Microbiology: The Study Of Microorganisms

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Recommended: First chapter on microbiology

Although many people do not know about microbiology, the scientific developments within this area are used in everyday life. Microbiology is the study of microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. The study of microorganisms has allowed scientists to discover the pharmaceutical drugs and treatments; such as vaccines and antibiotics, which can be used to treat against the harmful species of microorganisms. The clinical use of these treatments have greatly reduced the mortality due to infectious disease, and have also contributed to the eradication or significant reduction and control of formerly devastating infections such as smallpox, polio and hepatitis, now rare in developed countries.
An infection is the invasion and proliferation of a microorganism, such as bacteria, virus, fungi or parasite, within the body at a site where it is not normally present (MedicineNet, 2017). This concept is important because some microorganisms are present in the body as normal flora, in anatomical sites where they contribute to normal body functioning. For example, bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract contributes to digestion and maintains healthy gut function. When organisms are …show more content…

Public Health’s article on Understanding Vaccines stated that “thanks to increased access to the measles vaccine internationally, the annual death toll from the infection has fallen from almost 600,000 in 2000 to just 122,000 in 2012, a reduction of 79%” (Vaccines, 2017). This statistic demonstrates how crucial research in the field of microbiology is, given its contributed to improving the quality of life worldwide. The discovery of antiseptics and antibiotics were one example of a major advancement in field of medical microbiological research. But the clinical and everyday use of these chemicals have not eliminated the risk bacterial

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