_Preface

The field of microbiology is fascinating. Most peo­ple associate microorganisms only with disease. However, cheese, wine, and sourdough bread, for example, are products of microbial metabolism. The quality of our environment also depends on the activities of microorganisms. Microorganisms in our World will introduce the student to the wide world of microbiology. A text written by a microbiologist, Microorganisms in Our World gives the perspective of microbiology as a broad relevant field and of micro­organisms as important to human health and the functioning of planet Earth.

THE BOOK

The text is written in a manner that is easy to read. Difficult topics are thoroughly explained so that they can be easily understood. Technical terms are ex­plained as they are introduced and a conceptual framework of microbiology is presented. Students will learn how to communicate microbiological information. They will be able to understand the numerous news reports related to microbiology, especially those about relationships between micro­organisms and human health. The depth of presenta­tion is limited to the essentials but provides enough information to develop an understanding of a topic. The information presented represents a distillation of endless volumes of scientific studies. Facts are pre­sented that reflect the latest state of knowledge. Accuracy is not sacrificed for brevity or simplicity. The breadth of the field of microbiology is covered at an appropriate level for students.

Topics are organized in a logical yet flexible man­ner. Coverage of medical microbiology emphasizes microorganisms and how they cause disease. The sense of discovery is used to entice students into wanting to learn more. Microbiology is an exciting field, and students should develop enthusiasm toward scientific discovery. They should never be bored by the information they are learning. The text contains numerous boxes with items that will inter­est students. The relevance of microbiology in our daily lives and selected careers is presented so that today's pragmatic students know why they are

studying a particular topic and want to learn about microorganisms.

The diversity of the microbial world is shown with relevant examples of how microorganisms affect our daily lives. The interactions of microorgan­isms with humans are highlighted, especially as they relate to human disease. The properties of microor­ganisms that are responsible for their ability to cause disease and permit prevention, diagnosis, and treat­ment of disease are emphasized.

ORGANIZATION

Microorganisms in our World is organized into six units. The first three units focus on the principles of microbiology, including cell structure, cellular metabolism, microbial genetics, and growth. Unit Four and Unit Five focus on the medical applications of microbiology—microorganisms as disease-caus­ing entities and the body's defenses against infection. The final unit of the text discusses microbiological applications to industry and the environment.

Microorganisms and Microbiology (Unit One) introduces the student to the field of microbiology and the techniques that are used by microbiologists in research and clinical settings. Chapter 1 (Unity of the Microbial World) introduces the field of microbi­ology, giving insight into the relevance of microor­ganisms of human health and how microbiologists work—the scientific method. Chapter 2 (Diversity of the Microbial World) continues by introducing the student to the vast breadth of the microbial world. Chapter 3 (Science of Microbiology: Methods for Studying Microorganisms) discusses the techniques that microbiologists use to do their work. The vari­ous techniques of light and electron microscopy are explained in addition to coverage of culturing, asep­tic technique, and plating. Unit One concludes with Chapter 4 (Chemistry for the Microbiologist)—an introduction for students who have not had a basic chemistry course and a convenient review for those who have.

The text continues with coverage of Cellular and Molecular Microbiology (Unit Two). Chapter 5 (Cell Structure) introduces the student to the general

v

structure of prokaryotic cells and compares and con­trasts them to the structure of eukaryotic cells. Chapter 6 (Cellular Metabolism) explains the ener­getics of microorganisms—cellular metabolism. Chapter 7 (Microbial Genetics: Replication and Expression of Genetic Information) discusses micro­bial genetics and is immediately followed by an introduction to biotechnology in Chapter 8 (Genetic Recombination and Recombinant DNA Technology).

Unit Three focuses on Microbial Growth and Its Control. The unit begins with a study of growth in viruses in Chapter 9 (Viral Replication), and Chapter 10 (Bacterial Reproduction and Growth of Micro­organisms) focuses on the growth of bacteria. Chapter 11 (Control of Microbial Growth and Death) discusses how bacterial growth can be minimized or stopped using techniques such as pasteurization and sterilization and antimicrobial agents, including preservatives, disinfectants, and antibiotics.

In Microorganisms and Human Diseases (Unit Four) the content of the book moves from the princi­ples-based coverage of microbiology in the first three units to more applied topics showing how microor­ganisms affect our lives. Chapter 12 (Microorganisms and Human Diseases) introduces Koch's postulates, the virulence factors of pathogenic microorganisms, and transmission routes of infectious agents. The body's immune response to infection is explained first in Chapter 13 (Nonspecific Host Defenses against Microbial Infections: The Immune Re­sponse), followed by Chapter 14 (Specific Host Defenses against Microbial Infections: The Immune Response). Chapter 14 (Immune Response and Human Disease) discusses topics that include immu­nization, immunodeficiencies, autoimmunity, hyper­sensitivity reactions, and transplantation. Chapter 15 (Diagnosis of Human Disease) introduces the stu­dent to methodology used in the clinical microbi­ology laboratory. These methods include skin test­ing, culturing, immunofluorescence, gene probes, and the polymerase chain reaction. This unit con­cludes with a discussion of the uses of antimicrobial agents in Chapter 17 (Treatment of Infectious Diseases).

The Infectious Disease unit (Unit Five) is com­prised of six chapters. Diseases are organized by the causative microorganisms and then divided into the system's of the body that they affect. This allows the student to understand commonalities of viral infec­tion and pathogenesis of viral disease, separate from the treatment of bacterial diseases. This unit begins with two chapters covering viral diseases—Chapter 18 (Viral Diseases of the Respiratory, Gastro­intestinal, and Genital Tracts) and Chapter 19 (Viral Diseases of the Central Nervous, Cardiovascular, and Lymphatic Systems). Three chapters follow,

focusing on the bacterial diseases—Chapter 20 (Bacterial Diseases of the Respiratory and Gastro­intestinal Tracts), Chapter 21 (Bacterial Diseases of the Central Nervous, Cardiovascular, and Lymphatic Systems), and Chapter 22 (Bacterial Diseases of the Urinary Tract, Genital Tract, Skin, Eyes, Ears, and Oral Cavity). The unit concludes with Chapter 23 (Diseases Caused by Eukaryotic Organisms).

The final unit of the text, Applied and Environ­mental Microbiology (Unit Six), explains the impor­tance of microbiology in regard to industrial and environmental applications. Chapter 24 (Industrial Microbiology) covers various topics, including fer­mentation, production of antibiotics, and the recov­ery of mineral resources. Chapter 25 (Environmental Microbiology) details the role of microorganisms in solid waste disposal, water treatment, biodegrada-tion of pollutants, and other selected applications.

Because prerequisites for this course vary from school to school and an understanding of the anato­my and physiology of the human body is important to understanding microbiology, an Anatomy Ap­pendix has been added to the text. This illustrated appendix offers a brief overview of the structure and function of each of the eleven body systems, includ­ing a section that details the importance of each sys­tem from a microbiological perspective.

FEATURES

Many features have been added to Microorganisms in our World to make the content accessible and relevant to the student. The strong emphasis on disease-caus­ing microorganisms will be especially interesting to students entering health careers and general edu­cation students. The application of microbiological principles to human health is important to the reader.

Boxed Material

Boxed asides have been added to the text to make the microbiological principles and applications more rel­evant to the students. Four types of boxes appear in the text; each will focus on a specific area as detailed below:

Newsbreak: Features important advances and

current events in the field of microbiology. Highlight: Expands coverage on certain topics that

are important in the study of microbiology. Historical Perspective: Shows the relevance of the

past of microbiology. Methodology: Shows students how microbiolo­gists apply scientific methods and approaches in the study of microorganisms.

^{Contents in Brief}

UNIT ONE MICROORGANISMS AND MICROBIOLOGY

1. Unity of the Microbial World, 2

2. Diversity of the Microbial World, 24

3 Science of Microbiology: Methods for Studying Microorganisms, 58

4 Chemistry for the Microbiologist, 91

UNIT TWO CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR MICROBIOLOGY

5. Cell Structure, 120

6. Cell Metabolism, 157

7. Microbial Genetics: Replication and Expression of Genetic Information, 191

8. Genetic Recombination and Recombinant DNA Technology, 220

UNIT THREE MICROBIAL GROWTH AND ITS CONTROL

9 Viral Replication, 256

10. Bacterial Reproduction and Growth of Microorganisms, 286

11. Control of Microbial Growth and Death, 310

UNIT FOUR MICROORGANISMS AND HUMAN DISEASES

12. Microorganisms and Human Diseases, 338

13. Nonspecific Host Defenses Against Microbial Infections: The Immune Response, 372

14. Specific Host Defenses Against Microbial Infections: The Immune Response, 397

15. Immune Response and Human Disease, 431

16. Diagnosis of Human Diseases, 470

17. Treatment of Infectious Diseases, 501

UNIT FIVE INFECTIOUS DISEASES

18. Diseases Caused by Viruses: Diseases of the Respiratory, Gastrointestinal, and Genital Tracts, 534

19. Viral Diseases of the Central Nervous, Cardiovascular, and Lymphatic Systems, Skin, and Eye, 560

20. Diseases Caused by Bacteria: Diseases of the Respiratory and Gastrointestinal Tracts, 596

21. Bacterial Diseases of the Central Nervous, Cardiovascular, and Lymphatic Systems, 624

22. Bacterial Diseases of the Urinary Tract, Genital Tract, Skin, Eyes, Ears, and Oral Cavity, 649

18. Diseases Caused by Eukaryotic Organisms, 673

UNIT SIX APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY

24. Industrial Microbiology, 706

25. Environmental Microbiology, 733

ANATOMY APPENDIX

GLOSSARY

CREDITS

INDEX

ix

_Contents

UNIT ONE

MICROORGANISMS AND MICROBIOLOGY

1 Unity of the Microbial World, 2

Microorganisms, 3

What is a Microorganism, 3 The Organizational Structure of Microorganisms, 5 Cells of living organisms, 5 Unicellular and multicellular organisms, 10 Prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, 10 Acellular nonliving viruses, 12 Importance of Microorganisms to Humankind, 14 Microorganisms and Disease, 15 Beneficial Uses of Microorganisms, 20 Summary, 22

2 Diversity of the Microbial World, 24

Classifying Microorganisms, 25

Early Classification Systems, 26

Modern Classification Systems, 26 Survey of Microorganisms, 30

Acellular Nonliving Microorganisms, 30

Viruses, 32

Viroids, 32

Prions, 33 Prokaryotes, 33

Naming bacteria, 33

Characteristics used in classifying and identifying bacteria, 36

Major groups of bacteria, 39 Eukaryotes, 51

Fungi, 51

Algae, 53

Protozoa, 54 Summary, 55

3 Science of Microbiology: Methods for Studying Microorganisms, 58

Scientific Method and the Development of the Science of Microbiology, 59

Showing that Maggots do not Arise Spontaneously from Decaying Meat, 60

Showing that Microorganisms do not Arise Spontaneously during Decay and Fermentation, 61

Pasteur and the Final Refutation of the Theory of Spontaneous Generation, 62 Microscopy, 64

Principles of Light Microscopy, 65

Magnification, 65

Resolution, 66

Contrast and staining, 68 Types of Light Microscopes, 71

Bright-field microscope, 71

Fluorescence microscope, 72

Dark-field microscope, 73

Phase contrast microscope, 73

Interference microscope, 74 Electron Microscopy, 74

Transmission electron microscope, 76

Scanning electron microscope, 78 Pure Culture Methods, 78 Early Development of Pure Culture Methods, 79

Sterilization, 80

Aseptic technique, 81 Isolation of Pure Cultures, 82 Conditions and Media for Laboratory Growth of Microorganisms, 84

Incubators, 84

Culture media, 84 Summary, 88