MICROBIOLOGY

Microbiology is the study of living organisms of microscopic size. Which include bacteria, fungi, algae, protozoa and infectious agents at the borderline of life that are called viruses. Microorganisms are closely associated with the health and welfare of human beings, some microorganisms are beneficial and others are detrimental. For example, microorganisms are involved in the making of yogurt, cheese and wine. Microorganism can cause disease, spoil food and deteriorate materials like iron pipes, glass lenses and wood pilings.

Antony Van  Leeuwenhoek’s report on the ubiquity of microbes enabled Louis Pasteur to discover the involvement of these creatures in fermentation reaction and allowed Robert Koch, Theobald smith,  and many others to discover the association of microbes with disease. Koch is remembered for his isolation of the bacteria that cause anthrax and tuberculosis and for the rigid criteria he demanded before a specific bacterium be held as the cause of a disease. His important contributions to the creation of the science of microbiology won him the 1905 Nobel prize.

As new laboratory techniques and experimental procedures were developed our knowledge of the characteristics of microorganisms accumulates rapidly extensive information about the biochemical activities of microorganisms became available. An analysis of the data suggested that there was much in common among different microorganisms. The differences were likely to be variations on a major central biochemical pathway. At about the same time there was a growing recognition of the unity of the biochemical life processes in microorganisms and higher forms of life, including human beings. The significance of these discoveries in microbiology to all biology is underscored by the fact that numerous Nobel prizes have been awarded to researchers for their work in this field.