Biphasic Medium in Microbiology: Introduction, Application, Merit, Demerits, and Keynotes

Biphasic Medium having bacterial growth

Introduction A biphasic medium is a culture system that combines both liquid (broth) and solid (agar) phases in the same container (usually a bottle or tube). It is designed to enhance microbial recovery by leveraging the advantages of both media types in one setup. Applications …

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Candida auris Screening in a Simple Setup: Introduction, When to Suspect it, Identification Methods,Confirmatory Identification, and Summary Table

Candida auris colony morphology

Introduction of Candida auris Screening in a Simple Setup Candida auris Screening in a Simple Setup is possible to presumptively identify Candida auris in a simple laboratory setup, though definitive identification typically requires advanced methods. In resource-limited or basic clinical microbiology labs, we can still …

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Bacteria and Fungi: Introduction, Description, Demonstration Techniques, Differences, and Keynotes

Bacteria and Fungi Introduction, Description, Demonstration Techniques, Differences, and Keynotes

Introduction of Bacteria and Fungi They are distinct types of microorganisms with different structures and characteristics. Bacteria are single-celled prokaryotes, while fungi can be single-celled (yeasts) or multicelled (molds, mushrooms) eukaryotes. They can be distinguished by their cell structure, colony morphology, and staining properties.  Description 1. Cell …

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Common Invasive Fungal Pathogens in Cancer Patients: Introduction, List, Risk factors, and Keynotes

Common Invasive Fungal Pathogens in Cancer Patients- Introduction, List, Risk factors, and Keynotes

Introduction Common invasive fungal pathogens that frequently affect cancer patients, especially those who are immunocompromised due to chemotherapy, hematologic malignancies, or bone marrow/stem cell transplants. List of Common Invasive Fungal Pathogens 1. Candida species Causes: Candidemia, disseminated candidiasisRisk: Neutropenia, central venous catheter, broad-spectrum antibiotics 2. …

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Mycosel Agar: Introduction, Principles, Application, Keynotes, and further Readings

Mycosel Agar Introduction, Principles, Application, Keynotes, and further Readings

Introduction Mycosel Agar is a selective culture medium to isolate pathogenic fungi from samples containing a mix of fungi and bacteria. It’s designed to suppress the growth of non-pathogenic fungi and bacteria, allowing for the isolation and identification of pathogenic fungi.  Principle Cycloheximide inhibits the growth …

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Acinetobacter baumannii-Introduction, Morphology, Pathogenicity, Lab Diagnosis, Treatment, Prevention, and Keynotes

Acinetobacter baumannii in Gram staining of sputum

Introduction Acinetobacter baumannii is a Gram-negative, non-fermenting, aerobic coccobacillus. It is an opportunistic pathogen increasingly associated with nosocomial infections, particularly in critically ill or immunocompromised patients. Notorious for its antibiotic resistance, it has become a major global health concern, particularly in ICU settings. Morphology Pathogenicity …

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Small Colony Variants: Introduction, Morphology, Pathogenicity, Lab Diagnosis, Treatment, Prevention, and Keynotes

Small Colony Variants on CLED agar

Introduction Small Colony Variants (SCVs) are a subpopulation of bacteria that grow slowly and form unusually small colonies on culture media. They are most commonly described in Staphylococcus aureus, but also occur in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, and Listeria monocytogenes. SCVs are associated with chronic, …

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Acinetobacter baumannii complex-Introduction, Morphology, Pathogenicity, Lab Diagnosis, Treatment, Prevention, and Keynotes

Acinetobacter baumannii complex (ABC) colony morphology on MacConkey agar after 48 hours of incubation-Showing mucoid lactose-fermenting colonies

Introduction Acinetobacter baumannii complex is a group of Gram-negative, non-fermenting bacilli known for causing healthcare-associated infections. It includes closely related species like A. baumannii, A. pittii, A. nosocomialis, and A. calcoaceticus. This complex thrives in hospital environments and poses a serious challenge due to its …

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