Microbe Tests - Reminder

You will learn the following characteristics of 50 Notable Bacteria (list in pdf below). However, you will have ALL semester to do this and they will be spread out on 5 different Unit Exams with 10-12 per exam in a MATCHING format (i.e. you don't have to learn to spell their names). So the number is very manageable. Please read the entire page before deciding whether to participate. If you do take this option, you must start on the first Unit Exam since the score is cumulative. You cannot start this in the middle of the semester because you will have lost too many points.

1. Gram Reaction

2. Shape of the bacteria

3. Utilization of Oxygen

4. Spore Formation

5. Disease they cause or where they are found (if they cause no disease).

 

Gram Reaction

There are basically 4 groups based on Gram reaction: Gram-positive, Gram-negative, Acid-fast, or atypical bacteria.  If you use color coding as described below, it will make this item very easy. Most bacteria are either Gram-positive or Gram-negative. The only acid fast bacteria are the Mycobacteria (2) – No others.  Organisms like spirochetes, Chlamydia, Rickettsia, and Mycoplasma are atypical and do not Gram stain. Let the C O L O R be your clue!

 

Shape of Bacteria

Bacteria come in basically three shapes: round (coccus), rod shaped (bacillus), or spiral shaped (spirochete).   Most of the round bacteria have the word coccus in their name. For example, Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, and Enterococcus. (*The one exception to the "coccus rule" is Neisseria, but there are only 2 of them!) Most of the others are rod shaped - bacillus. There are only 5 spirochetes and 5 atypical which don't have a set shape. SO if you memorize the 10 exceptions and most round bacteria have the term "coccus" in their names*; then by default the other must be rods (bacillus).  (Basically, on SHAPE you need to memorize 12 of the 50, and the others are obvious!)

 

Utilization of Oxygen

Bacteria can be either anaerobic, aerobic, facultative anaerobic, or microaerophiles.  The only anaerobic bacteria we study are Clostridium (3). The only aerobic bacteria we study are Neisseria (2), Bacillus (2), and Pseudomonas (2). Most (40) of the other bacteria are facultative anaerobes.  So if you learn the 9 exceptions, you need not memorize this information for the other 41.

 

 Spore formation

 There are only 2  Genera of bacteria that produce spores – Bacillus (2) and Clostridium (3) – no others. So if a bacteria's name is not in these 2 genera, they do not produce spores. The majority (45) do not produce spores. Memorize these 5 and ALL the other 45 are non-spore formers.

 

Disease

Of the 50+ organisms, all but about 9 or 10 have the name of the disease in their scientific name. For example, gonorrhea – Neisseria gonorrheae;  typhoid fever – Salmonella typhi;  tularemia – Francisella tularemia; Mycobacterium leprae - leprosy.  You only need to memorize the 9-10 exceptions. (ex. Treponema pallidum - syphilis; Ysernia pestis - plague, .)

 

So overall, you can see that learning this information is not that difficult. There is even another way to make it easier. For the Gram reaction, put the organisms on colored index cards. Use RED for Gram-negative; use BLUE for Gram-positive; use MAGENTA for Acid-fast bacteria; use GREEN for spirochetes; and use ORANGE or another color for the other atypical bacteria. If you can't find solid colored cards - use a white index card and take a Sharpie or other color marker and put a colored border around the card.  That way when you think of the organism, you can remember what the color of the card was and that is your answer.

 Put the organism's name on one side of the card; and put the characteristics and disease on the other side of the card. Now you have a set of flashcards which should be easy to learn.

  

 

GOOD LUCK, I hope you choose this option !!

 

Notable Bacteria 2013.pdf Download Notable Bacteria 2013.pdf

 

From my previous semesters' data, THIS affects about 15-20% of students who elect this option, and RAISES their grade to the next letter (C to B; B to A). YOU have NO way of predicting your situation. Better to play it "safe" just in case. Plus, it gives you some "breathing room" on your grade. SO instead of having an 80.1-B going into the Final Exam, you might have an 85.6-B going in. Less pressure !

Regardless, this WILL BE valuable information to take with you to Nursing School ! I have had many students tell me how helpful this was when they were in Nursing school. Knowing these saved them hours of study when time was really cramped.

 

Do it, or Do it not !