Question

Write explanatory notes on 5 important microbiological events that have had a significant impact on society. (20)

Answer 1

Explanation:

1. Microscopes: Anton van Leeuwenhoek is considered the precursor of cellular and experimental biology as well as microbiology, in 1674, he used a homemade microscope to become the first person to discover microbes, he described seeing animalcules in a drop of water, he also discovered red blood cells and bacteria in 1676.
2. Pasteurization: it's a process in which water and certain foods like milk and juice, are treated with mild heat, usually before boiling point, to eliminate pathogens. It was named after Louis Paster, who in the 1860s demonstrated that heating beverages to about 57°C for a few minutes could prevent abnormal fermentation, this treatment also destroys microorganisms that cause spoilage and so it prolongs the storage time of food.
3. Koch postulate: In 1890, Robert Koch set out his criteria for judging whether a bacteria is the cause of a disease. These postulates are: The bacteria must be present in every case of the disease, it must be isolated from the host and grow in culture, the disease is reproduced when a bacteria from the pure culture is inoculated into a healthy host, the bacteria must be recoverable from the infected host. These postulates are useful to find the cause-effect relationship between bacteria and clinical disease.
4. Antibiotics: In 1928, Alexander Fleming, discovered mold as an antibacterial agent after this one contaminated his Staphylococcus aureus dishes, inhibiting it's growing, this mold was then named penicillin and it was the beginning of a transformation in human health.
5. Vaccines: the first successful vaccine development was introduced in 1796 by Edward Jenner, this advance was achieved after he followed up his observation of milkmaid who previously caught cowpox did not later catch smallpox by showing that inoculated cowpox protected against inoculated smallpox.

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