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MODULE VI
MICROBIOLOGY
Sub-module :
The Host - Parasite Relationship
FOR STUDENT
LABORATORY OF MICROBIOLOGY
MEDICAL FACULTY
BRAWIJAYA UNIVERSITY
2013
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Overview
After understanding the structure and functions of microbes and some idea of the
variety of microorganisms that exists, we can consider how the human body and
microorganisms interact in term of health and science. A balance exists between host
defense mechanisms and the pathogenic mechanisms of microbes. When our defenses
resist these pathogenic capabilities, we maintain our health; whereas the pathogens
capabilities overcome our defenses, disease result.
Pathogenicity is the ability to cause disease, and virulence is the degree or extent of
pathogenicity. To cause disease, most pathogens must gain access to the host, adhere to
host tissues, penetrate or evade host defense, and damage the host tissues. Some
microbes do not cause disease by directly damaging host tissues, but the disease is due to
the accumulation of microbial waste products.
If only a few microbes enter the host body, they will probably be overcome by the
hosts defense. However, if large numbers of microbes enter our body, the stage may set for
diseases, the virulence of microbes is often expressed as the Infectious Dose 50 (ID50).
Humans are generally free of microbes in utero. At birth, normal and characteristic
microbial populations begin to establish themselves. After birth, E. coli and other bacteria
acquired from foods begin to inhabit the colon. Many other usually harmless microbes
establish themselves inside other parts of normal adult body, and its surface. These are
called as normal microbiota or normal flora.
Normal cells, tissues, organ, and system of the host body have got some defense
mechanism against the microbial invasions. Broadly we classify them into two groups:
Nonspecific defense mechanisms
Specific defense mechanisms
Learning objectives
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Module Tasks
1. Compare pathogenicity and virulence!
2. Describe how hemolysins, leukocidins, coagulases, kinases, hyaluronidases,
siderophores might contribute to pathogenicity.
3. Which of the following genera is the most infectious? Explain your answer.
Genus
Salmonella
Legionella
Treponema
Shigella
ID50
105 cells
1 cell
50 cells
200 cells
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