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==Introduction==
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{{frontpage
 
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|pagetitle =Bacteria Overview
A  typical bacterial cell is composed of an outer capsule, a cell wall, a  cell membrane, cytoplasm containing nuclear material and ifmotile,  appendages such as flagella and fimbrae or pili. Some species of  bacteria are more resistant to environmental influences than others,  particularly those species of bacteria that are able to produce spores  which can remain inactive until the appropriate environmental conditions  prevail allowing the bacteria to resist conditions such as freezing,  wet, dry or hot
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|pagebody =A  typical bacterial cell is composed of an outer capsule, a cell wall, a  cell membrane, cytoplasm containing nuclear material and, if motile,  appendages such as flagella and fimbrae or pili. Some species of  bacteria are more resistant to environmental influences than others,  particularly those species of bacteria that are able to produce spores  which can remain inactive until the appropriate environmental conditions  prevail allowing the bacteria to resist conditions such as freezing,  wet, dry or hot
 
conditions.<br />
 
conditions.<br />
 
The structural  features of pathogenic bacteria are important in the production of  disease and also very useful for the identification and diagnosis of  infection in veterinary medicine.<br />
 
The structural  features of pathogenic bacteria are important in the production of  disease and also very useful for the identification and diagnosis of  infection in veterinary medicine.<br />
==Structure of Bacterial Cell==
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|contenttitle =Content
===Capsule===
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|contentbody =<big><b>
 
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<categorytree mode=pages>Bacteria - Overview</categorytree>
The  outermost part of a bacterial cell is the capsule, often described as  the glycocalyx. Most capsules are composed of polysaccharides, although  in some species the capsule is made of polypeptides. Capsules can be  visualised
 
under light microscopy by using staining techniques.<br />
 
The  main function of bacterial capsules is to provide protection from  adverse environmental conditions, prolonging the period of survival in  such conditions. The capsule also facilitates adherence to surfaces and  interferes with host cells involved in phagocytosis.<br />
 
 
 
===Cell Wall===
 
 
 
[[Image:478px-Bacteria  cell wall svg- franciscosp2.png|thumb|right|100px|'''Structure of cell  wall''' Franciscop2 2008, WikiMedia Commons]]
 
 
 
The cell  wall lies between the cell membrane (inner) and the capsule (outer) and  protects the bacteria from mechanical damage and osmotic lysis. Cell  walls are non-selectively permeable and are only able to exclude large  molecules. Species dependant differences in the structural and chemical  composition of the cell wall creates variation in the pathogenicity of  the cell and also influences the staining properties of the cell which  is important for species identification. Peptidoglycan (a polymer unique  to prokaryotic cells) provides the cell wall with rigidity.  <br  />
 
Bacteria can be divided into two major groups on the basis  of the colour of the cell wall when stained using the Gram Method. The  groups are called “Gram Positive” and “Gram Negative”. Gram positive  bacteria stain blue and have a thick cell wall composed mainly of  peptidoglycan and teichoic acids. Gram negative bacteria stain red and  their walls have a much more complex structure containing
 
an outer  membrane, a periplasmic space and an inner membrane. For further  information on the structure of both types of cell wall please see  [[Bacterial_Structure|''Bacterial structure'']]<br />
 
Antibiotic  treatments such as penicillin interefere with the ability of the  bacterial cell to produce peptidoglycan and therefore cannot produce  their cell wall making them more vulnerable to the environment.<br  />
 
===Cytoplasmic Membrane===
 
 
 
Bacterial  cytoplasmic membranes are flexible structures composed of phospholipids  and proteins and are similar to the lipid bi-layer membranes found in  eukaryotic cells. Only a limited number of small molecules such as  water, carbon dioxide and lipid-soluable compounds can enter bacterial  cells by passive diffusion. Nutrients and waste metabolites are  transferred via active transport using ATP (adenosine  triphosphate).<br />
 
The cytoplasmic membrane is also the site of electron transport for bacterial respiration and also contains enzymes and carrier
 
molecules that function in the biosynthesis of DNA, cell wall polymers and membrane lipids.<br />
 
===Cytoplasm===
 
 
 
The  cytoplasm is enclosed by the cytoplasmic membrane and is an aqueous  fluid containing nuclear material, ribosomes, nutrients and the enzymes  involved in most cellular functions. Storage granules can often be seen  in the cytoplasm under certain environmental conditions. Storage  granules mainly contain starch and glycogen.<br />
 
===Nuclear Material===
 
 
 
The  bacterial genome is composed if a single haploid circular chromosome  containing double-stranded DNA (dsDNA). Bacterial genomes
 
vary in  size depending on species but often has a folded structure to form a  dense body which is visible using a scanning electron microscope. During  replication the DNA helix unwinds and both daughter cells (produced by  binary fission) receive
 
a copy of the original genome.<br />
 
The  cytoplasm also contains Plasmids. Plasmids are small circular pieces of  DNA that are separate from the genome and are capable of autonomous  replication. Several different plasmids can be within the cytoplasm of a  single bacteria. Plasmids
 
can be transferred between bacteria  during binary fission or through a process called conjugation. Plasmid  DNA codes for characteristics including antibiotic resistance and  endotoxin production.<br />
 
 
 
===Flagella & Pili/Fimbrae===
 
 
 
Motile  bacteria have flagella allowing them to move into suitable  micro-environments in response to physical or chemical stimuli. It is  mainly gram negative bacteria that possess flagella and they are rarely  present in cocci species. Flagella are normally several times longer  than the bacterial cell and are composed of the protein flagellin.  Flagella are usually anchored
 
to the cell wall.<br />
 
Pili  are straight, hair-like appendages composed of pilin and also anchored  to the cell wall. Pili are most common on gram negative
 
bacteria. In pathogenic bacteria pili function as adhesions for receptors on mammalian cells. <br />
 
===Endospores===
 
 
 
Endospores  are dormant bodies that are highly resistant to the environment. The  only genera of pathogenic bacteria that are able to
 
produce  endospores are Bacillus and Clostridium. Endospores have a “spore coat”  and are effectively in a dehydrated state with negligible metabolic  activity. Due to the thermostability of endospores they can only be  destroyed with certainty by moist heat at 121C for 15 mins.<br />
 
An  endospore will reactivate in response to environmental factors such as  exposure to heat, abrasion of the spore coat or environmental acidity.  Reactivation occurs in three stages; activation, initiation and  outgrowth. In the correct conditions, germination will occur in which  the spore coat is degraded and water is absorbed.<br />
 
==Bacterial Growth and Measurement==
 
===Bacterial Growth===
 
 
 
 
 
Appropriate environmental conditions are needed for bacterial growth including moisture, pH, temperature, osmotic pressure,
 
atmosphere  and nutrients. The time required for the production of daughter cells  (generation time) is dependant on genetic and  nutritional factors.  Generation time can range from 20 mins to 20 hours.<br />
 
===Bacterial Nutrition===
 
 
 
 
 
Bacterial  growth requires nutrients to be available in the immediate environment.  Bacteria are mainly chemoheterotrophs (using organic chemicals as  energy). Specialised forms of agar plate containing different types of  media have been developed to facilitate bacterial growth in controlled  specific conditions.  Therefore it is possible to determine the species  of bacteria based on, amongst other things, the type of media they are  able to grow on.<br />
 
Most pathogenic bacteria can be grown  on a nutrient medium at 37C, although they can grow between 20-45C.  Most bacteria also grow optimally at a neutral pH and it is standard  practice to buffer culture media so maintain it around pH 7. Another key  determinant in bacterial growth is their preference for different types  of atmosphere. Bacterial preference for oxygen means it is possible to  assign all bacteria into four main groups; aerobes, anaerobes,  facultative anaerobes and microaerophiles. Therefore anaerobic bacteria  are unable to grow in an atmosphere containing oxygen.<br />
 
 
 
===Methods for Counting bacteria===
 
 
 
{|border="2"  width="800px" align="center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4"  rules="all" style="margin:1em 1em 1em 0; border:solid 1px #AAAAAA;  border-collapse:collapse;empty-cells:show"
 
!bgcolor="#A7C1F2" width="100px"|Method
 
!bgcolor="#A7C1F2" width="250px"|Technique       
 
!bgcolor="#A7C1F2" width="250px"|Comments
 
|-
 
 
 
!align="left" bgcolor="#F2F2F2"|''Microscopic Counting''
 
 
 
|bgcolor="#F2F2F2"|
 
 
 
|bgcolor="#F2F2F2"|
 
|-
 
!align="left" |Direct Smear
 
|Smear on microscope slide from defined volume and dilution. Count performed using 50 microscope fields.
 
|Slow and unreliable method and cannot differentiate viable and non-viable bacteria
 
|-
 
!align="left" bgcolor="#F2F2F2"|Chamber Counting
 
|bgcolor="#F2F2F2"|Count fixed volume of bacterial suspension using a calibrated slide
 
|bgcolor="#F2F2F2"|No differentiation between viable and non-viable bacteria
 
|-
 
!align="left"|''Colony Counting''
 
|
 
|
 
|-
 
!align="left" bgcolor="#F2F2F2"|Spread Plate
 
|bgcolor="#F2F2F2"|Known vol of bacterial suspension spread onto agar plate and incubated for 24-48 hours
 
|bgcolor="#F2F2F2"|Number of colonies counted and expressed as colony-forming units (CFU)/ml of suspension
 
 
 
|-
 
 
 
 
 
!align="left"|Pour Plate
 
|A small vol of a known bactrial dilution is added to a petri dish with 20ml of molton agar at 45-48C and mixed
 
|Colony counting carried out as above.
 
|-
 
 
 
!align="left" bgcolor="#F2F2F2"|Miles-Misra
 
|bgcolor="#F2F2F2"|Diluted bacterial solution placed on plate in 5 seperate positions
 
|bgcolor="#F2F2F2"|Number of colonies counted and expressed as colony-forming units (CFU)/ml of suspension
 
|-
 
 
 
!align="left"|Membrane Filtration
 
|Following  filtration of a known vol of bacterial dilution through a 0.22um pore  size, filter is placed on an agar plate and incubated for 24-48 hours
 
|The number of viable bacteria are expressed as CFU/ml of fluid
 
|-
 
 
 
 
 
!align="left" bgcolor="#F2F2F2"|''Other Counting Methods''
 
|bgcolor="#F2F2F2"|
 
|bgcolor="#F2F2F2"|
 
|-
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
!align="left"|Opacity Tubes
 
|A bacterial suspension is matched visually with Mcfarland's opacity standard tubes
 
|This test indicates the total bacterial cell numbers per ml
 
|-
 
 
 
 
 
!align="left" bgcolor="#F2F2F2"|Electronic Counting
 
|bgcolor="#F2F2F2"|Counting machines such as the  Coulter Counter can give rapid and accurate results
 
|bgcolor="#F2F2F2"|Reliability of results is dependant on quality control and test only gives a total cell count.
 
|-
 
 
 
|}
 
{|width="700px" align="center"
 
{{citation
 
|initiallast = Quinn et al.
 
|initialfirst =P.J.
 
|2last =
 
|2first =
 
|3last =
 
|3first =
 
|year = 2002
 
|title = Veterinary Microbiology and Microbial Disease
 
|ed =
 
|city = Oxford
 
|pub = Blackwell Science Limited
 
|range = Bacterial Counting Techniques, P13
 
}}
 
|}
 
 
 
==Bacterial Genetics==
 
===Replication of Bacteria===
 
Bacteria  are haploid and have one circular chromosome of double stranded DNA.  Bacteria replicate through binary fission producing genetically  identical daughter cells. Each molecule of DNA in the daughter cells is  composed of a strand from the parent and a newly synthesised  complementary strand. This process of DNA replication is called  semiconservative replication.<br />
 
===Plasmids===
 
Plasmids  are small pieces of genetic material found in the cytoplasm and these  plasmids are able to replicate independantly of the bacterial  chromosome. Most species of bacteria contain plasmids that are composed  of double stranded DNA which are circular in shape. In pathogenic  bacteria it is often the plasmid that encodes virulence factors and  traits such as antibiotic resistance. <br />
 
Replication of  most plasmids is not directly related to the replication of the host  bacterium and it has been found that the distribution of plasmids to  daughter cells is a random process as plasmids in the cytoplasm may or  may not be transferred when the cytoplasm of the cell is seperated prior  to forming the daughter cells. <br />
 
Bacterial plasmids  can not only be transferred during bacterial replication but also via  processes called conjugation and transformation (although the  transformation process rarely occurs in nature).
 
===Bacteriophages===
 
A  bacteriophage is a term used to describe a virus that is able to infect  a bacterial cell and they can be either virulent or temperate depending  on their method of replication. Virulent bacteriophages undergo a lytic  cycle within the bacterium which eventually results in the production  of bacteriophage progeny from the cell and the lysis of the bacterium.  <br />
 
A bacteriophage can be composed of either DNA or RNA  and iehter single or double stranded. The capsid (outer protective  layer) of the bacteriophage often remains outside the bacterial cell  after the viral nucleic material has entered the cell cytoplasm. The  host specificity of bacteriophages is related to the chemical affinity  between attachment structures on the surface of the bacteriophage capsid  and the receptors on the surface of the bacterium. <br />
 
===Genetic Variation===
 
Genetic  variation can occur in a number of ways and the genotype of the  bacteria determines its inheritable potential. Below are the main ways  that genetic mutation can occur in bacteria;
 
<br />
 
<br />
 
'''Mutation'''
 
<br />
 
A  mutation is a stable inheritable alteration in the bacterial genome.  This means that base pairs within a gene are altered. Genes with altered  base pairs may, or may not, depending on the mutation be functional or  can incorrectly code for an amino acid in a protein resulting in a  phenotypic change rather than simply a gene alteration. The type of  mutations occurring in bacteria are silent, non-sense, mis-sense, frame  shift, deletion of base pairs, insertions, translocations and  inversions.
 
<br />
 
<br />
 
'''Genetic Recombination'''
 
<br />
 
Genetic  recombination occurs when sequences of DNA from seperate sources become  integrated. This new genetic material can be introduced via  conjugation, transduction and transformation.
 
<br />
 
<br />
 
''Conjugation''
 
<br />
 
Conjugation  represents the process whereby DNA is transferred from a donor cell to a  recipient cell. The donor cell synthesises a modified "pilus" which the  donor cell inserts into the recipient cell. This is often called a sex  pilus. Genetic material is then transferred through the pilus to the  recipient. During conjugation, plasmid genetic material is mostly  transferred, although chromosomal DNA can also be transferred via this  process. Conjugation is most frequently associated with gram negative  bacteria, but can occur in some gram positive bacteria. A sex pilus is  not formed in gram positive bacteria and instead plasmid DNA is  transferred when the bacteria are in close physical contact.
 
<br />
 
<br />
 
''Tranduction''
 
<br />
 
During  transduction, DNA from a donor bacterium is incorporated into the  nucleic acid of a bacteriophage and it is the progeny of the  bacteriophage infecting another bacterium that allows the transfer of  the genetic material.
 
<br />
 
<br />
 
''Transformation''
 
<br />
 
The  process of transformation involves the transfer of genes from a segment  of chromosomal DNA from a lysed donor bacterium to a fully functional  recipient. Natural transformation is uncommon and is usually restricted  to propcedures carried out in the lab.
 
<br />
 
==Laboratory Diagnosis of Bacterial Disease==
 
 
 
Laboratory  techniques are often required for identifying the aetiological agent  and/or the antimicrobial susceptibility of pathogens. It should be noted  that any laboratory analysis should be accompanied by a full clinical  examination and history.
 
<br />
 
===Identification of Pathogenic Bacteria===
 
 
 
Pathogenic  bacteria can be identified by the examination of stained smears,  cultural and biochemical characteristics and detection by immunological  and molecular methods.
 
<br />
 
===Stained Smears===
 
 
 
There  are a number of different routine methods used to stain bacteria for  examination on a microscope slide. Gram stain smears are rapid and able  to detect bacteria in large numbers and is often used for a 'rough and  ready' analysis of tissue samples. Below is a table showing most of the  main stains;
 
<br />
 
 
 
 
{|border="2"  width="800px" align="center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4" rules="all"  style="margin:1em 1em 1em 0; border:solid 1px #AAAAAA;  border-collapse:collapse;empty-cells:show"
 
!bgcolor="#A7C1F2" width="150px"|Staining Method
 
!bgcolor="#A7C1F2" width="500px"|Comments       
 
|-
 
 
 
!align="left" bgcolor="#F2F2F2"|Gram Stain
 
 
 
|bgcolor="#F2F2F2"|Most  common in bacterial smears. The stain contains crystal violet which is  retained in the cell wall of the bacterium. Gram positive bacteria are  blue and gram negative bacteria do not retain the crystal violet and  appear red, the colour of the counterstain.
 
|-
 
!align="left"|Giemsa
 
|Used to identify ''Dermatophilus congolensis'', rickettsiae and ''Borrelia'' species which stain blue.
 
|-
 
!align="left" bgcolor="#F2F2F2"|Dilute carbol fuchsin
 
|bgcolor="#F2F2F2"|Used  for identifying ''Campylobacter'' species, ''Brachyspira'' species and  ''Fusobacterium'' species which stain red.
 
|-
 
!align="left"|Polychrome methylene blue
 
|Used to identify ''Bacillus anthracis'' in blood smears which stain blue with distinctive pink capsules
 
|-
 
!align="left" bgcolor="#F2F2F2"|Ziehl-Neelsen stain
 
|bgcolor="#F2F2F2"|Red staining bacteria are described as acid-fast or Ziehl-Neelsen positive
 
|-
 
 
 
|}
 
{|width="700px" align="center"
 
{{citation
 
|initiallast = Quinn et al.
 
|initialfirst =P.J.
 
|2last =
 
|2first =
 
|3last =
 
|3first =
 
|year = 2002
 
|title = Veterinary Microbiology and Microbial Disease
 
|ed =
 
|city = Oxford
 
|pub = Blackwell Science Limited
 
|range = Bacterial Counting Techniques, P23
 
}}
 
|}
 
<br>
 
 
 
===Bacterial Culture===
 
 
 
As  noted above, the selection of the culture medium, atmospheric  conditions and pH are among many variables that need to be considered  for the successful culture of bacteria in the lab. A routine culture  undertaken involves using a combination of blood agar (see below) and  MacConkey agar (see below) together with incubation for between  24-48hours. Blood agar is able top support most pathogenic species of  bacteria and is usually appropriate for routine primary isolation.  Selective media is then normally used for particular organisms.
 
<br />
 
<br />
 
Agar  plates should be inoculated using a streaking technique facilitating  growth of isolated colonies. The aseptic technique of inoculation should  also be used to prevent contamination.
 
<br />
 
<br />
 
Below is a table detailing the main types of medium used in bacterial culture;
 
<br /> 
 
{|border="2"  width="800px" align="center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4"  rules="all" style="margin:1em 1em 1em 0; border:solid 1px #AAAAAA;  border-collapse:collapse;empty-cells:show"
 
!bgcolor="#A7C1F2" width="150px"|Medium
 
!bgcolor="#A7C1F2" width="500px"|Comments       
 
|-
 
!align="left" bgcolor="#F2F2F2"|Nutrient Agar
 
|bgcolor="#F2F2F2"|Most  commonly used basic medium. Non-fastidious bacteria (unable to produce  their own vitamins) can grow on this medium. This medium is also  suitable for demonstrating colonial morphology and pigment production.  This type of agar is also commonly used as part of bacterial counting  techniques as described above.
 
|-
 
!align="left"|Blood Agar
 
|This  medium contains blood and is able to support the growth of pathogenic  bacteria. This medium also allows the recognition of bacterial  haemolysin production
 
|-
 
!align="left" bgcolor="#F2F2F2"|MacConkey Agar
 
|bgcolor="#F2F2F2"|A  selective medium containing bile which is useful for the isolation of  enterobacteria and other gram negative bacteria. This medium also allows  differentiation of lactose and non-lactose fermenting species. Colonies  of lactose fermenters turn the surrounding medium pink as the medium  also has a pH indicator.
 
|-
 
!align="left"|Selenite broth, Rappaport-Vassiliadis Broth
 
|Selective enriched medium used to isolate salmonellae from samples containing other gram negative enteric organisms
 
|-
 
!align="left" bgcolor="#F2F2F2"|Edwards Medium
 
|bgcolor="#F2F2F2"|A blood agar based selective medium used for the isolation and recognition of steptococci
 
|-
 
 
 
!align="left"|Chocolate Agar
 
|Heat-treated  chocolate agar which provides special growth factors for the isolation  of ''Haemophilus'' species and for the culture of ''Taylorella  equigenitalis''.
 
|-
 
 
 
!align="left" bgcolor="#F2F2F2"|Brilliant green agar
 
|bgcolor="#F2F2F2"|Indicator  medium for the presumptive identification of ''Salmonella'' species.  Salmonella colonies and surrounding medium have a pink appearence.
 
|-
 
 
 
!align="left"|Buffered peptone water
 
|Non-selective  medium used for isolation of pathogens when present in low numbers in  samples collected from foods and environmental sources
 
|-
 
|}
 
{|width="700px" align="center"
 
{{citation
 
|initiallast = Quinn et al.
 
|initialfirst =P.J.
 
|2last =
 
|2first =
 
|3last =
 
|3first =
 
|year = 2002
 
|title = Veterinary Microbiology and Microbial Disease
 
|ed =
 
|city = Oxford
 
|pub = Blackwell Science Limited
 
|range = Bacterial Counting Techniques, P24
 
}}
 
|}
 
<br>
 
 
 
===Biochemical techniques===
 
 
 
Biochemical  tests relate to the catabolic activities of bacteria and use this to  demonstrate the utilisation of particular substrates. The range of  sugars utilised by bacteria is relatively small and therefore catabolism  of sugars is often used as a method of identification. Commercial  testing kits are available which usually consist of a strip of plastic  cupules containing a test to which a suspension of the bacterium is  added. The identity of the bacteria is then deduced from the pattern of  the various cupules.
 
<br />
 
<br />
 
Below is a table of the commonly used biochemical tests;
 
<br>
 
  
{|border="2"  width="800px" align="center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4"  rules="all" style="margin:1em 1em 1em 0; border:solid 1px #AAAAAA;  border-collapse:collapse;empty-cells:show"
 
!bgcolor="#A7C1F2" width="100px"|Test
 
!bgcolor="#A7C1F2" width="250px"|Pathogens       
 
!bgcolor="#A7C1F2" width="250px"|Comments
 
|-
 
  
!align="left" bgcolor="#F2F2F2"|CAMP Reaction
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</b></big>
|bgcolor="#F2F2F2"|''Steptococcus  agalactiae'', ''Rhodococcus equi'', ''Actinobacillus  pleuropneumoniae'', ''Listeria monocytogenes''
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|logo =Bacteria logo.jpg
|bgcolor="#F2F2F2"|Haemolysis  caused by ''Staphylococcus aureus'' is enhanced by pathogenic bacteria  growing close to staphylococcal colonies
 
|-
 
!align="left" |Pitting of Loeffler's serum slope
 
|''Arcanobacterium pyogenes''
 
|Proteolytic digestion of the medium around colonies
 
|-
 
!align="left" bgcolor="#F2F2F2"|Haem-agglutination
 
|bgcolor="#F2F2F2"|''Bordetella bronchiseptica''
 
|bgcolor="#F2F2F2"|Agglutination of suspended ovine red blood cells by the bacteria
 
|-
 
!align="left"|Nagler Test
 
|''Clostridium perfringens''
 
|Breakdown  of lecithin in egg yolk agar by alpha toxin (lecithinase) produced by  the organism. Surface application of antitoxin inhibits the alpha toxin  activity
 
|-
 
|}
 
{|width="700px" align="center"
 
{{citation
 
|initiallast = Quinn et al.
 
|initialfirst =P.J.  
 
|2last =
 
|2first =
 
|3last =
 
|3first =
 
|year = 2002
 
|title = Veterinary Microbiology and Microbial Disease
 
|ed =
 
|city = Oxford
 
|pub = Blackwell Science Limited
 
|range = Bacterial Counting Techniques, P25
 
 
}}
 
}}
|}
 
<br />
 
<br />
 
 
===Immunological Techniques===
 
 
Immunological  identification or serotyping uses the surface antigens on bacteria.  Fluorescent antibody staining, antigen capture and direct enzyme-linked  immunosorbent assays (ELISA) have been developed to identify bacterial  pathogens. In all of these techniques the bacteria is bound by a  specific antibody which has some form of indicator attached such as  colour change enzymes or fluorescence.
 
<br />
 
<br />
 
===Bacteriophage Typing===
 
 
Some  bacteriophages are very species specific and therefore phage typing  represents another method that can be used to identify species of  bacteria. This method allows bacterial species to be sub-divided into  subtypes which are defined by their susceptibility to particular phages.  Phage typing is commonly used to differentiate between ''Staphylococcus  aureus'' and ''Salmonella enterica'' sub species.
 
<br />
 
<br />
 
 
===Molecular Techniques===
 
The  most common molecular technique used to identify species of pathogenic  bacteria are nucleic acid hybridisation and polymerase chain reactions  (PCR). Nucleic acid hybridisation uses synthetic nucleic acid probes  (specific for a particular species) that are applied to genetic material  extracted from the pathogen. Probes can be used to detect DNA and RNA.
 
[[Category:Bacteria|A]]
 

Latest revision as of 10:47, 24 August 2010

Bacteria Overview

A typical bacterial cell is composed of an outer capsule, a cell wall, a cell membrane, cytoplasm containing nuclear material and, if motile, appendages such as flagella and fimbrae or pili. Some species of bacteria are more resistant to environmental influences than others, particularly those species of bacteria that are able to produce spores which can remain inactive until the appropriate environmental conditions prevail allowing the bacteria to resist conditions such as freezing, wet, dry or hot

conditions.

The structural features of pathogenic bacteria are important in the production of disease and also very useful for the identification and diagnosis of infection in veterinary medicine.

Content

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