Microorganisms| Useful and Harmful | How helpful for us?

Microorganisms - harmful and Useful 

Topics 

  1-  Introduction 

  2- Useful Microorganisms

     -microorganisms in food industry

     -microorganism in medicinal industry

     -microorganisms in agricultural practices

     - microorganisms in commercial industries 

3- Harmful microorganisms

1- Introduction

      The organisms that cannot be seen with the naked eyes can be viewed only under the microscope are called microorganisms or microbes. Microbes are diverse and include bacteria, fungi, protozoa and some algae. Viruses are also microscopic but they are generally considered as now living. They reproduce only inside a host cell, which can be bacteria, plants or animals. There are some microorganisms that are unicellular, that is, they  are made up of only one cell, for example, bacteria, whereas there are some microorganisms that are made up of more than one cells and are called multicellular microorganisms, for example, moulds. 

   Microorganisms are broadly divided into four groups :- algae, bacteria, fungi and protozoa. 

Microorganisms could be found anywhere in the biosphere, that is, in soil, oceans, air, hot springs, deserts, etc. They  are even present inside the body of animals. The study of microorganisms are called microbiology. Depending upon their effects on human health, are two types of microbes, namely useful of harmful. 

2- Useful Microorganisms

         There are many microorganisms that are beneficial to human beings. Some of the example based on their uses are given below. 

 - Microorganisms in food industry  

       Microorganisms are widely used for thr production of curd, bread, alcohal, etc. Curds contains bacteria called  𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘶𝘴 that convert milk into curd. Yeast can be used in baking industry For making breads, pastries, cakes, etc. The basis of using yeast in wine production is Fermentation. Fermentation is the process in which converting of sugar into alcohal. 

  Some useful microorganisms in  food industry

     Lactobacillus      - Curd production

       Yeast                   - Bread Production 

 Acetobacter malorum-vinegar production

 Gluconacetobacter Azotocaptans- coffee production

- Microorganisms in Medicinal Industry

     Microorganisms are used to make antibiotics. These antibiotics are used to kill or stop the growth of other disease- causing microorganisms. A simple example is penicillin. Penicillin can be obtained from the fungus 𝘗𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘶𝘮. These Antibiotics can be used to cure many deseases that are caused by microorganisms, (except viral diseases). Microorganisms can also be used in the production of vaccine. A vaccine is a biological preparation that consists of either dead or weakened microbes. When a vaccine is introduced into the body, the body produces antibiotics against the vaccine, which remains in the body and protects the body from attack by the same microbe in the future. 

The common example are rabies and Tuberculosis vaccine. 

  Sir Alexander Fleming was the person who introduced to the world, thr greatest discovery of that time, the Antibiotic 'penicillin'. It saved the live of thousands of soldiers during the World War II. He was awarded the Noble Prize in physiology or Medicine along with Florey and Chain in the year 1945. Florey and Chain developed processes penicillin in sufficient quantities to become widely available. 

 - Microorganisms in Agricultural practices

      Microorganisms act as decomposers in the soil that decompose the dead plant and animal wastes. Decomposition releases organic nutrient to the soil that can be again used up by plants. Microbes increase soil fertility by fixing atmospheric nitrogen, for example, 𝘙𝘩𝘪𝘻𝘰𝘣𝘪𝘶𝘮. This microbes lives in root nodules of leguminous plants and increases the nitrogen content in the soil. 

Root nodules of Leguminous Plants

 - Microorganisms in Commercial Industries 

      There are many microbes that are used in the manufacturing or processing of various products used in commercially. For example, there are certain bacteria that are used to manufacture linen. Red algae produces 'Algin' that is used for thickening cosmetics and food products like jelly. Red algae also produces 'Agar' that is used as a solidifying agent in microbial research at a large scale. 

3- Besides Microorganisms

          Besides their several uses, microorganisms also cause some harmful effects in other living organisms. Microorganisms cause a number of disease in humans, animals and plants. The microorganisms that cause diseases are called pathogens. The most common are viruses that cause common cold. Microorganisms also cause food spoilage and damage to clothes, leather, etc. 

  Common diseases caused by Microbes

    Rhinovirus                 -  Common cold 

Bordetella pertusis       - whooping cough

Rubeola virus                 - Measles

Varicella zooster virus  -  chicken pox

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