Term | Definition |
bacilli | bacteria that have a rod shape |
cocci | bacteria that have a round shape |
colony | a mass of bacteria growing on a solid culture medium that have arisen from the multiplication of a single bacterium |
contagious | capable of being transmitted directly or indirectly from one person to another |
culture | the propagation of a mass of microorgnaisms in a laboraty culture medium |
culture medium | a mixture of nutrients on which microorganisms are grown in the laboraty |
false-negative | a test result denoting that a condition is absent when it is actually present |
false-positive | a test result denoting that a condition is present when it is actually absent |
fastidious | extremely delicate, difficult to culture, and involving specialized growth requirements |
immunization | the process of becoming protected from a disease through vaccination |
incubate | in microbiology, the act of placing a culture in a chamber that provides optimal growth requirements for the multiplication of the organisms, such as proper temperature, humidity , and darkeness. |
incubation period | the interval of tie between the invasion by a pathogenic microorganism and the appearance of first symptoms of the disease. |
infectious disease | a disease caused by a pathogen that produces harmful effects on its host |
inoculate | to introduce microorganisms into a culture medium for growth and multiplication |
microbiology | the scientific study of microotgansims and their activites |
mucous membrane | a membrane lining body passages or cavities that open to the outside |
normal flora | harmless, nonpathogenic microorganisms that normally reside in many parts of the body but do not cause disease |
resistance | the naurtal ability of an organism to remain unaffected by harmful substances in its environment |
sequela | a morbid (secindary) condition occuring as a result of a less serious primary infection |
smear | material spread on a slide for microscopic examination |
specimen | a small sample or part taken from the body to show the nature of the whole |
spirilla | bacteria that have a spiral or curved shape |
Streaking | in microbiology, the process of inoculating a culture to provide for the growth of colonies on the surface of a soild medium. Streaking is accomplished by skimming a wire inoculating loop that contains the specimen across the surface of the medium. |
streptolysin | an exotxin produced by beta-hemolytic streptococci, which completely hemolyzes red blood cells |
susceptible | easily affected, lasking resistance |