microorgansims Flashcards
What are microorganisms?
Microorganisms are too small to see with the naked eye and are only visible through a microscope. They can be both useful and harmful.
Types include virus, bacteria, fungi, protists, and algae.
What are viruses?
Viruses are not cells (they lack a nucleus or cytoplasm) and can only survive in a host to carry out their functions.
They can take on many shapes like helical, polyhedral, spherical, and complex.
How do antibiotics affect viruses?
Antibiotics do not work on viruses, but viral medicines can treat symptoms, and the immune system can kill the virus.
What illnesses are caused by viruses?
Illnesses caused by viruses include HIV, mumps, measles, warts, flu, conjunctivitis, and covid-19.
The tobacco mosaic virus affects plants.
How is HIV transmitted?
HIV is transmitted through bodily fluids such as blood, semen, vaginal and rectal fluids, breast milk, sexual contact, sharing contaminated needles, and from mother to baby.
What are some symptoms of HIV?
Symptoms of HIV include white spots in the mouth, fungal infections, rashes or flaky skin, and lack of energy.
HIV cannot be cured entirely.
What is the relationship between HIV and AIDS?
HIV can worsen over time and eventually turn into AIDS.
What are the shapes of bacteria?
Bacteria can be spherical, bar-shaped, or spiral.
What is tuberculosis (TB)?
TB is caused by a bacteria called mycobacterium and can spread through coughing, sneezing, or singing.
Antibiotics can treat TB.
What are the two types of TB?
The two types of TB are latent TB, which is dormant and asymptomatic, and active TB, where bacteria multiply and cause illness.
What are symptoms of active TB?
Symptoms of active TB include coughing up blood, night sweats, a cough lasting more than 3 weeks, and chest pain.
HIV weakens the immune system, making it easier to contract TB.
What are characteristics of fungi?
Fungi are characteristic of plants but do not contain chlorophyll, cannot photosynthesize, and absorb nutrients. They can be unicellular or multicellular.
What are the characteristics of protista?
Some protista consume other organisms for nutrients, while others get energy from sunlight and nutrients from water. They can be single or multicellular.
What is malaria?
Malaria is a parasitic disease transmitted by the anopheles mosquito.
It can also be contracted through contact with infected blood.
What are symptoms of malaria?
Symptoms of malaria include rapid heart rate, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and fatigue.
Symptoms usually begin a few weeks after being bitten.
What are complications associated with malaria?
Complications can include cerebral malaria, breathing problems, organ failure, and anemia.
Where is malaria more common?
Malaria is more common near the equator due to favorable conditions for the anopheles mosquito.
