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Module 3 Assignment 2 Antimicrobial Resistance
Define the following terms: sterilization, disinfection, and sanitization. How are each of these terms different from one another? Sterilization is the removal of all microorganisms and other pathogens from an object or surface by treating it with chemicals or subjecting it to high heat or radiation. Sterilization also refers to procedures that result in infertility. Disinfection is the process of killing (inactivating) harmful and objectionable bacteria, cysts and other microorganisms (pathogenic) by various agents such as chemicals, heat, ultraviolet light, ultrasonic waves, or radiation. Sanitization is the process of making something sanitary, as by cleaning or disinfecting. Disinfection uses antimicrobial agents on non-living objects or surfaces to destroy or inactivate microorganisms. Disinfectants may not kill all bacteria, viruses, fungi and spores. Most disinfectants are weakened or inactivated by organic matter such as dirt and feces. Sanitation uses an antimicrobial agent on objects, surfaces or living tissue to reduce the
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number of disease-causing organisms to non-threatening levels. Sanitizing does not affect some spores and viruses. A practical method of sanitizing hands is to wash them with soap under running hot water for at least 20 seconds. Sterilization is using chemicals, temperature, gas and/or pressure to kill or inactivate all disease-causing bacteria, spores, fungi and viruses. 2. Compare and contrast selective media and differential media. Give examples of each type of media: Selective media are used for the growth of only selected microorganisms. For example, if a microorganism is resistant to a certain antibiotic, such as ampicillin or tetracycline, then that antibiotic can be added to the medium in order to prevent other cells, which do not possess the resistance, from growing. Media lacking an amino acid such as proline in conjunction with E. coli unable to synthesize it were commonly used by geneticists before the emergence of genomics to map bacterial chromosomes. Selective growth media are also used in cell culture to ensure the survival or proliferation of cells with certain properties, such as antibiotic resistance or the ability to synthesize a certain metabolite. Normally, the presence of a specific gene or an allele of a gene confers upon the cell the ability to grow in the selective medium. In such cases, the gene is termed a marker. Selective growth media for eukaryotic cells commonly contain neomycin to select cells that have been successfully
transfected with a plasmid carrying the neomycin resistance gene as a marker. Gancyclovir is an exception to the rule as it is used to specifically kill cells that carry its respective marker, the Herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSV TK). Some examples of selective media include: Eosin methylene blue (EMB) that contains methylene blue – toxic to Gram- positive bacteria, allowing only the growth of Gram neg
