Unidentified

After much thought, I chose my original sample from my son’s computer mouse. I figured it would be a great location where many different types of bacteria could exist. Fifteen year old boys are not the most hygienic creatures and this is why I swabbed the mouse. However, during the beginning stages of the identification process, my sample turned out to be a fungus. My only option was to then use the sample that my wife had taken off her work shoe. She is a nurse at a hospital and is exposed to many different environments. She swabbed the side of her shoe that she wore for the first time to work. I then started the biological testing on my new sample.

The first test we did was the initial Gram’s stain. This test gave detailed information about the cell wall and the structure of the growing bacteria. This was a time consuming process that involved placing bacteria onto a slide, heat fixing it, and adding different compounds to the slide. I examined it under the microscope and a purple hue with multiple cells was visualized. After the staining process, my bacteria were found to be Gram positive that had a rod shape. We then isolated the bacteria to obtain a pure culture. I had to do this twice; the first plate had contamination areas mixed with my bacteria. It was either my inoculation process or something in the air landed onto the dish. Once a pure culture was obtained, I continued with the testing. The citrate test is used to see if the bacteria have the ability to use citrate as a food source. After forty eight hours in the incubator, the media turned a bright blue as it consumed the citric acid. This made the media have an alkaline pH.

There were several tests that help make the final identification of the bact...

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...erent health hazards. Having bacteria that is usually found on the skin would be correct for the location. I was surprised that an Escherichia coli bacteria was not found. People often believe that a hospital is a clean place to be in. This is far from true. The patients that are in the hospital are ill and are seeking medical treatments. When you are present, you are being exposed to many different elements.

Bacteria are everywhere we turn. There is no getting away from it. We need to do our best by preventing the spread of germs. Hand washing is a basic thing that we all can do to help. I now stop and think about what my hands are touching. The handle of a grocery basket can harbor hundreds if not thousands of potentially deadly bacteria or viruses. Just being more aware of your surroundings and what is in them, could possibly prevent you from an infection.