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Medical microbiology studies microorganisms that cause diseases in humans. Medical microbiologists identify, classify, and study the life cycle of microorganisms, their impact on human health, and how they can be eradicated. They also examine immunology, pathology, and epidemiology. Medical microbiology is concerned with emerging disease outbreaks, ongoing problems with microorganisms, and a variety of other medical challenges. Doctors also study medical microbiology to diagnose and treat infections.
Medical microbiology is a branch in the field of microbiology that focuses on microorganisms of medical interest. Medical microbiologists study organisms that can cause disease in people by looking at the life cycle of those organisms, how they cause infections in humans, how they spread, what they do to the human body, and how they can be eradicated. People in this field may work in research laboratories studying microorganisms, or they may work in diagnostic laboratories, performing tests to identify disease-causing organisms in patients and making treatment recommendations.
Bacteria, fungi, protozoa and viruses can cause disease in humans. Humans have been colonized by microorganisms since the beginning of time and microorganisms are constantly evolving and changing to thwart human attempts to control them. The field of medical microbiology is engaged in identifying new microorganisms, monitoring changes in rapidly mutating species, and addressing ongoing challenges in microbiology, ranging from the development of antibiotic resistance in bacteria to the contamination of water supplies with the protozoa.
Like other microbiology researchers, medical microbiologists are interested in identifying and classifying the organisms they see. This information can help people see what they are dealing with and can aid in the development of treatments. Understanding the relationship between organisms may also be important as researchers explore methods of transmission. The identification process may also include inquiries into an organism’s origin and history; learning where a flu virus developed, for example, can be important in understanding how an epidemic came about.
In addition to being interested in microorganisms themselves, the field of medical microbiology is also concerned with immunology, examining human defenses against such organisms and how they can be enhanced or strengthened. Researchers also study pathology, the course disease takes in the body, and epidemiology, the science of how and why diseases spread. Medical microbiologists have skills that can be applied to emerging disease outbreaks, ongoing problems with microorganisms, and a variety of other medical challenges.
While in medical school, many doctors spend time studying medical microbiology, with some spending more time studying this topic than others. Understanding how microorganisms work is important for clinicians because this knowledge can be applied to the diagnosis and treatment of infections. Some physicians may continue to focus on medical microbiology research, working to develop new methods to combat microorganisms, and conducting clinical trials to gather information about new drugs, the effectiveness of proposed treatment protocols, and other issues.
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