title: New concepts in medical bacteriology.
abstract: Traditional tests employed in a clinical microbiology laboratory for speciation of bacteria rely upon the presence of one or more gene products (biochemical profile) from a population of bacterial cells. These traits have been stable over a relatively long period of time, and the techniques have served us well. Current technology allows for modification and potential improvement of this system. By chemically separating DNA strands and employing recombinant DNA techniques, direct identification of bacteria becomes possible. These methods can be adapted directly to the clinical setting. In addition, specific gene products yield clinical disease; monoclonal antibodies directed against these products may speciate a bacterium indirectly through a unique gene product. Specific gene products also provide markers for epidemiologic investigation. All these technologies should find frequent clinical application in the next several years. The discoveries a century ago that germs cause infection and that different germs cause different infections prompted the development of a system of taxonomy for pathogenic microbes. It then became apparent that the identity of the germ infecting a patient could tell us more about his or her diagnosis and prognosis than could all of the clinical skills accumulated up to that time.
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology; D001424:Bacterial Infections; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D001432:Bacteriology; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000145:classification; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D005827:Genetics, Microbial; D006801:Humans; D007875:Legionella / Q000145:classification; D008967:Molecular Biology; D011815:R Factors
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal