Introduction Determining the identity of microorganisms is an important part of diagnosing patients and creating new medications to treat illnesses. The purpose of this report is to explain how this can be done and provide some important information about the results.
Methods and Tests The techniques used were performed as directed by the student’s lab manual unless otherwise stated (Gero, McDonald, Salsgiver, & Thoele, 2011). In this experiment some of the methods learned in class, including aseptic techniques, were utilized to help identify an unknown microbe. For the first part of this experiment, a dichotomous key (attachment 1) was created using the information of possible microbes for the unknown as provided by the instructor. The student was then given an agar slant tube containing the unknown #4 microbe to use throughout the course of the experiment. Identifying the shape and whether the microbe was gram negative or positive was done by performing a gram stain and viewing it with a microscope. The stain revealed a red, rod-shaped microbe (attachment 2). This indicated that the microbe was bacillus and gram negative. Using this information, the amount of possible microbes was reduced …show more content…
coli for some individuals. A recent study concluded that some people carry genes in their DNA that make them immune to a certain strain of the E. coli bacteria (“Immunity genes”, 2016). This is a promising find. Building upon this information and research may create a cure for these types of bacterial infections in the future. Until this becomes a reality; however, there are some simple steps individuals can take to prevent infection. Washing hands thoroughly, cooking meats to at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit, avoid swallowing water when swimming and avoiding drinking or eating raw or unpasteurized dairy products are all ways to prevent getting sick from an E. coli infection (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
Methods and Tests The techniques used were performed as directed by the student’s lab manual unless otherwise stated (Gero, McDonald, Salsgiver, & Thoele, 2011). In this experiment some of the methods learned in class, including aseptic techniques, were utilized to help identify an unknown microbe. For the first part of this experiment, a dichotomous key (attachment 1) was created using the information of possible microbes for the unknown as provided by the instructor. The student was then given an agar slant tube containing the unknown #4 microbe to use throughout the course of the experiment. Identifying the shape and whether the microbe was gram negative or positive was done by performing a gram stain and viewing it with a microscope. The stain revealed a red, rod-shaped microbe (attachment 2). This indicated that the microbe was bacillus and gram negative. Using this information, the amount of possible microbes was reduced …show more content…
coli for some individuals. A recent study concluded that some people carry genes in their DNA that make them immune to a certain strain of the E. coli bacteria (“Immunity genes”, 2016). This is a promising find. Building upon this information and research may create a cure for these types of bacterial infections in the future. Until this becomes a reality; however, there are some simple steps individuals can take to prevent infection. Washing hands thoroughly, cooking meats to at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit, avoid swallowing water when swimming and avoiding drinking or eating raw or unpasteurized dairy products are all ways to prevent getting sick from an E. coli infection (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,