What is Microorganisms ? Friend And Foe

What is microorganism ?

Organism around us which we normally cannot see with our naked eye these are called micro organism or microbes. The microorganisms or microbes are small in size that they cannot be seen with the unaided eye. Some of these such as fungus that grow on bread can even see with a magnifying glass. Others cannot be seen without the help of a microscope. That is why these are called microorganism or microbes.

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Microorganism are classified into four major groups

Bacteria
Fungi
Protozoa
Algae

Viruses are more also microscopic but are different from other microorganism. They however reproduce only inside the cells of host organism which may be a bacterium plant or an animal.

Where do microorganism live ?

Micro organisms may be single celled like bacteria some algae and protozoa or multicellular such as many algae and fungi. They live in all types of environment ranging from Ice cold climate to hot springs and desert to Marshy lands. They are also found inside the bodies of animals including humans. Some microorganism grow on the other organism while other exist freely.

Microorganisms and US

Microorganisms play an important role in our life some of them are beneficial in many ways whereas some others are harmful and cause disease.

Friendly microorganisms

Bacteria are also used in preparation of medicines. They are also used in cleaning the environment. In agriculture they are used to increase soil fertility by fixing nitrogen. Curd contain several microorganism. The bacterium lactobacillus promote the formation of curd. Bacteria also involved in making of cheese pickles and many other food items. An important ingredient of Rava Idli and bhatura is curd. Bacteria and yeast are also helpful for fermentation of rice Idli and dosa batter.

Commercial use of microorganisms

Micro organisms are used for the large scale production of alcohol wine and acetic acid. Yeast is used for commercial production of alcohol and wine. For this purpose East is grown on natural Sugars present in brains like Barley wheat, rice, crushed fruit juices etc.

Medicinal use of microorganisms

The source of antibiotic medicine is micro organism. These medicines kill or stop the growth of disease causing microorganisms such medicines are called antibiotics. Streptomycin Erythromycin are some of the commonly known antibiotic which are made from fungi and bacteria.

Vaccine

If dead aur weak microbes are introduced into a healthy body the body fights and kills the invading bacteria by product using suitable antibodies. These antibodies remain in the body and we protect it from the disease causing microorganisms forever. This is how vaccine work several diseases including Cholera tuberculosis smallpox and hepatitis can be prevented by vaccination.

Increasing soil fertility

Some bacteria are able to fix nitrogen from the atmosphere to enrich the soil with nitrogen and increase its fertility this microbes are commonly called biological nitrogen fixers.

Harmful microorganisms

Microorganisms are harmful in many ways .

Some of the microorganism cause disease in human beings plants and animals such disease causing microorganisms are called pathogens .
Some microorganisms fall food clothing and Leather.

Disease causing microorganisms

Common cold and cough are caused by viruses.
Serious diseases like polio and chickenpox are also caused by viruses.
Diseases like dysentery and malaria are caused by protozoa.
Typhoid and tuberculosis are bacterial diseases.

Note - Microbial disease that can spread from an infected person to a healthy person through air water food or physical contact are called communicable disease. Examples of such diseases include Cholera common cold chicken pox and tuberculosis.

When a person suffering from common cold sneezes fine droplets of water carrying thousands of viruses are spread in the air. The virus may enter the body of a healthy person while breathing and cause infection. They are some insects and animals which act as carrier of disease causing microorganisms. Housefly is one of the career. The Flies set on the garbage and animal excreta pathogen stick to their bodies when the slice it on uncovered food they may transfer the pathogens whoever eat the contaminated food is likely to get sick so it is advisable to always keep food covered avoid consuming uncovered items of food. Another example of carrier is female Anopheles Mosquito. It carries the parasite of Malaria plasmodium female ades mosquito act as carrier of dengue virus.