The bacteriological or microbial analysis of a sample has different purposes and is applied in different areas of biology, being able to analyze samples of food as well as water or human tissues.
It therefore follows that this type of analysis must be conducted with particular instruments in specialized laboratories,given the importance of the results it is called upon to guarantee.
We will now see how a bacteriological analysis is normally carried out,the various fields in which it is applied and what are the fundamental tools to best carry it out.
What is meant by bacteriological analysis and what does a bacteriology laboratory do
The bacteriological analysis is used to identify any pathogens within a sample taken andquantify their presence, whether it is a tissue of a living being, a food or simply a normal chemical compound, to detect potential contagiousness and consequently danger for the surrounding environment,especially if it is a hospital setting.
The most commonly carried out bacteriological or microbiological analysis is that of water, to verify its drinkability.
All the substances contained in it are therefore verified,especially before it can be put into circulation in the water network and used by the population.Wastewater is analyzed with the aim of identifying very dangerous bacteria such as Escherichia coli
Another field in which a bacteriology laboratory very often works is that of food analysis,such as for example that of checking animal meat before it can be judged fit for consumption, to detect the presence of potentially very dangerous pathogens for human health.
In general however, any surface, of any kind,it can be a vehicle for the spread of bacteria.
Every company, for example, is obliged to carry out bacteriological analyzes on surfaces where airborne contaminants may have deposited,to guarantee the healthiness of the workplace.
In this way, various occupational diseases can be prevented, as well as verifying the effectiveness of the cleaning and sanitizing operations of the environments themselves.
This happens especially in hospital environments and with medical equipment,which are constantly subject to bacteriological analysis,to neutralize in the bud the presence of microbes that can jeopardize the health of patients and healthcare personnel.
Indispensable tools
A microbiology and bacteriology laboratory must have a series of particular instruments available so that it can carry out its task with precision andquality.
The main device for carrying out bacteriological analyzes is undoubtedly the microscope.
Technology has made great strides in recent years and now highly technological models can be found on the market at more than accessible prices.
We range from the classic microscopebiological, capable of reaching high magnifications up to 1000x, capable of observing cells, fungi, bacteria, pollen on prepared slides.
Or we can talk about a very particular instrument such as the stereomicroscope, which allows you to have a 3D vision of the sample you are observing,thanks to pairs of lenses and eyepieces that work simultaneously for a decidedly more realistic vision.
The most advanced microscopes are equipped with a trinocular head, i.e. composed of two objectives plus a turret used for the photographic connection,and which allows you to observe and at the same time photograph the analyzed sample.
In parallel with the use of a microscope it is essential to equip oneself with special plates, the so-called culture media.
Small surfaces, available in different materials depending on the type of bacteria you are looking for,they are suitable media for isolation and bacterial culture, i.e. the cultivation of typically pathogenic microorganisms, which are then observed under the microscope.
Once the samples have been collected,in a bacteriological laboratory it is often necessary to store them in incubators or ovens.
There are very sophisticated incubators on the market, which are fundamental in the culture of microorganisms.
You select the desired temperature and humidity, which the machine keeps constant,with an incubation chamber that allows the recycling of air, and with the laboratory technician who always has the situation under control in real time.
They can use natural air convection, for low sample volumes, or, especially for more complex models,a forced convection of the air guaranteed by an internal ventilation system, suitable for high density volumes of collected samples.
Ovens, on the other hand, are mainly used for drying samples or for drying all the chemical equipment used in the laboratory,for sterilization purposes.
By heating the inserted materials, other factors can also be determined such as their elastic resistance, their deformation capacity and their resilience.
Finally,for an effective bacteriological examination it is also a good idea to equip yourself with microbial identification and antibiogram systems.
Typically these are small panels composed of several wells containing biochemical substrates and antimicrobial drugs that allow the identification of particular microorganisms.There are different types, depending on the area in which they are used, whether they are systems for the identification of bacteria typical of foods or of certain parts of the human body.The reagents contained in these panels therefore allow a very rapid and precise detection of the bacteria present in the analyzed sample.
__KEEP_0__ guarantees the best tools
The equipment of a truly functioning microbiology laboratory must therefore be technologically advanced.
__KEEP_0__for more than 20 years it has been supplying public and private laboratories and healthcare facilities with instruments from the best brands, guaranteeing remarkable product quality.
And if we talk about microbiological analyses, the precision of the result is more than ever mandatory.
