Week 13: Reflection

I am so THRILLED that this class is almost over and that I'm graduating. I'm glad I picked microbiology as one of my last classes in college. The information that I learned from class will help me in my future career and in maintaining proper person hygiene. The labs that we did recently really helped me gain clinical experience of what a microbiologist would do. 

The labs showed me how diseases and conditions are tested for. Recently, I developed a sore throat from hay fever yet it persisted for another week. This had me thinking if my sore throat was really from allergic reactions. If I had the equipment and materials, I would know how to test what was causing my sore throat. I would swab the back of my throat and swab it on an agar plate and incubate it. Next, I would take a sample of the growth and conduct a gram-staining test and further testing after that. Microbiology taught me this and I am glad that I could learn these techniques and facts so that I can apply them to life. 

Week 12: Definitions

Hypersensitivity: Any immune response against a foreign antigen that is exaggerated beyond the norm. 

There are four types of hypersensitivity and it's associated diseases or conditions:

• Type I Hypersensitivity
• Allergies: An immediate hypersensitivity response against an antigen. 

• Type II Hypersensitivity
• Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura: Disease resulting when drugs bound to platelets bind antibodies and complement, causing the platelets to lyse. 

• Type III Hypersensitivity
• Glomerulonephritis: Deposition of immune complexes in the walls of the glomeruli--networks of minute blood vessels in the kidneys--that may result in kidney failure; typically caused by infection with group A Streptococcus. 

• Type IV Hypersensitivity
• Allergic Contact Dermatitis: Type of delayed hypersensitivity reaction in which chemically modified skin proteins trigger a cell-mediated immune response. 

*allergic contact dermatitis 

Week 11: Investigation

In our last class, we discussed two processes of cell destruction: apoptosis and necrosis.

Apoptosis is the body's normal process of cell destruction. Necrosis on the other hand is abnormal and is caused by genetic defects or mechanical injury. Unlike apoptosis, the necrotic process involves cell swelling and damaging cell organelles. Eventually, the cell erupts, spilling out the cell contents into the blood stream. This causes inflammation and other types of immunological affects that could lead to diseases and conditions. Apoptosis slowly shrinks the cell and its remnants undergo phagocytosis.

Week 10: Observation

I'm pretty sure I've used my piercings in my previous blogs, but they are actually pertinent to what I'm studying in my microbiology class. Recently, somebody gave me a tight hug which exerted pressure on my cartilage piercing. About three to four days after that, my piercing has been bothersome.

A couple of things occurred to my ear:

• redness
• warmth
• swelling
• pain
• itching
• bleeding
• discharge of yellow-white pus

After thinking about all of these bothersome things that happened after someone bumped into my piercing, I realized that this all consists of inflammatory responses. Inflammation is a component of the innate immune system which we are all born with. Whenever there is an infection, wound, or cut, inflammation is the body's normal response to killing whatever foreign pathogens came in contact with the location as well as to help repair whatever tissue was lost from the injury.

Week 9: Definitions

Chapter 14 - Innate Immunity

1) Innate Immunity - Resistance to pathogens conferred by barriers, chemicals, cells, and processes that remain unchanged upon subsequent infections with the same pathogens.

2) Leukocyte - White blood cell.

3) Plasma Cells - B cells that are actively fighting against exogenous antigens and secreting antibodies.

4) Phagocytes - Cells, often leukocytes, that are capable of phagocytosis (type of endocytosis in which solids are moved into the cell).

5) Differential White Blood Cell Count - Lab technique that indicates the relative numbers of leukocytes.


*red blood cells surrounding a white blood cell

Week 8: Reflection

Last week when I was studying for my microbiology exam, I took a break and went to a restaurant with my cousins for dinner. Our waiter seated us close to the kitchen door and we were able to see to food being prepared. Along with the stoves and ovens, we were able to see huge sinks and faucets that were filled with dirty dishes, utensils, and cooking pans.

Comparing the cleaning process of dishes and utensils at a restaurant and the cleaning process at home is different. In a public area, such as a restaurant, the process of killing germs and microbes is known as sanitization. In a general area, such as a sink inside your kitchen, the process of killing germs and microbes is known as disinfection.

Sanitization kills 99.9% of bacteria in under 30 seconds and must pass the Official Detergent Sanitizer Test. Disinfection kills bacteria in under 10 minutes.

Week 7: Investigation

At my internship in a pediatrician's office at Washington Adventist University, I stood in and watched the doctor perform a throat culture on a young boy. The procedure was done with a swab (a larger version of a q-tip).

The procedure is quite simple: the patient opens his or her mouth and the doctor uses a tongue depressor so that he or she can have a better view of the back of the throat. Next, the doctor takes a swab and rubs it along the back of the patient's throat for a few seconds. After the swabbing is completed, the swab is concealed in a bag and is sent to the laboratory for testing.

The purpose of swabbing is to gather the secretions created by the throat and mouth that may have bacteria or foreign pathogens. The laboratory bag serves the purpose of blocking off foreign particles that might come in contact (via direct, liquid, or air) and prevents contamination. Once the swab is sent to the lab, the technicians use the same swab and rubs it in a petri-dish to be incubated. After the incubation period, the growth in the dish will determine if there were any foreign pathogens present and if so, what type of pathogen it was.

Typical diseases that can be diagnosed by a throat swab include strep throat, tonsillitis, and pneumonia.