Using a unique single-lens microscope, Anton van Leeuwenhoek observed bacteria and other microorganisms in 1676. Edward Jenner came up with a way to successfully immunize a child against smallpox in 1796 using cowpox. Today, the same principles are used to create vaccines. In 1857, Louis Pasteur created vaccines against anthrax, avian cholera, and rabies as well as pasteurization for food preservation as a follow-up to this.
Antiseptic surgery is credited to Joseph Lister, who developed it in 1867. Postoperative infections were reduced by using diluted carbolic acid to sterilize the instruments and clean wounds, making surgery safer for patients. Between the years 1876 and 1884, Robert Koch shed a lot of light on infectious diseases. One of the first researchers to concentrate on the isolation of bacteria in pure culture was him. This led to the germ theory, which holds that a specific disease is caused by a particular microorganism. The Koch's postulates are a set of criteria he came up with in response to this.
The Gram stain is a significant milestone in medical microbiology. The technique of staining bacteria to make them more visible and easier to distinguish under a microscope was developed in 1884 by Hans Christian Gram. Today, this method is used extensively. On syphilis-infected rabbits, Paul Ehrlich conducted experiments in 1910 using various arsenic-based chemical combinations. After that, Ehrlich discovered that arsphenamine was able to kill syphilis spirochetes. In 1910, Silverman, the arsphenamines, were made available. In 1929, Alexander Fleming created the antibiotic that is still used the most frequently today: penicillin.
Gerhard Domagk discovered in 1939 that Protocol red did not harm mice and protected them from pathogenic streptococci and staphylococci. The sulfa drug's discovery earned Domagk the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. During the 19th century, Joseph Lister demonstrated the isolation of bacteria in pure culture, Louis Pasteur demonstrated the formation of antibodies, and Paul Ehrlich demonstrated the idea of vaccination with attenuated microorganisms. Medical microbiology has advanced rapidly since then (ASM, 1999). As medical advancements continue, numerous new pathogens are still being described (CDC, webpage). Our ability to identify, categorize, and comprehend microorganisms has undergone a revolution thanks to molecular diagnostic methods over the past two decades. Molecular methods are being used in an increasing number of diagnostic tests, including those that are available for purchase. Some proponents predict that they could eventually take the place of culture as the standard method of research in laboratories.
Most of the time, commensal and environmental organisms are to blame for serious nosocomial infections. It is not always easy to tell the difference between a primary pathogen, a commensal, and a contaminant. Immunocompromised patients frequently encounter this circumstance. Consequently, the clinician and medical microbiologist must work together closely to ensure that laboratory results are appropriately interpreted. Clinical microbiology is now more than just a service that processes specimens and provides results. It also offers advice on how to collect specimens, interpret results, manage patients, choose antimicrobials, and control infections that are acquired in hospitals.
Published Date: 2023-02-28; Received Date: 2023-02-02
