The concept of contagious disease caused by microorganisms is first seen in the Old Testament. The biblical roots of microbiology are not a surprise when we consider the contributions of Louis Pasteur, the Father of Modern Microbiology. Pasteur’s swan-necked flask experiments not only disproved the theory of spontaneous generation (i.e., life evolved from nonliving matter), but also set the foundation for the law of biogenesis: life comes from preexisting life.
Conduct research of microbial pathogens/infectious agents. Refer to Part IV – Infections Diseases (Chapters 21–27) in Nester’s Microbiology: A Human Perspective and other online scientific journals/articles (e.g., .edu, .gov/, .org websites). Select one microorganism (bacteria, virus, fungus, protozoa, or prion) and create a PowerPoint presentation (10 slides) that addresses the following criteria:
Title slide (clearly present your topic and your name)
Physiology and Structure
Virulence
Epidemiology
Disease, Signs, and Symptoms (list disease(s) caused by the microorganism along with the signs and symptoms)
Diagnosis
Treatment, Control, and Prevention
Microbe in the News (highlight one news article about your microorganism)
Christian Worldview (provide a relevant Bible verse/passage and briefly discuss the significance of microbes from a biblical perspective)
Reference slide (Use a minimum of three references; only use reliable sources)
Reliable sources include: the course textbook, other books from major publishers, newspapers, peer-reviewed articles, peer-reviewed journals, PhD dissertations and research, public library [GCU library], scholarly articles, isolated studies or academic research, professional organizations’ websites, educational institutions’ websites, and government websites.
Unreliable sources include: Wikipedia, blogs, forums, self-published books, questionable sites created by nonprofessional organizations, and sites that provide biased information.
While APA style is not required for the body of this assignment, solid academic writing is expected, and documentation of sources should be presented using APA formatting guidelines, which can be found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.