Exercise: Some metabolic activities of bacteria

1. What is the color of phenol red at an acid pH?

2. What is the function of a Durham tube?

3. Why is iodine used to detect starch hydrolysis?

4. How is indole produced in SIM medium? How is it detected?

5. How is hydrogen sulfide demonstrated in this medium?

Exercise 5: Fungi, yeasts and molds

1. What is the advantage of viewing mold structures in a transparent tape preparation?

2. What fungus can be identified reliably by using the germ tube test?

3. Name three stains or reagents that may be used to facilitate the microscopic detection of fungi in clinical samples.

4. What is the main advantage of using the slide culture technique for identifying molds?

5. What is an opportunistic pathogen? Name three fungal specimens.