Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Mycobacterial biochemical reactions mnemonic

Hello!

We'll be learning about biochemical reactions for mycobacteria today.

Why do we need biochemical tests?
To identify mycobacterial species!

The mnemonic is "ANNA Red Cat"

1. Amidase - Mycobacterium or not
2. Nitrate reduction - Tuberculosis or Bovis
3. Niacin - Human or not
4. Aryl sulphatase - Atypical or typical
5. Neutral RED - Virulent or not
6. CATalase peroxidase - INH sensitive or resistant

(If you keep forgetting the sequence even after this mnemonic you're probably have pseudo-Alzheimer's like me =P )

Try asking yourself these questions while filling the blanks in your head -

1. What are we doing the test for? Mycobacteria [Obviously]
2. Who says moo moo? Cows! [Randomness for remembering bovis] 0_o

3. How to remember that the Niacin test is used to identify human tubercle bacilli:
Humans need Niacin as a vitamin. So obviously, only human strains will produce Niacin for us ^_^"

4. Aryl and Atypical starts with A

5. I've always thought of red as the color of blood.
There shall always be more blood shed by virulent strains.

6. How I remember about catalase peroxidase:
Catalase and peroxidase activities are lost when tubercle bacilli become INH resisitant.

That's why catalase is used to provide an indication of the sensitivity of the strain to isoniazid.

So.. That's all folks!

Credit for this mnemonic goes to a really good friend. I'll miss having you around (:
"I'm weird because I hate good-byes.."


-IkaN

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