Stimulating Participation and Learning in Microbiology: Presence and Identification of Bacteria from Student's Hands

Abstract

We proposed in the Basic Microbiology Subject for food science and nutrition students, a "hands-on" activity consisting on sampling student's hands for bacterial presence and identification. This is a project to be implemented in multiple laboratory classes throughout the semester, allowing students to learn, and apply general microbiology techniques in mixed or isolated cultures obtained from their own samples in parallel with those from the laboratory collection proposed in the microbiology syllabus (as aseptic technique, hands sampling, streaking for single-colony isolation, culture medium analysis, bacterial morphology, and biochemical study, employ of dichotomous keys) This activity will allow them to understand the association between humans and microorganisms, to recognize the importance of personal hygiene (for example, hand-washing), and to know how hands can be an important vehicle for bacterial spreading in surrounding environments (for example, kitchen, health-care setting). The fact that the isolates for practical work were not only from laboratory collections, but also from the personal student's hands, keeps them interested in discover and study their own bacteria to know their main characteristics and the potential importance to human health, through spread of hazardous isolates. This project also potentially contributed for student's development of other skills such as autonomy and teamwork, planning and write, communication, and debate.