Harmful micro-organisms

There are many micro-organisms that cause disease such as TB, AIDS & MALARIA
Tuberculosis (TB)
This is an infectious disease caused
by bacterium. It typically affects the
lungs & is spread through the air
when an infected person sneezes or
coughs. It can be treated by
medication, but if not treated it can
be fatal.
Symptoms: a persistent cough that
lasts more than 3 weeks and usually
brings up phlegm, which may be
bloody.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)

This is the virus that causes

Acquired Immunodeficiency
Syndrome (AIDS). The virus
attacks & destroys a person’s
immune system. Without a
strong immune system, the
infected person gets sick very
easily.
Escherichia coli (E. coli) infections
The E. coli bacterium lives in the
large intestine. Most types of E.
coli are harmless, but some can
cause serious food poisoning. Bad
stomach cramps, vomiting &
diarrhoea occurs & in severe cases
even DEATH. This bacteria is
spread mainly by food. Examples:
Mince that is not cooked properly
& vegetables that are not washed
properly. NB always wash your
hands after going to the bathroom.
Meningitis
This is a serious illness that affects
the membranes surrounding the
brain. It can be caused by a virus or
bacterium. Signs of an infection
include a bad headache that will not
go away, a stiff neck & back, nausea
& vomiting, and general body aches.
Viruses that cause meningitis infects
your body through saliva, faeces &
mucus. Bacterial meningitis is VERY
contagious & spreads easily when an
infected person spits or sneezes.
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne
infectious disease caused by a
protozoan called Plasmodium.
When an infected Anopheles
mosquito bites a human, the micro-
organism passes into the human &
the life cycle carries on. Symptoms
of malaria include: FEVER, CHILLS,
HEADACHE. If not treated it can
result in a coma or DEATH.
 Preventing the spread of disease
Micro-organisms are said to be cosmopolitan. This means that they
are found everywhere. They can be found on the hand rails of
staircases & escalators, lift buttons, & especially the door handles of
toilets & bathrooms.

Since they cannot be seen, they are unknowingly picked up on our

hands & can then easily be transferred into our mouths & enter the
body in this way.

Luckily for us, our immune system can usually handle these unseen
germs. Washing your hands regularly with soap is usually an effective
method of preventing the spread of disease.
Waterborne diseases (Cholera & Typhoid)
These diseases are spread through drinking water. The only way to stop the
spread is to treat the water & to make it safe to drink.

Cholera: disease caused by a bacterium found in contaminated water.

Symptoms: Severe diarrhoea & vomiting, leading to dehydration and can lead
to death. Babies mostly at risk.

Typhoid: caused by bacterium Salmonella typhimurium. This disease takes

about 3 weeks to start showing symptoms. They include: headache, fever &
abdominal pain. The bacterium is excreted in the faeces of an infected person.
Unsanitary conditions like using a river or dam can cause the water to become
infected.
Cholera
Typhoid (Salmonella typhimurium)