Question

Explain the harmful effects of microorganisms.

Answer 1

Hint: A microorganism, or a microbe, is a microscopic organism, existing in its single-celled form or as a colony of cells. Microorganisms are diverse since they include all unicellular organisms. Amongst the three domains of life identified by Carl Woese, all of the Archaea and Bacteria are termed as microorganisms.

Complete Answer:
Microorganisms are the causative agents in many infectious diseases. Therefore, microbes are termed as pathogens. It is crucial here to remember that not all microorganisms are pathogens but all pathogens are microorganisms. Pathogenic bacteria cause diseases such as plague, tuberculosis and anthrax whereas protozoan parasites cause diseases such as malaria, sleeping sickness, dysentery and toxoplasmosis. The harmful effects of microorganisms are stated below.
Bacteria: Causes diseases like typhoid, diarrhoea and cholera.
Fungi: Causes numerous diseases in plants and animals such as rust diseases in plants, fruit rot in apple, red rot in sugar cane and ring worm disease in human beings.
Algae: Algal bloom in water (i.e., the rapid growth of algae) causes poisonous effects after they die, resulting in the death of aquatic organisms.
Protozoa: Causes Amoebic dysentery, pyorrhoea, sleeping sickness etc.
Virus: Causes small fox, common cold, influenza, herpes, hepatitis, polio and rabies.

Note:
Humans have 10 trillion human cells and about 100 trillion bacterial cells. The microbiome thus provides more genes that contribute to human survival than the human genome itself. Microbes in our intestines may play critical roles in the absorption of calories. They are also important for skin which is one of the body’s first line defence against illness and injury.