Reference no: EM133443205

Question

Explain how the conditions and culture media you choose will meet the nutritional and environmental needs of the microorganism. (Is there a particular temperature you should use? Is CO2 needed? What medium would be best?)

The microorganism I have chosen is salmonella typhi, also known as typhoid fever. This bacteria is most commonly found in humans and is spread through contaminated food or water, close contact with an infected individual, or traveling within developing countries. It is a gram-negative, rod-shaped, facultative anaerobe, flagellated bacterium that affects the lymphatic system and bloodstream. It is first located in the intestinal tract and eventually moves to the bloodstream. Salmonella typhi is categorized as a heterotroph because it obtains all of its energy from oxidation and other organic sources.

Risks for mortality vary by how long it takes to seek medical treatment. Without a fast diagnosis, typhoid fever can be misdiagnosed and cause even more complications. The worldwide mortality rate is less than 1%. However, the most at-risk are children and elderly patients. Treatment consists of medical testing and antibiotics in hopes of killing the bacterium. The type of antibiotic will depend on how resistant the strand of bacterium is.