Germs: Any Microscopic living organism that can potentially cause disease. A germ may be a virus, a bacteria or fungi.
Germs are responsible for causing and transmitting illness and disease. These microbes are so small, that according to the American Society for Microbiology, if the smallest of all microbes was the size of a baseball, an average bacterium would then be the size of the pitcher's mound, and just one of the millions of cells that make up your body would be the size of the ballpark!
Bacteria: Bacteria are tiny, one-celled organisms. They are classified according to their shape and behavior, and consist of two distinctive classes: gram-negative bacteria and gram-positive bacteria.
In consideration to human health, some bacteria make us sick, but harmless and even beneficial bacteria also exist. Varying bacterial organisms reside both on and inside our bodies and in their respective spots cause us no harm.
A good example of this is the bacteria called staphylococcus or “staph.” Staph lives on our skin and there it causes no detriment, however, should certain species of staph infiltrate our nasal cavity, for example, it can take up shop and multiply to levels that will cause a raging bacterial infection in the host — infections such as sinusitis, bronchitis or even pneumonia.
There are a number of pathogenic bacteria that cause illness, infection and disease in humans. Generally, it takes a pretty hefty load to produce symptoms in a normally healthy human host.
Bacteria reproduce through subdivision, and they do this at a very rapid rate. In other words, if a single cell is observed, it will begin as one cell then divide into two cells; the two cells will then become four cells, then eight cells, and so on. It can take anywhere from several hours, to several days, to even weeks to begin feeling the symptoms of a bacterial infection from the onset of infiltration.
Bacterial infections are often treated with antibiotic medications such as penicillin.
Bacteria were first observed by Antony van Leeuwenhoek in the 17th century.
Here’s a look at some common bacteria:
Lactobacillus bulgaricus
is a bacterial culture used in the making of cheese, yogurt, and other dairy products. Click here to view photo
Staphylococcus aureus
is a bacterium that lives on the skin and in the nose of humans, and is unknowingly carried by millions of people. It can cause infections of the skin, in the blood, in the bones, and in the lungs. It has become resistant to a wide range of antibiotics, including penicillin-related antibiotics. Click here to view photo
Streptococcus pneumoniae
is a bacterium that causes strep throat, meningitis, and pneumonia. Click here to view photo
Escherichia coli (or most often referred to as E. coli) is a bacterium that lives in the human gut, where it helps digest food; the O157:H7 strain of E. coli causes severe foodborne illness, diarrhea, and urinary tract infections. Click here to view photo
Bacterium tuberculosism
is a bacterium that causes tuberculosis, an infection of the respiratory system. Click here to view photo
Virus: In order to survive, a virus requires a host in which to live and multiply. According to Wikipedia: “Viruses are obligate intracellular parasites that reproduce only by invading and taking over other cells as they lack the cellular machinery for self reproduction.”
Once it infiltrates, it begins to multiply and then cause illness. You may be surprised that most of the common illnesses we humans experience are caused by viruses (common colds, flu, etc.) — as are most of the diseases we are vaccinated against (e.g., chickenpox, mumps, measles, rubella, pertussis, hepatitis, etc.).
Viral infections simply have to “run its course” and are not affected by or treated with antibiotics like bacterial infections are. Antivirals sometimes are used in some cases. Physicians will most likely simply help to treat the symptoms of a viral infection (for example, prescribe a cough medicine), but that is really all that can be done for relief.
Here’s a look at some common viruses:
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
was first reported in the United States in 1981 and has become a major worldwide epidemic. The virus kills or damages cells of the body's immune system, destroying the body's ability to fight infections and certain cancers. The virus is spread via sexual contact with an infected person, through shared needles, and through transfusions of infected blood. Click here to view photo
Hepatitis B virus (HBV)
is a virus that attacks the liver, causing lifelong infection and cirrhosis, as well as liver cancer, liver failure, and death. It is spread when blood from an infected person enters the body of a person who is not infected. Click here to view photo
Varicella zoster virus (VZV)
causes varicella (chickenpox), a virus that causes acute gastroenteritis, acute-onset vomiting, watery, non-bloody diarrhea with abdominal cramps, nausea, malaise, and headache. Click here to view photo
Fungi: Fungi includes mold, mildew, smut, rust, and even mushrooms and yeast, to name a few. As you can see from that list, like bacteria, fungi also have varying types — those that are harmful to humans and those that are not harmful to humans.
In humans, the types of fungi that are harmful can cause a number of diseases — which vary in the degree of harmfulness — such fungal infections include ringworm, athlete’s foot, and “Valley Fever” (which is a fungal lung infection), just to name a few.
Fungi can be found in many unsuspecting places including surfaces, in the air, in the soil, and in or on plants, mammals and other life forms. According to the National Safety Council, “Fungi have two ecological advantages over bacteria: 1) they can grow in low moisture areas, and 2) they can grow in low pH environments.”
It may be fun to note that the word “fungi,” when used as a pun, is “the one who buys the drinks,” according to a Princeton University Web page.
Common fungal infections include thrush, vaginal infections (vaginal candidiasis), athlete's foot (Tinea Pedis), toenail fungus (Tinea Ungulum), jock itch (Tinea Cruris), and ringworm (Tinea Corporis).
Bacteria and viruses are the microscopic organisms – otherwise known as germs -- that are responsible for causing and transmitting illness and disease. These microbes are so small, that according to the American Society for Microbiology, if the smallest of all microbes was the size of a baseball, an average bacterium would then be the size of the pitcher's mound, and just one of the millions of cells that make up your body would be the size of the ballpark!
