Help a newbie identify bacteria!!!

[bhylak]

Hey I will be posting more pictures of different types, but for now my question is "What type of Bacteria is this!?!?!" I am doing a project, which involves swabbing meat and gram staining them. Do *ALL* red little marks mean it is G-Negative bacteria? ex.

Do you have any pics of the top 25 most likely bacteria to be on meat? Also no rod shaped bacteria has been seen yet...

And there are only 5 types of harmful G-Positive bacteria right???

Sorry for all the questions but I bought my first microscope couple weeks ago...

[JackBean]

The pictures doesn't seem very focused...

[billw]

You won't identify any bacteria with those pictures - you should be able to clearly see individual small rods or spheres. All those pictures show are unfocused blobs.

That said, you can't identify bacteria just by observing them under the microscope - there are many bacteria of different species that have the same morphology, dimensions, and reaction to stains. You need to do some additional biochemical tests to be able to narrow down the results. Are you doing this for a class or on your own?

As for 5 types of G+ bacteria... what do you mean by "type" and harmful to what? I have a book on my bookshelf titled Gram-Positive Pathogens; it is 850 pages and it definitely covers more than 5 bacteria.

[bhylak]

The pictures doesn't seem very focused...

I am using a 30 dollar microscope. 900x magnification, yet not so good focus. Let me see if I can get another pic with better focus... better focus.
I meant 5 types of *harmful* bacteria...

I am really just trying to find out if it is bacteria they can instill disease in humans...

More pics have arrived! I am really just trying to see if it bacteria. I am doing it in a class, but have to provide myself with the supplies...

[bhylak]

Ok then the last pic:

I know they aren't too focused...

[JackBean]

Than there is a question, whether to do something, what you obviously can't?
Maybe you see something better by eye, but we don't and identify something from these picture is little...

[bhylak]

Ha, ok...

How to I tell if it bacteria?

[billw]

Can you see through the microscope more clearly than these images show? If not, then you need to either learn how to use your microscope or get a better microscope.

[bhylak]

Well, I know how to use my microscope, but it is not so hot quality wise, but I can see a clearer shot when I am viewing it real time.

So again, How can I tell if it is bacteria? Like in general, any shot. What are some points to look at to see if it is bacteria at all?

[bhylak]

Anyone? How to I tell the difference in between bacteria and dust?

[billw]

At 900x, you should be able to see structures that are small but very clearly rod-shaped or sphere-shaped, appearing singly, in long or short chains, or in clusters. You should not have to guess whether what you are looking at are bacteria because the shapes will be so clear. Dust and debris appear as partially unfocused blobs that change shape as you focus up and down.

Go to google images (or your favorite search engine) and look up 1000x images of bacteria. If you need some ideas, try E. coli, B. subtilis, S. aureus, M. luteus, and M. smegmatis. What you see in your microscope should look similar, but a bit smaller at 900x.

I went to google and typed in "e coli 1000x" and the first page of pics had just what you are looking for.

[bhylak]

Thanks! (Not wanting to get off topic I made a new thread about staining slides)