Select a resident microorganism for the SLP. Provide a general description of the microorganism, where in the human it resides, and the reasons you selected it for the SLP. Be sure to use the scientific name for the microbes selected for the SLP. (Also the genus and species of each organism must be written in italics. The genus of the organism is always capitalized while the species is not capitalized. For ex, Actinomyces bovis.) Discuss the ecological niche that each microorganism is found in its natural environment.

An ecological niche is that area or space in the environment where a specific species of microorganisms can survive and reproduce. "Certain combinations of environmental conditions are necessary for individuals of each species to tolerate the physical environment, obtain energy and nutrients, and avoid predators" (Pidwirnery, 2006). What are the growth conditions required by this microorganism and how do they relate to where in the body they reside?

Be sure you understand the difference between a pathogenic and non-pathogenic microorganism. Is this organism a pathogen or non-pathogenic (consider the terms, opportunist and symbiont)? Can it be both? If so, under what conditions?

Definition of Pathogenic and Opportunistic Microorganisms

Pathogenic Microorganisms are defined as: Microorganisms which have virulence factors and can cause disease in hosts with a normal defense capacity. Virulence factors may involve resistance to nonspecific host defense factors.

Opportunistic Microorganisms are defined as: Microorganisms which only can cause disease if host resistance is (sufficiently) decreased.

Recommended format for SLP

Please think through how you organize your material and how it is presented. Here is a suggestion, but you are free to organize your presentation in a manner that is comfortable to you. The major headings are approximate descriptions of each SLP module.