Unknown Bacteria Number 5 Lab Report

Being able to determining the identity of a bacterium is essential as treatments for different types of bacteria vary greatly. Without correct and timely identification of a bacterium, a patient’s condition is likely to worsen and the probability of death rises due to inaccurate treatment. The identification of bacteria is also crucial in the prevention of bacterial diseases. Identification of bacteria also aids the selection of antibiotics used against them. This assists in the reduction of the overuse and misuse of antibiotics which aids bacterial resistance to antibiotics. The identification of bacteria aids in the detection of a bacterium’s origin and methods of transmission. Knowing the origin and method of transmission of a bacterium enables us to prevent or reduce infection by the bacterium (Tortora). I have been assigned unknown bacterium number 5. In the following paragraphs I will detail the methods used in the identification of unknown bacterium number 5. The initial test conducted after being given unknown bacteria number 5 was a Three-Step gram stain. This test was conducted utilizing aseptic technique. I first aseptically prepared a smear using unknown bacteria number 5 and heat fixed the smear. I then flooded the smear with

This test was conducted utilizing aseptic technique. I first properly labeled the test tube and aseptically inoculated an MR-VP broth tube with unknown bacteria number 5 using a sterile inoculating loop. After 4 days of incubation, I added 4 drops of methyl red ph indicator to the tube. The contents of the test tube turned yellow in color. This indicates a negative test result because unknown bacteria 5 utilized the butanediol pathway instead of the mixed acid fermentation pathway. The negative result of the Methyl red test eliminated approximately half of the remaining genera in the family Enterobacteriaceae in the 9th Edition of “Bergey’s Manual of Determinative