Microbes: glossary of the infinitely small

The microbes are present everywhere in nature: water, air, earth, and in living beings. But impossible to see with the naked eye. So to know everything about viruses and other bacteria, follow us.

The smallest bacteria are viruses. Their size is measured in millionths of a millimeter (1 million times smaller than a millimeter). Needless to try to see with a magnifying glass or microscope usual (called optical microscope) is impossible: they are visible only through electron microscopy. Instead, bacteria and fungi, a thousand times larger than viruses, are visible with a simple microscope. Their size is measured in thousandths of a millimeter, ie in micrometer or micron, a thousand times smaller than a millimeter. As for pests, some are microscopic.

Bacteria

Bacteria were the first living things on earth, there are several billion years. They consist of a single cell. Our skin, our mouths and intestines harbor millions of bacteria, and one gram of soil contains billions. Some bacteria are essential to life on earth, others live in harmony with us and trigger certain diseases: bacterial infections. Tetanus is a bacterial infection, like TBThe boilsThe scarlatinaThe PertussisEtc.. To fight against bacterial infection, is used, if necessary, antibiotics (from anti = against, bio = life). Basically, the antibiotics kill the bacteria and allow the body to overcome infection.

Viruses
Viruses are not really being alive because they are unable to have offspring alone. To multiply, they use the machinery of a living being, by destroying it in part. The virus may be responsible for many human infections in plants and animals: InfluenzaThe Chickenpox, L 'Herpes, L 'Viral HepatitisThe AIDSEtc.. They are also responsible for warts or certain cancers such as Cancer of the cervix. To fight against the virus so antibiotics are useless, can only be effective antivirals. One of the best way to fight against the virus is to get vaccinated when vaccine is available.

Fungi
The fungi are also responsible for infections known mycoses (Greek Mukes = fungus). These infections are especially common on skin, hair and nails. Drugs that fight against fungal infections are known antimycotic or antifungal agents (fungus = fungi).

How to distinguish infection with a virus that caused a bacteria? It is often difficult. The Colds are due to viruses and 9 times out of 10 the bronchitis and angina are also due to viruses. Faced with a viral infection, the patient did not need antibiotics, often prescribed unnecessarily.

Diseases caused by parasites are numerous: amoeba Malaria, pinworm (worms in stools of children), etc.. These diseases are on medicines called label.

How do you get there an infection?

The most often come into contact with a person or an animal carrying the microbe. The disease is so contagious, it spreads by contact from person to person. You can infect yourself by breathing in a place loaded with microbes or by bathing in polluted water, eating food, drinking water, etc..

 

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