MGY299Y1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Epidemiological Method, Louis Pasteur, Antiseptic

• School: UTSG
• Department: Molecular Genetics and Microbiology
• Course: MGY299Y1
• Professor: P W N

Document Summary

Study of microbes/ micro organisms/ germs microbiology. John snow 1854 tracked cholera outbreak in england. John snow"s work lead to public health departments and efforts increased in containing epidemics. Medical microbiology the study of microbes that cause disease. Communicable caused by microbes (bacteria and viruses) Non communicable disease- cannot be spread from human to human. Most microbes are not harmful they are the most abundant form of life on earth. There are an estimate of 10 ^ 30 bacteria and 10^31 viruses on the planet. Hadean period=- no free o2 on earth for 2 billion years. O2 (released by bacteria) could then react with rocks and lava to create new mineral species. First mass extinction was when oxygen was introduced. Soil bacteria= nitrogen fixing bacteria which can be/ must be used by plants and animals. Microbes are constantly cycling nitrogen between its organic and inorganic forms. Dna- found that this was genetic material due to work with microbes.