BI 231 - Lab for BI 230

Credit Hours: 1

This lab will give students experience in methods of isolation and aseptic techniques as well as enabling them to identify the microbes in the world around them.

Fulfills SUNY General Education – Natural Sciences.

Course Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

SAFETY PROCEDURES AND PRECAUTIONS / USE OF THE MICROSCOPE

discuss and follow the safety regulations in the microbiology laboratory;
demonstrate the proper care in handling the microscope;
locate and describe the function of each part of the compound microscope;
use the microscope to observe prepared slides;
review the steps of the scientific method; and
complete assigned laboratory reports.

SURVEY OF MICROBIAL CELLS

use the microscope to examine prepared slides of various microorganisms and use the correct terminology to describe shapes and arrangements of bacteria;
prepare a wet mount of microorganisms and observe for motility and distinguish true motility from other movements such as Brownian Movement and streaming;
compare prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells; and
complete assigned laboratory reports.

ASEPTIC TECHNIQUE

describe the procedures and principles of aseptic technique as it pertains to the microbiology laboratory;
using aseptic technique, transfer cultures of bacteria (broth, agar slant and agar plate cultures);
demonstrate the proper way of performing a streak plate culture for isolation of bacteria and perform a 3-way streak;
culture microorganisms from various environmental sources; and
complete assigned laboratory reports.

EXAMINATION OF CULTURES

describe the characteristics to look for when looking at cultures of bacteria;
examine cultures prepared by students and demonstration cultures;
describe the colony characteristics using the correct terminology;
compare colony morphology of environmental plate cultures with known cultures; and
complete assigned laboratory reports.

SMEAR PREPARATION AND STAINING

describe the procedures for preparing smears from broth and agar media;
properly prepare smears of various specimens for subsequent staining;
perform a simple stain and examine the smear;
perform a Gram stain using the appropriate control cultures to check for accuracy in results and examine the smears;
perform an endospore stain and examine the smear;
perform a negative stain and examine the smear;
perform an acid-fast stain and examine the smear; and
complete assigned laboratory sheets.

CONTROL OF MICROBIAL GROWTH

test the effectiveness of various antiseptic and disinfectant chemicals against gram positive and negative bacteria, and interpret the results;
prepare Kirby Bauer plates comparing gram positive and negative bacteria;
observe and measure antibiotic susceptibility using Kirby Bauer agar plates, and interpret the results;
emphasize the purpose of hand washing/scrubbing through experimentation; and
complete assigned laboratory sheets.

APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY

describe the role of microorganisms in food spoilage; and
perform a standard plate count on a food sample to determine the number of bacteria in a sample.

PARASITOLOGY

describe the basis of classifying protozoa and give examples of representative protozoa in each group;
observe prepared slides of representative protozoa;
describe the basis of classifying parasitic worms and give examples of representative parasitic worms in each group;
observe prepared slides and macroscopic specimens for representative parasitic worms and their microscopic structures as ova; and
complete assigned laboratory sheets.

MYCOLOGY

isolate environmental fungal organisms;
describe the basis of classifying fungal organisms and give examples of representative organisms;
observe the macroscopic and microscopic morphology of representative mold and yeast organisms;
prepare simple stain of yeast species; and
complete assigned laboratory sheets.

DIAGNOSTIC MEDICAL MICROBIOLOGY

Note: The instructor may choose different laboratory exercises to emphasize procedures used in the clinical laboratory. Examples of exercises on normal and pathogenic bacteria include utilization of biochemical tests such as Triple Sugar Iron tubes, Citrate Utilization test, Urease test, Motility test, selective and differential media such as mannitol salt agar plates, blood agar plates, MacConkey agar plates and Eosin Methylene Blue agar plates.

BACTERIA OF THE RESPIRATORY TRACT

obtain a throat and nasal specimen for culture;
examine culture results and describe the colony morphology;
differentiate the genera Staphylococcus from Streptococcus on the basis of microscopic morphology and the catalase test;
students speciate these two genera using biochemical and other appropriate tests, such as mannitol salt plate, blood agar hemolysis plates, bacitracin and optochin disk susceptibility tests; and
complete assigned laboratory sheets.

BACTERIAL OF THE GENITOURINARY TRACT

obtain a urine specimen for culture;
examine and interpret test results based on colony counts;
identify selected organisms that are representative organisms (normal and pathogenic) associated with the genitourinary tract using biochemical tests and differential/selective media stated above; and
complete assigned laboratory reports.

IDENTIFICATION OF AN UNKNOWN BACTERIUM

determine the Gram reaction, cell-shape and arrangement and colony morphology of an unknown bacterium;
determine the physiological characteristics of an unknown bacterium utilizing the biochemical tests and differential media described above; and
critically analyze and identify an unknown bacterium through experimentation.

Concurrent Registration: BI 230
F/S (C, N, S)