What are microbes?

The term "microbe" refers to a collection of microscopic organisms including bacteria, viruses, fungi and protozoa. Microbes are very small organisms that cannot be seen without a special instrument called a microscope. The microscope magnifies the image of microbes hundreds and thousands of times and thus makes them visible. Many of these microbes lead to disease in humans. All animals need heat, moisture and food to survive. and microbes are no exception to this rule.. Microbes can provide all these needs from various sources.. Excreta, garbage, food residues and even the human body are among these sources.

There are many microbes inside the human body, but they do not cause disease.. Also, the presence of some microbes is necessary for the proper functioning of some parts of the body.. For example, the intestines cannot digest food well without the presence of certain "beneficial" bacteria.

There are countless other microbes in the environment that perform beneficial activities, such as the Lactobacillus bacteria that turn milk into yogurt, or the many types of bacteria that help break down plants and turn them into compost. Proper hand washing is often the best way to prevent infection and disease.

Types of microbes

1... bacteria

Bacteria are small single-celled organisms that obtain the nutrients they need from their surroundings....sometimes, this environment can be your child or any other living organism....Bacteria are very small and cannot be seen without a microscope....to understand how small bacteria are, it is enough to know that there are billions of bacteria in a teaspoon or even a grain of salt smaller than that.... You will notice that these creatures come in all shapes...some are like balls, some are like commas, and some are like long, thin rods.. Some bacteria are covered with long hairy appendages that help them move in the environment.

A number of bacteria are useful for the body because they help the regular activity of the digestive system and prevent harmful bacteria from entering the body... Some other bacteria are also used to produce medicine and vaccines... But it should be noted that bacteria can also be troublesome and lead to infection of different parts of the body such as the urinary tract, ears, throat (by antibiotics, etc.)

2.... virus

Viruses are smaller than bacteria and are not even a complete cell... In simpler words, viruses are genetic materials (DNA or RNA) wrapped in a protein coat... Viruses rely on other cells for their reproduction... That is, they must enter other cells to survive (these cells can be human, animal or plant cells).
What is the purpose of the virus? As soon as the virus finds a suitable host, it starts multiplying and spreading.

Imagine that a virus has entered your blood cells.... In this case, the virus can circulate throughout the body and spread to any desired location.... Some viruses enter the cell and multiply so much that the host cell eventually ruptures... and adapts to the new environment.

Learn more: Pneumococcal vaccine

Viruses survive outside living cells for only a very short time... For example, viruses in infectious body fluids left on surfaces such as doorknobs or toilet seats survive for a short time.... These viruses quickly disappear unless they are provided with a suitable living host.... Once inside the human body, viruses spread easily and cause disease... Viruses cause a wide range of diseases. mild like Colds and flu can become severe and dangerous diseases like smallpox and AIDS Antibiotics have no effect on viruses... In recent years, various antiviral drugs have been produced against a small and selected group of viruses.

3... Mushroom

Fungi are multicellular, plant-like organisms that obtain their nutrients in a warm and humid environment from sources such as plants, foods, and animals.

How does fungus get deposited in the human body? Fungi grow in warm and moist environments such as under stones or in the cracks between toes.. It is clear that fungi that live on the surface of the skin will never look like edible or non-edible fungi (which look like umbrellas.. Many fungi are harmless... Fungi that grow on the surface of the skin are like rashes (spots) and can be treated.... This But the rash does not cause serious damage It causes severe itchy skin.... Walking barefoot in places that fungi like (places like gym locker rooms that are hot and humid) can cause fungal skin diseases like many fungal infections of the feet.

4.... protozoa

Protozoa are single-celled like bacteria, but in comparison, they are larger and have a nucleus and other cellular structures that make these cells more similar to plant and animal cells.
Protozoa, like bacteria, are very small....Many of the 20,000 different species of protozoa live in water in places like lakes, oceans, rivers, and wetlands...If you look at a drop of water from one of the above places under a microscope, you will see tiny protozoa moving around with their whip-like tails....Protozoa actually feed on bacteria and the remains of other organisms and are useful in that way..

Some protozoa are parasites and live in the body of other organisms, including humans... For example, malaria is a parasitic protozoan that enters the blood system due to the bite of the Anopheles mosquito... Digestive problems caused by consuming contaminated water are another example of diseases caused by infection with parasitic protozoa.

Protozoa are very fond of moist environment.. So intestinal infections and other diseases caused by them such as amebiasis and giardiasis are spread through contaminated water.. As mentioned some protozoa are parasitic.. this means that these protozoa depend on other organisms (such as animals and plants) for their survival.. It eventually slows down the growth of red blood cells.. It destroys them.... Some protozoa have cysts that help them survive for a long time. outside of human body and survive in very harsh environments..

Difference between infection and disease

There is a difference between the two concepts of infection and disease....Infection occurs when viruses, bacteria and other pathogenic microbes enter the body and begin to multiply....However, this disease occurs when the cells are damaged by the infection with the mentioned factors and the signs and symptoms of the disease appear.
The immune system reacts to any infection. The body tries to get rid of the infection with an army of white blood cells, antibodies, and other defense mechanisms. For example, when fighting a cold virus, the body experiences symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, and fever.

What is the best way to prevent disease?

The answer is clear, prevention of infection... by using very simple methods such as washing hands regularly, avoiding contact with sick people, cleaning high contact surfaces, avoiding contaminated food and water, and receiving vaccines and appropriate medicines, infection can be prevented.

washing hands

Washing your hands is one of the simplest yet most effective ways to prevent various infections, which is often forgotten... before preparing or eating food, after coughing and sneezing, after changing a baby's diaper and after using the toilet, wash your hands thoroughly..

Vaccine

Vaccination is the best defense strategy against some diseases.... As researchers' knowledge about the causes of diseases has increased, the number of vaccine-preventable diseases has also increased.... Many vaccines are injected in childhood... Of course, adults should also be vaccinated regularly to prevent diseases such as tetanus and influenza.

Learn more: What is the tetanus vaccine for?

Drugs

Some drugs provide short-term protection against certain microbes. For example, if you have traveled to or live in a high-risk area, taking an anti-parasitic medication can temporarily prevent malaria infection.