Microbology Intro

The study of microbes. Microbes are living organisms and non living entities that can only be viewed by microscope.

3-4 billion years ago

• Prokaryotic: Bacteria. Archaea.
• Eukaryotic: Protozoa. Fungi. Yeast.

Pathogens are microbes that can cause disease. They make roughly 3% of all microbial life.

Non-pathogens are microbial life that do not cause disease. They make up the vast majority of microbial life.

Microbes live in our bodies as indigenous microflora, they can also cause disease. They have an important role in our ecosystem producing more oxygen than plants do and decomposing material. Understanding microbes shows us their importance in the world, how they help our bodies function or how they infect us and lastly it enables industry to create cures for diseases, manufacture certain foods or beverages. Microbes are used in agricultural, medical, pharmeceutical, forensic and scientific industries.

Indigenous microflora are the microbes that live within the human body. There  are many species of microbe living in each human, often in a mutually symbiotic relationship. They digest food, produce certain nutrients and protect from pathogens.

Opportunistic pathogens are indigenous microflora that become pathogenic when they are in the "wrong" part of the body.

A saprophyte is an organism that lives on dead and decaying meterial. They are the "recyclers" of planet earth, constantly decomposing material.

A disease caused by the colonisation of microbes.

A disease that results of the ingestion of a toxin produced by a microbes.