Introduction to Pharmaceutical Microbiology

Pharmaceutical microbiology is the branch of microbiology that focuses on all aspects of pharmacy especially as it relates to the manufacture and quality control of pharmaceuticals such as drugs, vaccines, and medical devices. It is an applied branch of microbiology that focuses on the study of microorganisms that are directly or indirectly involved in the manufacture of pharmaceutical products. Pharmaceutical microbiologists ensure that starting raw materials for the manufacture of pharmaceuticals including water are sterile enough and free from any form of contaminating organisms. They carry out series of tests on starting materials for the manufacture of pharmaceuticals as well as test the finished products to ensure their safety and efficacy in treating the ailments they are intended for. Pharmaceutical microbiologists focus heavily on quality control to ensure a supply of life-saving drugs and vaccines that are free from contamination by microorganisms.

Pharmaceutical microbiologists working in a pharmaceutical company are usually incorporated into the Quality Control or assurance department where they help to ensure the quality of finished products as well as that of the raw materials before they are processed in the production area. They also monitor the microbiological quality of air using air monitoring techniques or air samplers to ensure that the air entering the production unit is of good quality and less contaminated.

The functions of a pharmaceutical microbiologist include but not limited to:

• Determination of antimicrobial effectiveness,
• Determination of microbial contamination of an environment or pharmaceutical product,
• Determination of the bioburden of finished products and raw materials,
• Analyzing samples for endotoxins,
• Identifying flora from environmental and/or pharmaceutical monitoring processes in the pharmaceutical industry.

Microbiological applications are tremendously applied in the pharmaceutical industry to produce a wide range of products including hormones, antibiotics, water for injections, and steroids – which are used for the treatment and management of both infectious and non-communicable diseases. Irrespective of the suffering of patients due to infectious diseases caused by pathogenic microorganism, healthcare delivery has tremendously improved worldwide owing to the availability of effective medicines and vaccines with which to treat and prevent these diseases. Pharmaceutical companies around the world are investing heavily in research and development (R&D); and they are also in high demand for pharmaceutical microbiologists due to the relevance of this branch of microbiology in the manufacture of safe, effective and good-quality drugs.

Pharmaceutical microbiology also deals with the controlling of microorganisms that cause spoilage of pharmaceutical products, and this area of microbiology is also keenly interested in harnessing the metabolic activities of microorganisms to develop novel and potent medicines and other pharmaceuticals for the health sector. This branch of microbiology is a burgeoning area in the biological sciences due to its importance to not just the health and pharmaceutical sector, but also the central role that it plays in ensuring the improvement of world health and disease prevention. The production of novel drugs from herbal plants and other natural products are also the subject of pharmaceutical microbiologists.          

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