Microorganisms:

Friend and foe

 What are microorganisms
• Very small in size , thus can be observed only through
microscope
• Found in all types of environment- ice-cold water , hot
springs , deserts etc.
• Microorganisms like Amoeba live alone whereas fungi and
bacteria may form colonies
 Beneficial
Microorganisms
 General Benefits
Organic wastes like vegetables peels , remains of animals and plants ,
faeces ,etc. are broken down into harmless and usable forms by
decomposing and recycling agents
Some bacteria and blue-green algae are able to fix nitrogen from the
atmosphere to enrich soil with nitrogen and thus increase its fertility
Formation of curd by Lactobacillus bacteria
Making cream, cheese and other food items . For example
microorganisms ferment idli batter , evolving carbon dioxide, which
eventually yields
 Commercial benefits of
Microorganisms
• Production of carbon dioxide by yeast is the basis of the
baking industry for making breads , cakes and pastries
• Production of alcohol wine and acetic acid through
fermentation . Conversion of sugar into alcohol is called
fermentation
• Helps in production of medicines
 Medicinal Benefits Of Microorganisms
Production of Antibiotics: Fungi and bacteria are used to
produce antibiotics like Streptomycin , tetracycline ,
erythromycin, etc. that are used to kill or stop the growth of
disease causing organisms
Vaccines made from microorganisms help fight infections
and protect humans and other animals from various diseases
A vaccine consists of weakened or dead microorganisms
incapable of causing an infection . It is inoculated into the
body to produce antibodies that help fight infection. Many
diseases such as Cholera , tuberculosis , chickenpox and
Hepatitis can be prevented by vaccination
 Antibiotics
Antibiotics are drugs that help fight bacterial infections by
either killing bacteria or preventing them from multiplying
They are ineffective against viral and fungal infections and
thus need to be avoided during a common cold or when
suffering form ringworm disease
A course in antibiotics should be completed even if one feels
better during medication otherwise the bacteria may develop
resistance to the drug . If the course discontinued the
infection recurs , the medicine will not be effective in curing
the disease
 Harmful
Microorganisms
• The harmful microorganisms that spread diseases are called
pathogens
• Some diseases are also spread through insects and animals
that act as carriers or vectors of microorganisms that cause d
diseases
• An organism that transmit a pathogen or foreign living
material to a healthy organisms causing disease or infection
is called vector or carrier . For example , the female
Anopheles mosquito acts as a carrier of the malarial parasite
Plasmodium and the mosquito Aedes aegypti acts a carrier of
dengue virus
• Diseases that spread from an Infected person to a healthy
person through air , water , food or physical contact are
called communicable diseases
 General
measures to
prevent diseases
• Maintenance of good personal and
sanitary hygiene
• Use of boiled water
• Vaccination
• Keeping the patients in isolation
• Use of mosquito nets , repellents and
insecticides to keep mosquitoes away
• Keeping belongings of the patients
separate