USMLE Step 1 Mnemonics-Microbiology
(Bacteria)
Gram Stain Limitations - answerThese Rascals May Microscopically Lack Color
Treponema (too thin)
Rickettsia (intracellular)
Mycobacteria (high lipid content in cell wall)
Mycoplasma (no cell wall)
Legionella pneumo (intracellular)
Chlamydia (intracellular, no muramic acid in cell wall)
Giemsa Stain - answerCertain Bugs Really Try my Patience
Chlamydia, Borrelia, Rickettsiae, Trypanosomes, Plasmodium
PAS (periodic acid shiff) Stain - answerstains glycogen; PASs the sugar
Special Culture Requirements - answerFungi--Sabouraud's Agar; "Sabs a fun guy"
Bordatella--Bordet
Obligate aerobes - answerNagging Pests Must Breathe
Nocardia, Pseudomonas, Mycobacterium tub, Bacillus
Obligate anaerobes - answeranaerobes Can't Breathe Air
Clostridium, Bacteroides, Actinomyces
AminOglycosides don't work--because these abx require O2 to enter bacterial cell
Obligate intracellular - answerStay inside when it is Really Cold
Rickettsia, Chlamydia
Facultative intracellular - answerSome Nasty Bugs May Live FacultativeLY
Salmonella, Neisseria, Brucella, Mycobacterium, Listeria, Francisella, Legionella,
Yersinia
Encapsulated bacteria - answerQuellung=capsular "swellung"
SHiNE SKiS
(Bacteria)
Gram Stain Limitations - answerThese Rascals May Microscopically Lack Color
Treponema (too thin)
Rickettsia (intracellular)
Mycobacteria (high lipid content in cell wall)
Mycoplasma (no cell wall)
Legionella pneumo (intracellular)
Chlamydia (intracellular, no muramic acid in cell wall)
Giemsa Stain - answerCertain Bugs Really Try my Patience
Chlamydia, Borrelia, Rickettsiae, Trypanosomes, Plasmodium
PAS (periodic acid shiff) Stain - answerstains glycogen; PASs the sugar
Special Culture Requirements - answerFungi--Sabouraud's Agar; "Sabs a fun guy"
Bordatella--Bordet
Obligate aerobes - answerNagging Pests Must Breathe
Nocardia, Pseudomonas, Mycobacterium tub, Bacillus
Obligate anaerobes - answeranaerobes Can't Breathe Air
Clostridium, Bacteroides, Actinomyces
AminOglycosides don't work--because these abx require O2 to enter bacterial cell
Obligate intracellular - answerStay inside when it is Really Cold
Rickettsia, Chlamydia
Facultative intracellular - answerSome Nasty Bugs May Live FacultativeLY
Salmonella, Neisseria, Brucella, Mycobacterium, Listeria, Francisella, Legionella,
Yersinia
Encapsulated bacteria - answerQuellung=capsular "swellung"
SHiNE SKiS
