Glossary (Page 29) — Ask Microbiology

S

Sporadic

Sporadic describes an event or disease that occurs infrequently and irregularly, with isolated cases appearing without a predictable pattern in time or place....

Sporadic Creutzfeldt–Jakob Disease (sCJD)

Sporadic Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease sCJD is the most common human prion disorder and accounts for about 85 % of all Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease cases. It arises...

Sporadic Fatal Insomnia (sFI)

Sporadic fatal insomnia sFI is an extremely rare prion disease characterized by progressive inability to sleep, autonomic dysfunction and rapid...

Spore

A spore is a dormant, highly resistant structure produced by certain bacteria, fungi and other organisms to survive unfavourable conditions or facilitate...

Sporulation

Sporulation is the process by which certain bacteria, fungi and other microorganisms form dormant, resistant spores in response to environmental stress or...

Spread Plate

A spread plate is a microbiological technique in which a measured volume of a diluted sample is evenly distributed across the surface of an agar plate to...

Staph

Staph is an informal term for bacteria in the genus Staphylococcus, which are Gram-positive cocci that grow in irregular clusters and are commonly found on...

Staphylococcus aureus

Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive, coagulase-positive bacterium that forms grape-like clusters and colonizes the anterior nares and skin of many people;...

STL polyomavirus (STLPyV)

STL polyomavirus STLPyV, also known as Saint Louis polyomavirus or human polyomavirus 11, is a non‑enveloped circular double‑stranded DNA virus in the...

Streak Plate

A streak plate is a method in microbiology used to separate microorganisms on an agar surface so that discrete colonies can be obtained from a mixed sample....

Strep

Strep is a colloquial term for bacterial infections caused by streptococci, particularly group A Streptococcus pyogenes, and is most often used to refer to...

Streptococcus

Streptococcus is a genus of Gram‑positive, catalase‑negative cocci that typically arrange in chains or pairs and includes many commensal and pathogenic species...

Streptococcus pyogenes

Streptococcus pyogenes is a species of beta-hemolytic, Gram-positive bacteria in Lancefield group A; it is a major human pathogen responsible for streptococcal...

Strict Anaerobe

A strict anaerobe is an organism that cannot survive in the presence of oxygen, requiring an oxygen‑free environment for energy production and growth....

Subculture

A subculture is a new culture prepared by transferring microorganisms or cells from a previous culture to fresh growth medium to maintain viability or isolate...

Subspecies

A subspecies is a formal taxonomic category subordinate to species, used to denote geographically or ecologically distinct populations within a species that...

Sudan Ebolavirus

Sudan ebolavirus is a species of ebolavirus that causes Ebola virus disease in humans, characterized by severe hemorrhagic fever and a high case fatality rate,...

Superinfection

A superinfection is a new infection that develops on top of an existing one, often during or after treatment of the original infection, usually because the...

Susceptibility

Susceptibility in microbiology refers to the degree to which a microorganism can be inhibited or killed by a particular antimicrobial agent. Explanation...

Symbiosis

Symbiosis refers to a close and sustained biological interaction between organisms of different species. Depending on the nature of the relationship, it can be...

Syncytium

A syncytium is a mass of cytoplasm containing multiple nuclei that arises when individual cells fuse or when nuclear division occurs without subsequent...

Microbiology Glossary

S