediation is often used to help clean up oil spills. Bioremediation of a contaminated site typically works in one of two ways. In the case described above, ways are found to enhance the growth of whatever pollution-eating microbes might already be living at the contaminated site. In the second, specialized microbes are added to degrade the contaminants. Bioremediation provides a good cleanup strategy for some types of pollution, but as you might expect, it will not work for all. For example, bioremediation may not provide a feasible strategy at sites with high concentrations of chemicals that are toxic to most microorganisms. These chemicals include metals such as cadmium or lead, and salts such as sodium chloride. Nonetheless, bioremediation provides a technique for cleaning up pollution by enhancing the same biodegradation processes that occur in nature. Depending on the site and its contaminants, bioremediation may be safer and less expensive than alternative solutions such as...
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...used to harvest as many different types of microbes as are present in a specimen. These are commonly used for blood cultures. Complex media is a mixture of proteins and extracts in which the exact amount of a particle amino acid, sugar, or other nutrients is not known. These are used for growing hetrotrphic organisms. Examples of hetrotrophic organisms include fungi, protozoa, and animals. Synthetic media is also known as “chemically defined” media. The exact amount of pure chemicals that are used to formulate the media are known. This is used in in vitro cell culture for humans and animals. Selective and differential media were examined as well. Selective media allows for selection of a particular microorganissm that may be present in a mixed culture. This contains a compound that enhances the growth of the desired organism or inhibits growth of competing organisms. Selective media contains antimicrobial substances or dyes to inhibit unwanted organisms from growing. These are frequently used to test antibiotic resistance. For example, if you are testing a microbe that is resistant to ampicillin, ampicillin can be added to the media. This will kill all the rest of the unwanted organisms. Differential media allows for the separation of organisms based on some observable change in the appearance of the media or by an observerable effect on the microbe. Differential media is a little different in the fact that it does not kill the microbes like...
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...3. Termites A. Spirochetes play a fundamental role when it comes to the nutrition of termites. They use acetate produced by microbes as a major source of energy and of Carbon. Spirochetes N2 fixation also plays an important role in the nitrogen economy of termites. The N2 fixation of these spirochetes is significant for a lot of different environments B. Acetogenic spirochete: -Spirochetes that have been previously cultured, posses the ability to conserve their energy by the oxidation of H2 -The reduction assay of acetylene assays for the cells’ nitrogenase activity Termite: -Oxidation of the Acetate produced by the hindgut microbes is one of the most important sources of energy and Carbon for termites. It supports 100% of the insects’ respiration requirements...
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...Lab Write Up Identifying an Unknown Microbe Gregory Howard 10E The isolation I was given two unknown microbes and asked to identify them. The first step was to isolate each microbe. I did this by using the streak method to apply each microbe to an enrichment culture. The enrichment culture provides conditions to enhance growth of a species. Obataining a pure culture makes it easier to identify and study a particular species. The macconkey agar plate which is used to isolate and differentiate members of the enterobacteriace based on its ability to ferment lactose. Macconkey agar w/o crystal violet or bile will only grow gn rods which inhibits the growth of gp cocci. Columbia can agar plate which is a medium that allows growth of gp orgs especiall staphylococci, streptococci, and enterococci and inhibits the growth of gn orgs. After both plates where streaked they where incubated at 35 degress celcius for 48 hours. The Gram Stain Next I performed a gram stain to detect differences between microbes or differences in structure of the same microbe. This being my first time I ever gram stained false results could be because of poor staining techniques. Usina a modern light microscope I observed each microbe that grew on its agar plate of interest. Through my gram staining and visual observation I came to the conclusion that the macconkey agar plate grew enterobacteriace , a GN rod shape org and the org that grew on the Columbia can plate resembled a cocci due to its cluster...
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...fungi among the specimens of cell his viewed. Robert Hooke in 1665 reported that living things were composed of title boxes or cells. He then devised the compound microscope and illumination system and stated that microbes were a life’s smallest structural units were cells. Then in 1670s, decades after, Dutch merchant named Anton van Leeuwenhoek made careful observations of microscopic organisms. Leeuwenhoek’s microscope that was created by him are composed of one lens. On 1674, Leeuwenhoek discovered bacteria, and he called them animalcules. Until his death in 1723, Leeuwenhoek revealed the microscopic world to scientist of the day and is regarded as one of the first to provide accurate descriptions of protozoa, fungi and bacteria. After he died, the microbiology did not develop rapidly because microscopes were rare, but on those years Francesco Redi disputed the theory of spontaneous generation, that microorganism arise from lifeless matter such as beef broth....
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...Van Leeuwenhoek’s discovery of microorganisms. He was one of the first people to observe microorganisms using microscope of his own design. Before Leeuwenhoek’s discovery of microorganisms, it had been a mystery why grapes could be turned into milk, wine and cheese, or why food would spoil. He did not make the connection between microorganisms and these processes, but by suing a microscope, Leeuwenhoek did establish that there were signs of life that were unable to see with naked eyes. Microbes are organisms that are too small and tiny to see without the aid of microscope, yet they are abundant on Earth. They live almost everywhere on earth where there is liquid water or even a tiny amount of moisture, including hot springs on the ocean floor, on human skin, deep inside rocks within the earth, in a cow’s stomach, and inside a sponge used for washing dishes. Microbes can be bacteria, archaea, fungi, or protists, but not prions and viruses, which are classified as non-living. Microbes are usually described as unicellular, or single-celled, organisms. However, some multicellular species are microscopic, and some unicellular protists are visible to the human eye. Many microorganisms are crucial to nutrient...
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...what a microbe is: * a microbe is a living organism that requires a microscope to be seen c. Where did microbes come from? Evolutionary origins, fossil evidence; prokaryotic cells eukaryotic cells * bacteria is the oldest known life form. Oldest datable geographical evidence was 3.8 bya * eukayotic cells arose from divergent prokaryotic lines. Endosymbioses came from mitochondria and chloroplasts. Unicellular types came from simple multicellular forms metazoans; significance of cyanobacterial ancestors * presence of cyanobacteria-like chains of cells in stomatolite fossils represent growth of cyanobacteria * cyanobacteria photosynthesize like plants; they use H2O to synthesize O2. d. Microbial taxonomy & phylogeny (3 domains: Archaea, Bacteria, & Eukarya ) * the 3 domains (bacteria, archaea, and eukaryotes) evolved from a common cell * Archaea and bacteria include prokaryotes * Eukarya includes algae, plants, fungi, animals, and protists eukaryotes * Monera includes all 3 domains i. Taxonomic groupings: microbes in the different kingdoms of those domains ii. Similarities & differences: eukaryotic & prokaryotic cells; genomes iii. Metagenomics e. Who are the microbes: bacteria/archaea/fungi/protists/viruses; characterize/describe these * Bacteria: cells lacking a nucleus * Fungi: are in eukarya domain. A heterotrophic eukaryote with chitinous cell walls. * Protist: single-celled eukaryotic microbe, usually...
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