Cellular life on earth has evolved along three major lineages, called Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya. Comparative rRNA sequencing revealed these three distinct cellular lineages, also called domains. Bacteria and Archaea are prokaryotic lines whereas Eukarya […]
Spirochetes are long, thin, flexible, spirally coiled helical bacilli. These motile, gram-negative bacilli are classified into eight genera primarily on the basis of habitat, pathogenicity, phylogeny, morphological and physiological characteristics. These long slender bacteria are […]
Human skin is home to billions of diverse bacteria, archaea, fungi, and viruses with bacteria making up the vast majority. Typically, a person has around 1,000 species of bacteria on their skin. The skin microbiome is […]
Candida auris (C. auris) causes a serious and sometimes fatal fungal infection that is emerging globally. First identified in 2009 in Asia, this drug-resistant fungi is an emerging threat especially to vulnerable patients (e.g, hospitalized […]
Epitopes, also known as antigenic determinants, are the immunologically active discrete sites on the antigen molecule that physically bind to antibodies, B-cell receptors, or T-cell receptors. When an antibody binds to an antigen, it isn’t […]
There are two medically important Bacillus species: Bacillus anthracis which causes anthrax, and Bacillus cereus, which causes a foodborne illness (food poisoning) similar to that of Staphylococcus. Gram Staining Gram-positive rods often arranged in pairs […]
Last updated on May 30th, 2021Moraxella catarrhalis is a small gram-negative diplococcus that resembles the cocci of the genus Neisseria. The genus Moraxella is one of the several in the family Neisseriaceae; other medically important […]
ESBL stands for extended-spectrum beta-lactamases, i.e. a group of enzymes produced by both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria which can hydrolyze all β- lactam agents except carbapenems and cephamycins. ESBLs belong to group 2be or group […]
The immune system consists of many different organs, tissues, and cells scattered throughout the body but connected via blood vessels or lymphatic channels. These cells communicate with each other using protein signals (cytokines, complement, and […]
Last updated on June 7th, 2021Mucormycosis is a rare and life-threatening fungal disease caused by a group of fungi collectively known as mucormycetes. Since the disease is very fatal, timely diagnosis is crucial for treatment, […]
Last updated on May 30th, 2021Immunoglobulin E (IgE) is one of five isotypes of human immunoglobulins: IgG, IgA, IgM, IgD, and IgE. IgE is commonly associated with the various manifestations of allergic disease and protection […]
Last updated on June 11th, 2021Lyme disease or Lyme borreliosis is a vector-borne zoonotic disease caused by three genomospecies of Borrelia, collectively referred to as Borrrelia burgdorferi and rarely by Borrelia mayonii. Characteristics of Borrelia […]
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