General Microbiology Lab Report

2015

PURPOSE: To provide a forum for discussion of microbiology issues in the pharmaceutical and related industry. The information contained in this newsletter includes the professional opinions of individuals and does not represent the policies or operations of any corporation or government agency to which they may be associated. PMF Newsletter is intended to serve as an open forum. The information in PMF Newsletter is solely for informational purposes and is developed from sources believed to be reliable. Statements expressed constitute current opinions derived through analysis of available information and professional networking. Articles or opinions are for infor-mation only to stimulate discussion and are not necessarily the views of the PMF board or regulatory agencies. The PMF Newsletter cannot make any representations as to the accuracy or completeness of the information presented and the publisher cannot be held liable for errors.

2015

In many scientific studies, researchers have used many unknown bacteria. The time required for reporting and identifying these bacteria must be evaluated. Biochemical tests are a conventional and inexpensive means of identifying bacteria. That is why many researchers prefer to apply these techniques in identifying microorganisms, instead of opting for newer techniques like polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Although identification of bacteria via biochemical tests is a well-known procedure among microbiologists, it consists of many complex procedures, making it very difficult for experts in other fields of study , such as environmentalists, chemists, or even biotechnologists and biologists, to evaluate given the lack of a quickly available, short, and simple reference manual. The goal of this paper is to present a systematic procedure that is completely understandable and applicable for researchers who are not familiar with microbiology or its relevant techniques.

This standard and internationally known reference manual for the identification of medically important bacteria, Cowan and Steel, occupies an essential place at the bench of all medical microbiologists. The material in this new edition, which follows the successful pattern of previous editions, has been extensively revised, and is suitable for use in all medical bacteriology laboratories using traditional diagnostic methods.

The purpose of this lab was to use and practice aseptic and microbiology techniques when performing experiments in a microbiology lab settings such as the streak plate technique, which produces isolated colonies from a concentrated suspension of cells. Another objective for this lab was to understand that there are microorganisms present everywhere in the environment and the importance of using aseptic techniques when completing laboratory methods to avoid contamination. Several methods were used for this lab including aseptic techniques such as inoculation using a sterile inoculation loop and a sterile pipette, the streak plate technique using both agar slopes and plates, dilution series method, and pour plate and spread plate technique.

In this article, we will discuss the investigation of microbiological laboratory findings (a.k.a. microbiological data deviations - MDD). Two main components contributing to the difficulties of these investigations will receive special attention- the components of Time and Laboratory Error. Following this discussion and the suggested approach to be used to minimize their affects, we will discuss the investigation itself. This will be a general discussion of investigations as a concern for the QC microbiology laboratory.

The critical role of the microbiology laboratory in infectious disease diagnosis calls for a close, positive working relationship between the physician and the microbiologists who provide enormous value to the health care team. This document, developed by both laboratory and clinical experts, provides information on which tests are valuable and in which contexts, and on tests that add little or no value for diagnostic decisions. Sections are divided into anatomic systems, including Bloodstream Each section contains introductory concepts, a summary of key points, and detailed tables that list suspected agents; the most reliable tests to order; the samples (and volumes) to collect in order of preference; specimen transport devices, procedures, times, and temperatures; and detailed notes on specific issues regarding the test methods, such as when tests are likely to require a specialized laboratory or have prolonged turnaround times. There is redundancy among the tables and sections, as many agents and assay choices overlap. The document is intended to serve as a reference to guide physicians in choosing tests that will aid them to diagnose infectious diseases in their patients.

2013

This experiment displays a common method for indentifying an unknown microbial species-biochemical characterization. A series of biochemical tests were performed on an unknown species of enterobacteriaceae and the results were compared to results of the same tests as previously performed and recorded on various other organisms. The biochemical tests that are discussed in detail below provide information about the unique biochemical processes that a microbe possesses. In this experiment we tested for sugar fermentation, citrate utilization, mixed acid fermentation, 2,3-butanediol fermentation, nitrate reduction, phenylalanine deamination, urea hydrolysis, gelatin hydrolysis, sulfur reduction, motility, and indole production. Each of these tests has unique media and reagents that are used to visualize and interpret the results. The results from this experiment provided sufficient evidence to conclude that the unknown species was indeed Enterobacter aerogenes and many enzymes that work within this organism were displayed and confirmed.