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What are Microorganisms
Organisms that can be viewed only under microscopes and are not visible to the naked eye are called microorganisms or microbes. Microorganisms are either unicellular or multicellular and either live alone or in colonies. Microorganisms are found everywhere in the environment, in ponds, lakes, air, food, inside our bodies, and in other non-living entities.
Classification of Microorganisms:
Microorganisms are majorly classified into bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and algae. Another class of microorganisms is a virus, which lives and reproduces only when they are within a cell or host organisms like bacteria, plants, and animals. Viruses multiply rapidly and cause harm to the host cell. Some of the common diseases caused by the virus are common flu by the influenza virus, chicken pox, and polio.
Beneficial Microorganisms:
Microorganisms are beneficial in different ways and are used for various commercial purposes.
a) Microorganisms are used in the preparation of yogurt, beer, wine, bread, and vinegar. The process of converting sugar into alcohol with the help of microorganisms is known as fermentation.
b) Microorganisms contribute majorly to cleaning up the environment by decomposing the kitchen garbage, and dead matter into manure and cleaning the oil spills in the environment.
c) Microorganisms like bacteria and blue-green algae help in nitrogen fixation of the soil, thus increasing the fertility of the soil. Hence they are called biological nitrogen fixers.
d) Microorganisms like fungi and bacteria are used commercially to produce antibiotics, which help in killing or arresting the growth of pathogens present in the body.
e) Live and attenuated microorganisms are used as vaccines for various diseases like smallpox, polio, cholera, tuberculosis, chicken pox, and hepatitis.
f) Microbes can be used to preserve fruits, and vegetables for a longer period of time.
What Are Harmful Microorganisms?
a) Microorganisms that cause disease are called pathogens. These pathogens enter our bodies through food, water, or air and reproduce rapidly inside our bodies causing diseases in our bodies. These diseases are otherwise known as communicable diseases. For example, cholera, chicken pox, and common flu.
b) Some microorganisms and insects carry the blood or saliva from unhealthy disease-carrying individuals and pass it to other healthy individuals through openings such as unhealed wounds present in our body. Such diseases are known as carrier diseases. Example of carrier diseases is malaria and dengue.
c) Microorganisms cause diseases in both plants and animals as well. In animals, diseases like anthrax and foot and mouth disease in cattle are caused by bacteria. In plants, diseases like tobacco mosaic, and citrus canker in oranges are caused by bacteria.
d) Microorganisms are also responsible for spoiling food by producing toxins. Intake of this food further results in food poisoning in humans.