Microbiology Glossary
Browse our comprehensive collection of 777 microbiology terms and definitions.
D
Dengue Virus 4
Dengue virus type 4 DENV-4 is the fourth of the four serotypes of dengue virus, an enveloped, positive-sense single-stranded RNA virus in the genus Flavivirus...
Desiccation
Desiccation is the removal of water from cells or materials, usually by drying, to inhibit microbial growth or preserve food. Without sufficient moisture,...
Diatoms
Diatoms are single-celled photosynthetic algae with cell walls made of transparent silica. These walls, called frustules, consist of two interlocking halves...
Differential Media
Differential media are culture media formulated to reveal differences among microorganisms by producing visible changes in colony morphology or the appearance...
Differential Stain
A differential stain is a staining method that employs multiple dyes to highlight differences between organisms or cellular structures, allowing them to be...
Diffusion
Diffusion is the net movement of atoms, ions or molecules from a region of higher concentration to a region of lower concentration, driven by random thermal...
Diphtheroid
A diphtheroid is a bacterium that resembles the species causing diphtheria but does not produce the diphtheria toxin. Explanation Members of the genus...
Diplococcus
A diplococcus is a pair of spherical bacteria that remain attached after cell division. Historically the term described genera such as Diplococcus pneumoniae,...
Disinfectant
A disinfectant is a chemical substance used to inactivate or destroy microorganisms on inanimate objects and surfaces. It does not necessarily kill all...
Disinfectant
Disinfectants are chemical agents used on non-living objects to reduce or eliminate pathogenic microorganisms by disrupting cell membranes, denaturing...
Disinfection
Disinfection is the process of reducing or eliminating pathogenic microorganisms on inanimate objects or surfaces through chemical or physical means, without...
Disk (Disc)
A disk disc in microbiology is a small circular piece of filter paper or polymer impregnated with a defined amount of an antimicrobial or biochemical agent,...
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid DNA is the hereditary material in almost all organisms, carrying genetic instructions for growth, development, and reproduction. It is...
DNA Fingerprinting
DNA fingerprinting is a molecular technique that creates a distinctive profile of an organism's DNA by analyzing variations in repetitive nucleotide sequences....
DNA Sequencing
DNA sequencing is a laboratory technique for determining the exact order of nucleotides in a DNA molecule, revealing the linear arrangement of adenine,...
Dobrava-Belgrade Virus
Dobrava‑Belgrade virus DOBV is a member of the genus Orthohantavirus family Hantaviridae and one of the Old World hantaviruses that cause haemorrhagic fever...
Dot Blot
Dot blot is a blotting technique that detects proteins or nucleic acids immobilized as small spots on a membrane without prior electrophoretic separation. It...
Droplet Transmission
Droplet transmission refers to the spread of infectious agents via respiratory droplets expelled from the mouth or nose of an infected person during coughing,...
Duvenhage Lyssavirus
Duvenhage lyssavirus is a rabies-related virus within the genus Lyssavirus first identified in South Africa after a fatal human case in 1970 following a bat...
E
Eastern Blot
An eastern blot is an analytical technique used to detect post‑translational modifications on proteins, such as carbohydrate or lipid moieties, after they have...
Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus (EEEV)
Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus EEEV is a mosquito‑borne alphavirus in the Togaviridae family that causes severe encephalitis in horses and humans. It...
Ebola virus
Ebola virus is a filamentous, enveloped, negative‑sense RNA virus in the family Filoviridae that causes Ebola virus disease, a severe and often fatal...
Echovirus 11
Echovirus 11 is a serotype of the echovirus group within the Enterovirus B species of the Picornaviridae family. It is a small, non-enveloped positive-sense...
Echovirus 30
Echovirus 30 is one of the most frequently isolated echovirus serotypes and belongs to the Enterovirus B species. It is a small, non-enveloped RNA virus that...