PCR is the acronym for “polymerase chain reaction”. Polymerase chain reaction is the molecular biology technique that is used to amplify or copy specific gene sequences or nucleotides of a DNA molecule or gene. It was invented by Kary Mullis and his colleagues in the early 1980s; and PCR technique is the most widely used […]
Restriction endonucleases are DNA cutting enzymes specifically found and isolated from bacteria; and which nick specific sites on a nucleotide sequence known as restriction sites. Restriction sites are the different sites on a DNA molecule that is nicked by a particular restriction enzyme. Several types of restriction enzymes exist, and they are primarily sourced from
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Biotechnology, Molecular Microbiology, Techniques in Microbiology Lab
Sputum culture is often recommended in the diagnoses of lower respiratory tract infection (e.g. bacterial pneumonia and pulmonary tuberculosis). Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) are infections/diseases that occur below the voice box (larynx) i.e. in the bronchi and trachea. In this case, an induced or expectorated sputum specimen and not saliva is requested and obtained
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Microbe Lab, Techniques in Microbiology Lab
Urine culture is performed in order to specifically identify organisms that may be causing a urinary tract infection (UTI). Urine in the bladder is often sterile as it is free from microorganisms. It becomes inundated with microorganisms (especially those of the normal micro-flora) when it leaves the bladder. UTI is very common in patients that
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Microbe Lab, Techniques in Microbiology Lab
Blood culture is the most important diagnostic method for detecting and diagnosing bacteraemia (presence of bacteria in blood) and fungimia (i.e. presence of pathogenic fungi in blood) in the clinical microbiology laboratory. Blood specimen required for blood culture technique should be collected from the patient prior to antibiotic therapy in order to increase the sensitivity
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Microbe Lab, Techniques in Microbiology Lab
Stool culture is demanded in the bacteriology laboratory as method for detecting and diagnosing enteric bacterial infections (i.e. infections caused by pathogens in the Enterobacteriaceae family e.g. Salmonella species and Shigella species) that lead to enteric fever, diarrhea and dysentery. Stool culture can also be requested when patients present with other gastrointestinal infections such as
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Microbe Lab, Bacteriology, Techniques in Microbiology Lab
The laboratory diagnosis of fungal infection is mainly based on microscopy and cultural techniques. Several culture media exist for the selective isolation of pathogenic fungi from clinically important specimens. The choice of culture media to be used is largely dependent on the type of mycoses and the category of samples to be analyzed amongst other
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Microbe Lab, Techniques in Microbiology Lab
Pathogenic microorganisms inclusive of viruses, bacteria, and fungi portends health challenges to the general public and healthcare workers or laboratory personnel’s working with these organisms if the proper precautionary measures are not followed in the handling of these microbes. The extensive use of these organisms in research settings or hospital laboratories should be done within
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Laboratory Biosafety, Microbe Lab, Safety tips in Microbiology Lab, Techniques in Microbiology Lab
There abound several numbers of microscopes that can be used by a microscopist to view specimens or samples and microorganisms in the laboratory. The choice of the microscope to be used is usually dependent on the task to be performed by the user and, on the type of specimen or microorganism to be investigated. Normally,
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Microbe Lab, Microscopy & Microscope, Techniques in Microbiology Lab
The microscope has various parts that perform specific function; and it is important that scientists and students acquaint themselves of these components and their functions in order to make optimum use of the equipment (Figure 1). An understanding of the different parts of the microscope is vital for the proper use of the apparatus in
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Techniques in Microbiology Lab, Microbe Lab, Microscopy & Microscope