Introduction to systemic bacteriology | Microbiology

To do well in microbiology for USMLE Step 1, you need a solid understanding of the following:

How to identify bacteria, including morphology and characteristic features (motility, shape, etc.), as well as laboratory tests such as fermentation tests, clinical tests for antigens or specific antibodies, and culture characteristics (which media and conditions they grow best in, the nature of colonies, hemolytic properties on blood agar, etc.).
Major human diseases caused by bacteria. Most are infections, but some are toxin-mediated, and some are immunologic effects that result from the infectious process.
Laboratory diagnosis. A clinical vignette will usually present key clinical features that point you toward a differential diagnosis. Typical laboratory and biopsy findings then help you confirm the correct diagnosis.

Each chapter in systemic bacteriology is organized around these concepts. As you learn the material, keep connecting each organism to how it’s identified, what it causes, and how it’s diagnosed.

To do well in microbiology for USMLE Step 1, you need a solid understanding of the following:

How to identify bacteria, including morphology and characteristic features (motility, shape, etc.), as well as laboratory tests such as fermentation tests, clinical tests for antigens or specific antibodies, and culture characteristics (which media and conditions they grow best in, the nature of colonies, hemolytic properties on blood agar, etc.).
Major human diseases caused by bacteria. Most are infections, but some are toxin-mediated, and some are immunologic effects that result from the infectious process.
Laboratory diagnosis. A clinical vignette will usually present key clinical features that point you toward a differential diagnosis. Typical laboratory and biopsy findings then help you confirm the correct diagnosis.

Each chapter in systemic bacteriology is organized around these concepts. As you learn the material, keep connecting each organism to how it’s identified, what it causes, and how it’s diagnosed.