We all generally do have an idea what they are capable of. They're almost everywhere on the planet. Germs are pathogens and therefore cause diseases. They are microbes (so small they cannot be seen without a microscope's aid). Microscopes make germs visible by enlarging their image when fixed to a slide on a microscope stage.
Germs can be bacteria, viruses, protozoa and fungi, two main types of germs that commonly cause disease in humans and animals. These are bacteria and viruses.
Bacteria come in different shapes. Under a microscope, you might see bacteria shaped like circles, rods and spirals.
Most bacteria do not make people sick. Some bacteria even help us. Bacteria actually live in your body and help you digest food and stay healthy. If you did not have these good bacteria, the bad bacteria could take over and make you sick.
Bad bacteria are pathogens. These bacteria try to live in parts of your body where they do not belong. Some kinds of bacteria also give off toxins. Toxins are harmful substances that can make you sick. When bacteria make you sick, you have an infection.
The body can sometimes fight infections on its own because of the immune system. The immune system tells your body that a pathogen is present and special cells from the immune system attack the pathogen. If your immune system cannot kill bad bacteria, a doctor may prescribe antibiotics for you. Antibiotics are medicines that kill bacteria.
Viruses make you sick by taking over the cells in your body. Normally, a cell divides and produces more cells. But when a cell is infected with a virus, the cell produces more viruses. The virus tricks the cell into become a virus factory.
When a human does get a viral infection, the immune system will try to fight it. The disease influenza, also called the "flu," is caused by a viral infection. Antibiotics do not fight viral infections but antiviral drugs have been and are still being produced to do just that.
Fungi can be small, like bacteria or big, like plants. Many kinds of fungi spread by sending out very tiny spores. The spores are likened seeds. A new fungus grows when a spores lands in a suitable environment.
Sometimes small fungi try to grow in people. Life-threatening fungal infections are rare. Many pathogenic fungi have a hard time living inside the human body.
Some fungi can actually help people too. The antibiotics that fight bacteria are made from fungi. Just like good bacteria, good fungi live inside your body and help you stay healthy.
So, not all bacteria or fungi are bad to our health to be considered as germs. There are some that make our lives living worthwhile.
Thanks for reading.
Images sources:
https://giphy.com/gifs/love-kids, https://www.livescience.com/,https://greensavers.sapo.pt/ and http://www.newhealthadvisor.com/Characteristics-of-Viruses.html