What field studies microorganisms called bacteria?

Bacteriology is the specific field dedicated to the study of bacteria, their characteristics, and their effects on humans, animals, plants, and the environment. Bacteriologists examine various aspects of bacteria including their classification, function, and role in diseases and other biological processes. This focus allows for a comprehensive understanding of how bacteria interact with living organisms and ecosystems.

While microbiology encompasses the study of all microorganisms, including not just bacteria but also viruses, fungi, and protozoa, bacteriology narrows that focus specifically to bacteria. Therefore, while microbiology is a broader category under which bacteriology falls, it does not exclusively concentrate on bacteria alone.

Pathology, on the other hand, deals with the study of diseases and the changes they cause in body tissues and organs, and virology focuses specifically on viruses. Thus, neither of these fields centers exclusively on bacteria, which is why bacteriology is the most accurate answer in this context.