A Comparison of Bacterial Sensitivity between a Range of Bacteria and Two Antimicrobial Agents
Microbiology is a branch of science and was founded by Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek in 1679, which is now known as the father of microbiology. He discovered miniscule organisms after his close observation of water. This along with the invention of the microscope instigated a new branch of science was founded, microbiology. Microbiology is the study of micro-organisms which includes virology (study of viruses), bacteriology (study of bacteria), parasitology (study of parasites) and mycology (study of fungi). Now we know through extensive research that this branch of science includes both unicellular and cell cluster microscopic organisms. Prokaryotic cells make up the Achaea and bacteria, and the fungi and protists consist of Eukaryotic cells. Bacteria are prokaryotes; they are commonly unicellular and are short of a cell nucleus. They consist of the essential organelles such as cytoplasm, plasma membrane, a cell wall and ribosomes.
Bacteriology is a subdivision of microbiology, and involves locating, distinguishing and categorizing bacteria. Bacteria generally range from 0.1 to 600 μm and have a variety of shapes, the three common ones being Bacilli (rod shaped), Cocci (spherical) and Spiralli (spiral). Bacteria reproduce through binary fission, meaning that they duplicate via splitting into two bacteria.
Figure 1: Three shapes of bacteria
There are many pathogenic bacteria, those of which have the potential to cause disease, both fatal and contagious. Though they are usually carried by vectors, pathogenic bacteria are found all over the world in a variety of climates, this includes in and on our own bodies. Some infectious bacteria cause disease for the sole purpose of the multiplication of their bacterial species. This being said, not all bacteria are injurious or damaging with the majority benefitting the environment and our bodies. The majority of microorganisms that reside in our bodies are there in order to combat damaging viruses and/or bacteria. Infectious diseases are also known as transmissible diseases. The transmission of pathogens between organism to organism can occur in multiple ways such as direct physical contact, objects, body fluid, inhalation, contaminated foods or through vectors. Vectors are any organisms (people, animal etc) that carry and have the potential to transmit an infectious pathogen into another being. Vectors are generally arthropods; these include flies, mosquitoes, fleas, and ticks. An example of this is Ross River Virus (RRV). It is a non-lethal but incapacitating disease that is arbovirus, and is the result of a mosquito vector.
Bacterial sensitivity is a term used to describe the proneness of bacteria to antimicrobial agents. When a bacterium is susceptive to an antibacterial property then an area of inhibition is present and
