D) Microbiology terminologies
1. Aerobes: An organism that can live in the presence of
oxygen
2. Aerobic bacteria: Bacteria requiring oxygen for growth
3. Anaerobic: An organism which can live in the absence of
free oxygen
4. Antigen: Substance that can incite the production of
specific antibody and that can combine with that antibody.
5. Antibody: Protein that is produced by animals in response
to the presence of an antigen and that can combine specifically with that
antigen.
6. Antiseptic: Agent that kills or inhibits microbial growth
but is not harmful to human tissue.
7. Antibiotic: Organic substance produced by one species or
organism that in low concentrations will kill or inhibit growth of certain
other organisms.
8. Antibacterial agents: Agents that kill or inhibit the
growth of bacteria.
9. Antimicrobial agents: Chemical or biological agents that
kill or inhibit the growth of microorganisms.
10. Antiviral agents: Substances capable of destroying or
inhibiting the reproduction of viruses.
11. Antifungal agents: Agents that kill or inhibit the
growth and reproduction of fungus.
12. Asepsis: Free of pathogen and absent of the
microorganisms.
13. Antitoxin: Substances that can react with that toxin and
neutralize the toxin.
14. Bacteraemia: The presence of bacteria in the blood stream.
15. Commensal: Living on or within another organism and deriving
benefit without harming or benefiting the host individual.
16. Culture medium: A liquid or solidified nutrient material
that is suitable for the cultivation of a microorganism.
17. Culture: To encourage the growth of particular
microorganisms under controlled condition.
18. Disinfection: To
cleanse so as to destroy or prevent the growth of disease-carrying microorganisms.
19. Endogenous infection: An infection that caused by an
infectious agent that is already present in the body, but has previously been
in apparent or dormant.
20. Fomite: A non-living object that can spread infection.
21. Immunity: The body’s defence against a particular microorganism.
22. Immunization: A
process that produces immunity.
23. Immunoglobulin (Ig): Is an antibody.
24. Nosocomial infection: An infection acquired while in the
hospital.
25. Pathogen: Any disease producing agents or microorganisms
to cause disease.
26. Septicemia: A condition in which an infectious agents is distributed throughout the body via the blood stream.
27. Susceptible host: Is any person who is at risk for
infection.
28. Sterilization: The process of destroying all form of
microbial life on and object or in a material.
29. Toxemia: The presence of toxins in blood.
30. Toxoids: Inactivated bacterial toxins.
31. Vaccine: A preparations of antigens used for
vaccination. Is a suspension of microbes.