Review Sheets From My Microbiology Exam Last Monday 🔬

Hello everyone, welcome to my latest 4-part series to help you land that job after uni! This series will cover what to do before, during, and after a job interview to ensure you leave a positive impression on the interviewers and hopefully help you cinch opportunities! Enjoy!

How To Set Your Career On The Right Path Before You Even Graduate! (Link) Part 2: During The Interview (Link) Part 3: After The Interview (Link)

Research the job position and company values. 

It is critical to tackle all the requirements in your cover letter as well as your resume, and to be able to answer questions in the interview in a way that highlights you have those values the company is seeking. Even if the company doesn’t have a public ad, research similar positions at different companies and read those job descriptions. Have situations you’ve dealt with in your arsenal for answering situational questions. 

Make sure your resume is updated perfectly. 

It’ll save you a lot of time if you just update your resume every time you start something new! Standard stuff: Use ‘clean’ standard fonts, white A4 paper, single sided, 2 cohesive colours max. Include at least the minimum components or a combination of them: the rough order should be:

Career Objective

Education

Relevant Experience (include key responsibilities and noteworthy performance points)

Extra-Curricular Activities (if relevant)

Skills

Referees (usually just write “available on request”)

Cold call!

This is how I got my first relevant job as an optical assistant, which in a way, led to my current position today. Even whilst I was working as an optical assistant, occasionally we would get a new hire if their resume seemed good and they interviewed well. 

Prepare for common interview questions. 

Have scenarios ready illustrating how you dealt with a difficult situation 

Actinomyces israelii

Gram+, anaerobic, non-spore forming, branching rod

Endogenous transmission (dental crevices -bad higiene, dental trauma- ; female genital tract -IUD-)

Dx: branching rods in “sulfur granules”; colonies resemble a molar tooth.

Not painful but very invasive penetrating tissues, including bone.

Draining abscess (sinus tracts) CULTURE THAT PUS

Disease: ACTINOMYCOSIS in low O2 tissues

Cervicofacil: “Lumpy jaw”, mycetoma on jaw line

Pelvic: from IUD

CNS: solitary abscess

Abdominal: qx, trauma

Thoracic: aspiration

Haematology

White Blood Cells (Leukocytes)

Neutrophils, eosinophils and basophils = granulocytes (polymorphonuclear leukocytes)

Monocytes & lymphocyes = mononuclear

Neutrophils

Most numerous (~60% of WBC)

Nucleus divided into lobes

Cytoplasm contains small granules

Stains pink with Romanowsky dyes

Lifespan of 6-10hrs

Exit into tissues - non-specific defence against bacteria and fungi

Eosinophils

1% of circulating leukocytes 

Large cytoplasmic granules - stain strongly with acidic dye eosin

Nucleus is bilobed

Circulate for 4-5hrs

Exit to tissues –> 

Defence against parasites 

Dampen allergic response

Tissue eosinophils are also capable of responding to bacterial and fungal infection in a similar way to neutrophils.

Basophils

Least numerous (<1%)

Large granules stain strongly with basic dye methylene blue

Involved in anaphylactic hypersensitivity and inflammatory reactions

Monocytes

5% of circulating leukocytes

Large cell

Kidney/clefted shaped nucleus

Scattering of delicate azurophilic granules

Circulate for 10hrs

Mature into phagocytic tissue macrophages

Responsible for the removal of aged RBCs and other debris

Process and present antigens to T-lymphocytes 

(Macrophages are formed in response to an infection or accumulating damaged or dead cells. Large, specialized cells that recognize, engulf and destroy target cells.)

Lymphocytes

Second most common leukocyte (33%)

Much less cytoplasm - nucleus almost fills cell

Variable lifespan

Receptors on surface recognise foreign substances

Several types of lymphocyte - click here

Tick-Borne Diseases

Leukocyes (WBCs) & Defence

A summary

Neutrophils -  non-specific defence against bacteria and fungi

Eosinophils -Defence against parasites; dampen allergic response

Basophils  - Anaphylactic & inflammation response

Monocytes - Mature into macrophages, engulf foreign substances;  remove aged RBCs and other debris

Lymphocyes - Recognise antigens, various roles

Colon: pseudomembranous colitis due to Clostridium difficile (pseudomembranous inflammation) Note the gray-yellow pseudomembrane covering the entire mucosal surface. Damage is due to a toxin produced by C. difficile. Similar to diphtheria, the toxin produces necrosis of the mucosa and submucosa without actual invasion by the bacteria. A toxin assay of stool is the best method for diagnosing the disease. Ampicillin is the MC drug causing pseudomembranous colitis and does so by destroying colonic bacteria that normally keep C. difficile in check.

Microbiology Mnemonics

-28/11/17-

Had cramps so spent the day writing up microbiology notes whilst hunched over my hot water bottle. The lecture on vaccine design is 7 pages long and now I can hand cramp to my list of ailments…