Toll like receptor pathway : Watch a cartoon

Ever thought immunology is so complex? Why don't you put your imagination into a cartoon and remeber the complexities of innate immunity better? The innate immune system is an ancient host defense mechanism found in almost every multicellular organism from plants to humans. In invertebrates it is the sole mechanism of defense against pathogens but in higher vertebrates constitutes the first line of defense. The role of the innate immune system is not an insignificant one; not only must it discriminate between self and non-self as well as distinguish between pathogenic and non-pathogenic microbes, it also plays an important role in triggering and optimizing the adaptive immune response. This remarkable system allows an immediate non-specific response against microorganisms whereas the adaptive immunity mounts a specific response against the invading pathogen during the late phase of the infection.

Gram Positive Bacteria

Bacteria, Fungi and Parasite Capsules for quick revision

It is a very good effort taken on behalf of  http://www.medfools.com/ to tabulate, encapsule and compare the bacteria, fungi and parasites in three pdf files. Great download for quick revision of your confusing microbiology chapters.
Download BACTERIA revision charts here
Download FUNGI revision charts here
Download PARASITES revision charts here

VDRL : False Positive cases

VDRL is false positive in "Missed Positive VDRL"
Malaria
Pregnancy
Viral diseases - Hepatitis, IMN
Drugs
Rheumatic fever, Rheumatoid arthritis
Leprosy, Lupus

Salmonella vs Shigella

• SalMonella is Motile unlike Shigella. (Or remember in Hindi मोटा सलमान)
• Salmonella is motile like ANIMALS - This helps to remember that Salmonella has ANIMAL reservoir.
• Shigella is transmitted by the F's - Food, Fingers, Flies, Faeces.
• ShiGella has Greater virulence than Salmonella.

Which are the gram positive bacilli?

Before answering the question, do you know this Bollywood actress? Well, she is Lara Dutta. Now here's the mnemonic with some modification to this fact.....
"B" for Bollywood and also for Bacilli;
Will she Gram stain? Yes, because she doesnot have her clothes on :-)
So L. DATTA is Gram positive "B"..... Of course, we have made the Dutta to Datta and left out 3 letters of Lara. And L.DATTA wants NO Acne , as this will spoil her figure.
Remember that all Bacilli are Gram negative except L.DATTA wants NO Acne, i.e. the bacteria causing
Listeriosis (Listeria monocytogenes & also remember Lactobacillus sp.)
Diptheria (Corynebacterium diptheriae)
Actinomycosis (Actinomyces sp.)
Tuberculosis (Mycobacterium tuberculosis)
Tetanus (Clostridium tetani and others in Clostridia sp.)
Anthrax (Bacillus anthracis & cereus)
NOcardiosis (Nocardia sp.)
Acne (Propionibacterium acnes)

Corynebacterium diptheriae

Remember the ABCDEFG of Corynbacterium Diptheriae:

ADP-ribosylation of EF-2 is the mechanism of action
Beta-prophage encodes exotoxin
Corynebacterium
Diphtheriae
Exotoin acts by inhibiting protein synthesis via ADP ribosylation of  Elongation Factor 2
Granules (Lab diagnosis: gram-positive rods with metachromatic Granules)

Functions of Interlukins

Remember the picture above: List the food items in order from left to right - Hot Tea, Mutton bone, EGG - All these go Into An OESophagus.
Now here are the functions:
IL-1 : Pyrogen (Hot)
IL-2 : Stimulates "T" cell (Tea)
IL-3 : Mutton BONE (BONE Marrow)
IL-4 : Stimulates IgE and IgG (EGG)
IL-5 : Stimulates synthesis of IgA and OESinophils (Into An OESophagus)

Tzanck smear

Q: What is the use of Tzanck smear?
A: To detect Herpes
Remember this "TzANcK god, I don't have Herpes" or TzANcK HER(pes) (Thank her)

Parasitic eggs that float in saturated saline

 Fertilised eggs of the following Float in saturated saline:
Remember: Imagine a DWARF holding a WHIP and PINned on ROUND HOOK
i.e. Eggs which Float are Fertilised eggs of:
Dwarf tape worm = Hymenolepis nana
Whip worm = Trichuris trichura
Pin worm =  Enterobius vermicularis
Round worm = Ascaris lumbricoides
Hook worm = Ankylostoma / Necacator



Another alternate mnemonic: I HATE Fertilised eggs - HATE stands for Hook / Hymenolepis, Ascaris, Trichuris, Enterobius.

Micro organisms which don't Gram stain well

 List of Microbes which may not gram stain well:
Remember: " These Microscopic Rascals May Look Colourless "
Treponema
Mycobacteria 
Rickettsia
Mycoplasma
Legionella
Chlamydia

Interactive Microbiology, Genetics for better memory

Ever thought Neuroscience, DNA, RNA, Karyotyping, ELISA test, stem cells, immunology, genetics etc are tough topics. Well, if you want to make these topics easier and remember them better go to http://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/index.html
This site has lots of downloads - videos, lectures, pdfs etc in these topics. Do check out all the topics. There is a virtual lab, where you can do ELISA for SLE, Identify bacteria using PCR and all those advanced techniques. (Please make sure that you have the latest version of shockwave flash). Virtual classroom lectures help in easy learning. Many do and learns help you to remember better.

Blood group

O Negative (O -ve) blood group is universal dONor

Clonorchis sinensis

The 'C's of Clonorchis sinensis :
Also called Chinese liver fluke Causes the following:
Cholangio carcinoma
Ca Pancreas
Calculi
Cirrhosis Liver
Cholangitis

Cyprinoid fish is the intermediate host
Definite host are fish eaters - Cat, Dog, Man
The infective form is enCysted metaCerCaria

Contents of LJ Medium

Remember the picture to memorise the contents of LJ Medium ( Imagine making the special LJ Bull's eye with salt, green chilly and Pepper added )

• Coagulated hen's eggs
• Malachite green (Represented by green chilly)
• Mineral salt
• Asparaginase (Represented by PeppeR)

H. pylori

Remember the LMN: H. pylori is ......
Lophotricate
Motile
Negative gram staining

Also remember the C's
Choclate agar / Campylobacter media
Catalase +ve
CLO test +ve (= Urease breath test)
CAG is virulent cytotoxin associated gene, VAC is VACulating cytotoxin associated gene
Culture is more sensitive for diagnosis

Learn microbiology through picture mnemonics

A must have book, if you get confused between Streptococcus, Staphylococcus etc etc. There a few unbeatable cartoons which are picture mnemonics. Also has lots of Tables. 

See the examples from Staphylococcus chapter. The cartoons depict Staphylococcus as a warrior. Did you note the first picture? Well it depicts a staff (Staphylococcus) with a CAT in front of them - Represents that staphylococcus is CATalase positive. The other series of pictures depict it as a warrior with various virulence factors - Coagulase, protein A, hyaluronidase, Leukocidin, Hemolysin etc.

Fever with Rash

Number of days after onset of fever that rash will appear:

Remember: Really Sick Children Must Take No Exercise.

1 Day -   Rubella
2 Days - Scarlet fever ( Also in Smallpox )
3 Days - Chickenpox
4 Days - Measles
5 Days - Typhus, rickettsia (variable)
6 Days - Nothing
7 Days - Enteric fever

Microbiology Mnemonics

Chek out Microbiology Mnemonics from medcastle. medcastle.com is a site to check out for sure.

Comparison of Nematodes : Table

An effective method to remember is by making similiar items into a comparison table. When you confuse between similiar items, try making such comparison tables and memorise it repeatedly.

Nematodes_MedExcel -