BACTERIOLOGY
Bacteriology is the study of bacteria. It comprises the identification, classification and characterization of bacterial species. Bacteria are identified by their properties, for example their looks, what nutrients they can grow on or not grow on, what temperature they require for growth, what substances they produce, etc. To study morphology, that is the shape of bacteria, a microscope is used.
The microscope is an essential tool for many bacteriologists as it can magnify the minute organisms many times their actual size. The improvement of the microscope by Anton van Leeuwenhoek has opened the minute world of bacteria to everyone. It was in 1676 when Leeuwenhoek first discovered bacteria.
Bacteriology is a subcategory of microbiology, the study of microorganisms. Aside from bacteria, microbiology also studies fungi, viruses, and parasites in association to the diseases they cause in man. In medicine, microbiology and immunology are often studied together. Immunology deals with the responses of the immune system to the presence of microorganisms inside the body.
Treatment and prevention of diseases are made possible because of these studies.
Many important areas of microbiology do not deal directly with human health and disease but certainly contribute to human welfare. Agricultural microbiology is concerned with the impact of M.Os on agriculture.
If you have ever had strep throat or pneumonia, then your body has been adversely affected by bacteria. Bacteriologists study the growth and characteristics of micro-organisms, such as bacteria, fungi and parasites, and their interactions with their environment.
They consequently develop industrial, medical and other practical applications. Bacteriologists help scientists and physicians in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of infections in animals and humans by investigating how organisms cause disease and their role in disease processes.
scientists working in food and dairy microbiology try to prevent microbial spoilage of food and the transmission of food borne diseases such as botulism and salmonellosis. They also use micro-organisms to make foods such as cheese, yoghurts, Single Cell Protein (SCP), pickles, wine and beer. In the future micro-organisms may become a more important nutrient source for livestock and humans.
Bacteriologists also study viruses, parasites and fungus. More specifically, the work they do tends to focus upon the medical diagnosis, and treatment of animal, human as well as plant disease. You will find them working for biotech firms, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, agriculture, federal government, universities and the environmental industry. If you are interested in becoming a bacteriologist, you must know that the education required can be extensive and quite challenging, depending upon what you would like to do.
Self employment is also a very good option for microbiologists to start their professional career. They can set up microbiological laboratories of their own and can help in diagnosing the disease and researchers to direct their own research. There are large, private research institutes that conduct Microbiological/epidemiological studies for Government agencies where there is a sudden outbreak of any epidemic disease.
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