Laboratory Applications in Microbiology: A Case Study Approach uses real-life case studies as the basis for exercises in the laboratory. This is the only microbiology lab manual focusing on this means of instruction, an approach particularly applicable to the microbiology laboratory. The author has carefully organized the exercises so that students develop a solid intellectual base beginning with a particular technique, moving through the case study, and finally applying new knowledge to unique situations beyond the case study.

Table of Contents:
ESSENTIAL LABORATORY SKILLSExercise 1 Safety Considerations in the Microbiology LaboratoryCASE STUDIESLaboratory-Acquired Infection with Escherichia coli O157:H7—New York, 2004Laboratory-Acquired Brucellosis—New York, 2001Ocular Vaccinia Infection of a Laboratory Worker—Philadelphia, 2004Exercise 2Microscopy and Measurement of Microscopic SpecimensCASE STUDYExcerpt of Letters from Anton van Leeuwenhoek to the Royal Society of London for the Improvement of Natural KnowledgeSURVEY OF MICROORGANISMSExercise 3Identification and Classification of AlgaeCASE STUDYOregon Harmful Bloom Monitoring ProjectExercise 4Survey of Medically Important ProtozoaCASE STUDYAcanthamoeba Keratitis—Multiple StatesExercise 5Ubiquity of BacteriaCASE STUDYEngineering Infection Control through Facility DesignExercise 6Identification and Classification of FungiCASE STUDYOutbreak of Acute Febrile Respiratory Illness among College Students—Acapulco, Mexico, March 2001MANIPULATION, STAINING, AND OBSERVATION OF MICROORGANISMSExercise 7Aseptic TechniquesCASE STUDYMultiple Misdiagnoses of Tuberculosis Resulting from Laboratory Error—Wisconsin, 1996Exercise 8Pure Culture TechniquesCASE STUDYNeonatal Tetanus—Montana, 1998Exercise 9Simple Staining, Negative Staining, and Gram StainingCASE STUDYIdentification of Bacteria Responsible for the Outbreak of Gastrointestinal DiseaseExercise 10Capsular StainingCASE STUDYPneumococcal Sepsis after Autosplenectomy in a Girl with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus—2005Exercise 11Acid-Fast and Endospore StainingCASE STUDIESMycobacterium tuberculosis Transmission in a Newborn Nursery and Maternity Ward—New York City, 2003Inhalation Anthrax Associated with Dried Animal Hides—Pennsylvania and New York City, 2006ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES ON THE GROWTH OF MICROORGANISMSExercise 12Viable Plate CountCASE STUDYMultidrug-Resistant Salmonella Typhimurium Infection from Milk Contaminated after PasteurizationExercise 13Cultivation of AnaerobesCASE STUDYBotulism from Home-Canned Bamboo Shoots—Nan Province, Thailand, March 2006Exercise 14Temperature Effects on Bacterial Growth and SurvivalCASE STUDYOutbreak of Gastroenteritis Associated with Consumption of Alaskan OystersExercise 15pH and Microbial GrowthCASE STUDYGarlic-in-Oil-Associated Botulism: Episode Leads to Product ModificationExercise 16Effects of Osmotic Pressure on Bacterial GrowthCASE STUDYOutbreak of Staphylococcal Food Poisoning Associated with Precooked Ham—Florida, 1997CONTROL OF MICROBIAL GROWTHExercise 17Lethal Effects of Ultraviolet LightCASE STUDYGastrointestinal Outbreak Traced to Interactive Fountain—New York, March 2006Exercise 18Evaluation of Disinfectants: Use-Dilution MethodCASE STUDYNine Episodes of Anaphylaxis Following Cystoscopy Caused by a High-Level Disinfectant—2004Exercise 19Effectiveness of Hand ScrubbingCASE STUDYPuerperal Fever—Vienna, Austria, 1847Exercise 20Antimicrobic Sensitivity Testing: Kirby-Bauer, Tube Dilution, and E-Test MethodsCASE STUDYMethicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Infections among Tattoo Recipients—Ohio, Kentucky, and Vermont, 2004–2005EPIDEMIOLOGYExercise 21Phage Typing of BacteriaCASE STUDYSalmonella Serotype Enteritidis Infections among Workers Producing Poultry Vaccine—Maine, November–December, 2006Exercise 22Simulated EpidemicCASE STUDYImport-Associated Measles Outbreak—Indiana, May–June 2005Exercise 23Morbidity and Mortality Weekly ReportCASE STUDYMultistate Outbreak of Mumps—United States, January 1–October 7, 2006MICROBIAL GENETICSExercise 24Bacterial TransformationCASE STUDYStaphylococcus aureus Resistant to Vancomycin—United States, 2002Exercise 25The Ames TestCASE STUDYWest Nile Virus Update—United States, January 1–November 13, 2007APPLIED MICROBIOLOGYExercise 26DNA Extraction from Bacterial CellsCASE STUDYMultistate Outbreaks of Salmonella Infections Associated with Raw Tomatoes Eaten in Restaurants—United States, 2005–2006Exercise 27Measures of Water Quality: Most Probable Number ProcedureCASE STUDYE. coli Contamination of Water Supply—Frazier Park, California, 2007Exercise 28Measures of Water Quality: Membrane Filtration MethodCASE STUDYFecal Contamination of Airline Drinking Water—2005Exercise 29Measures of Milk Quality: Methylene Blue Reductase TestCASE STUDYSalmonella Typhimurium Infection Associated with Raw Milk and Cheeses Consumption—Pensylvania, 2007Exercise 30Bacterial Counts of FoodCASE STUDYMultiple Outbreaks of Food Poisoning—1989–2006MEDICAL MICROBIOLOGYExercise 31Epidemiology of Gastrointestinal Illness: Differentiation of EnterobacteriaceaeCASE STUDYOutbreaks of Escherichia coli O157:H7 Associated with Petting Zoos—North Carolina, Florida, and Arizona, 2004 and 2005Exercise 32Isolation and Identification of StaphylococciCASE STUDYCommunity-Associated Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Infection among Healthy Newborns—Chicago and Los Angeles County, 2004Exercise 33Isolation and Identification of StreptococciCASE STUDYInvasive Streptococcus pyogenes after Allograft Implantation—Colorado, 2003IDENTIFICATION OF UNKNOWN BACTERIAExercise 34Identification of Bacterial UnknownsCASE STUDYRespiratory Disease Strikes Legionnaires Convention—Philadelphia, 1976LABORATORY TECHNIQUES, REAGENTS, AND ASSAYSAnalysis of Bacterial Cultures Based on Morphological CharacteristicsExercise 35Colony MorphologyExercise 36Growth in Solid and Liquid MediaStaining Techniques Used for the Microscopic Examination of BacteriaExercise 37Simple StainExercise 38Negative StainExercise 39Capsule StainExercise 40Gram StainExercise 41Endospore StainExercise 42Acid-Fast StainExercise 43Motility Methods: Wet Mount and Hanging DropExercise 44Flagella StainTechniques for Inoculation of MediaExercise 45Streak Plate IsolationExercise 46Loop DilutionExercise 47Spread PlateCommonly Used Differential and Selective MediaExercise 48Fluid Thioglycollate MediaExercise 49Mannitol Salt AgarExercise 50MacConkey AgarExercise 51Desoxycholate AgarExercise 52Endo AgarExercise 53Eosin Methylene Blue AgarExercise 54Hektoen Enteric AgarExercise 55Xylose Lysine Desoxycholate AgarExercise 56Blood AgarExercise 57Motility MediaExercise 58SIM MediumExercise 59Kligler’s Iron AgarExercise 60Triple Sugar Iron AgarExercise 61Lysine Iron AgarExercise 62Litmus MilkCommonly Used Biochemical TestsExercise 63Oxidation-Fermentation TestExercise 64Phenol Red BrothExercise 65Purple BrothExercise 66Methyl Red and Voges-Proskauer TestsExercise 67Catalase TestExercise 68Oxidase TestExercise 69Nitrate Reduction TestExercise 70Coagulase TestExercise 71Citrate TestExercise 72Malonate TestExercise 73Decarboxylation TestExercise 74Phenylalanine Deaminase TestExercise 75Bile Esculin TestExercise 76Starch HydrolysisExercise 77ONPG TestExercise 78Urease TestExercise 79Casease TestExercise 80Gelatinase TestExercise 81DNase TestExercise 82Lipase TestExercise 83CAMP TestExercise 84PYR TestCommercial Identification SystemsExercise 85API 20E SystemExercise 86Enterotube II SystemAntimicrobial Susceptibility TestsExercise 87Antibiotic Disk Sensitivity Tests for Bacterial IdentificationExercise 88β-Lactamase TestQuantitative TechniquesExercise 89Viable Plate CountExercise 90Direct Cell CountAppendix ASpectrophotometric Determination of Bacterial Growth: Use of the SpectrophotometerAppendix BUse of Pipettes in the LaboratoryAppendix CPreparation of Culture MediaAppendix DMedia, Reagents, and Stain FormulasAppendix EData Sheet for Unknown IdentificationGlossaryIndex