Harmful Microorganisms

Microorganisms can be harmful to humankind in the following ways:

1. Outbreaks or Pandemics: Microbes are responsible for pandemics, as there are outbreaks of viral infections majorly such as HIV, influenza, and Ebola. Recently, COVID-19 became a pandemic leading to illness, fatality, and social disruption affecting millions of lives.
2. Infectious Diseases: Virulent viruses, pathogenic bacteria, fungi, and protozoa are responsible for causing diseases in humans, animals, and plants. Malaria, typhoid, and dengue are a few examples of the same which leads to fatality.
3. Allergic Responses: Since microbes are ubiquitous, they may trigger allergic responses and hypersensitivities in susceptible individuals who have a weaker immune system, leading to various respiratory problems such as asthma, and skin rashes.
4. Antimicrobial Resistance: Overuse or misuse of antibiotics without any prescription has led to the emergence of antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) or multi-drug-resistant strains (MDRS) of bacteria that make infections difficult to treat. Staphylococcus is an example of MDRS.
5. Diseases in Plants: Microbes such as pathogenic bacteria, fungi, bacteria, and viruses affect productivity and yield in agriculture as they can cause devastating diseases in plants. This leads to significant agricultural losses and food insecurity which is a major concern today as food is required to feed the global population.
6. Foodborne Illnesses: Microbes such as Salmonella, Escherichia coli (E. coli), Shigella and Listeria. They can cause foodborne illnesses due to the consumption of contaminated food and water, leading to gastrointestinal discomforts which may lead to severe complications.

Some harmful effects caused by the microbes are listed in the table:

Microorganisms are microscopic life forms that are ubiquitous. They can be unicellular or multicellular and are beneficial to humankind, but they can be harmful as well. Microbes can be beneficial as they play diverse roles in nutrient cycling, food fermentation, antibiotic production, and many more.

On the other hand, they are also responsible for causing diseases in humans and animals, food spoilage, and posing environmental challenges. Microorganism examples are bacteria, protozoa, algae, and fungi.