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As the name suggests, MICROBES are

microscopic organisms.

They can only

be seen using a
microscope.

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Microbe uses
Microbe can be put into a number of categories. The three
types which you need to know about are listed below:

BACTERIA FUNGI
VIRUS

Movement
Respiration
Sensitivity
Growth
Note: A living organism must be able to Reproduction
demonstrate that it can perform ALL the 7 Excretion
life processes. Nutrition

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Microbe pictures

Microbes multiply very

rapidly. Two can, very
quickly, become four then
eight and so on.

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Microbe uses

Microbes have many uses. This is mainly because we

can ‘grow’ microbes if we wish to.

Microbes (in this case bacteria)

will grow in milk to make it ‘go
off’. This is used in the yoghurt
making process. Cheese is also
another product made due to the
use of microbes in industry.

Another type of microbe (fungi) are used to make Quorn

(mycoprotein) which is a commonly used meat substitute.

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Microbe uses
Yeast is a microbe which RESPIRES to give off carbon
dioxide. This is used in baking bread and in winemaking.

We can use the ANAEROBIC respiration of

yeast to make bread rise.
Yeast uses the sugar in bread dough to respire.
The reaction is:

Glucose carbon + ethanol + energy

dioxide

The carbon dioxide given off causes the bread to rise.

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Microbe uses

We can use the ANAEROBIC respiration of yeast to make

beer and wine. This means that the yeast respires
WITHOUT oxygen. This process produces alcohol
(ethanol) and is known as FERMENTATION.

Yeast converts the sugar into alcohol:

carbon
Glucose + ethanol + energy
dioxide

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Virus
A virus is a simple organism which does not completely
display ALL the characteristics of living things. It consists of
a protein coating and a strand of genes.

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Bacteria
A bacteria is a single celled organism which does not
completely have a nucleus. Their genes are found in the
chromosomes.

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Fungus

Yeast is a fungus and as can be seen below, it has a more

complex structure than the other two types of microbes.

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Microbes can cause disease

The diseases and their severity caused by microbes depend

on the type of microbe. Some of these are listed below.
VIRUSES BACTERIA FUNGI
Influenza (flu) Food poisoning fungal sinusitis
Mumps Sore throats Athletes foot
Chickenpox Tuberculosis (TB) Onychomycosis
Causes discoloured
Smallpox Tetanus
toe nails
Polio Cholera
Rabies Typhoid
German measles Whooping cough
Viral Bacterial
meningitis meningitis

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How do microbes enter the body

Eyes
Ears
Mouth
Nose
Skin
Cuts
Genitals

A number of these places where microbes can

enter the body are defended.

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How do microbes spread?
The spreading of microbes and disease is known as
Transmission.
• Transmission by air

A cough or a sneeze can release millions

of microbes into the air which could then
infect somebody else.

• Transmission in water
Dirty water can transmit many
diseases, for example, cholera which
can be transmitted by drinking the
water.

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• Transmission by animals

An animal, e.g. a mosquito

(which spreads the
MALARIA PARASITE) can
carry the microbe from one
place to another.
• Transmission by contact

Many microbes can be exchanged from one

person to another by direct or indirect contact:
• Direct contact by hand.
• Indirect contact by walking on a wet floor
already contaminated by someone else who
has Athlete’s foot.
• Sexual contact.

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• Transmission by contact

There are other forms of indirect contact, the

transmission of microbes from mother to unborn child.

Transmission through the Placenta

If the mother develops the HIV/aids infection, it

can be passed on to the unborn child through the
placenta.

Transmission via Breastfeeding

A child can also pick up microbes from the

mother, via the milk, if the child is being
breastfed.

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How do we stop microbes spreading disease

We can prevent the spread of disease by making sure that

good hygiene is used in key places such as bathrooms and
kitchens.

Chemicals called antibiotics can be

used to treat bacterial infections.

People can be immunised against

some diseases by the injection of a
vaccine.

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Fighting disease

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Fighting disease

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