Beneficial and harmful human bacteria. Bacteria - what diseases cause, names and types
Masters of life on Earth. The territory of bacteria - the whole world
When you suddenly have a terrible craving for something sweet or salty, when you decide where and when to go on vacation, when tears come to your eyes from watching a melodrama, when you are planning to get a dog or aquarium fish– know that these are not your decisions!
You don't control your own body, you don't control your own thoughts. You don’t determine what to eat, what to drink, who to love and hate, what music to listen to, and what website to open. It is not you who will decide whether to read further this post or, twirling your finger at your temple, close the page. The bacteria will do this for you. That's right! This is not the author’s invention, but the professional conclusion of scientists. Strange and even scary as it may seem, the world we live in is not our world, it is the territory of bacteria.
On planet Earth they make up more than 90% of all life that lives here. They are the real masters of the Earth.
Interesting facts about bacteria
Life on our planet began with bacteria, and everything will end with them, scientists believe. There is an anecdote that when aliens discovered the Earth, they could not figure out who its real owner was - people or bacteria
What role do bacteria play in human life?
Bacteria have appeared and lived almost since the very moment of its existence.
If the duration of the existence of bacteria is taken as a day, then the existence of humanity will account for a tiny period, less than a second.
But these smallest living organisms not only neighbor us, they are organically integrated into our body. Without their help we would not be able to exist.
For example, there are tens of thousands of microorganisms in the intestines different types, and without this friendly team a person would not be able to digest food.
When the balance of the number and ratio of bacteria in gastrointestinal tract– this leads to serious illnesses.
Interesting facts about bacteria
There are 5 nonillion microorganisms living on our planet. The number is fantastic, many times greater than the number of all people and animals on earth
Reluctant killers
Unconscious killers
These same microorganisms ensure that our body is regularly cleansed of unnecessary and excess trash.
When too much trash accumulates, bacteria become general cleaning organism in the form of dysentery, influenza and others.
Sometimes they get down to business too zealously, and as a result of such “haymaking” a person can die.
But to deliberately kill a person - bacteria do not have such a task. Unintelligent creatures act instinctively, fighting with other microbes for survival. Everything is like people. Only the battlefield is the human body.
And if the battlefield falls into disrepair, that is, a person dies, this means that another army, consisting of bacterial warriors who are involved in the processing and decomposition of our nails, muscles, bones and other parts of the body, won the next battle.
Interesting facts about bacteria
There are more bacteria on a cell phone than under the rim of a toilet.
The enemy is cunning and insidious
Scientists often wonder whether bacteria can deal with humanity completely and irrevocably? The answer does not please anyone.
They can. Moreover, small creatures are capable of destroying humanity quickly, silently and without emotion. And not only humanity, but also all other living beings.
It is likely that someday this will happen, and microorganisms will once again become the sole masters of the planet.
But while we exist in symbiosis with it, let’s figure out which bacteria are most beneficial for the body and vice versa.
Interesting facts about bacteria
It turns out that a huge number of beneficial bacteria live in appendicitis. The organ, which everyone recently considered a useless atavism, helps the body develop immunity
There are a huge number of them. Let's name only the most productive ones.
Bifidobacteria. These babes know their stuff. Not allowed to develop pathogenic microbes, STOP toxins from the intestines, help iron, calcium and vitamin D ions to be absorbed through the intestinal walls. In addition, they supply the body with a bunch of vitamins and other useful substances.
Lactic acid bacteria. They successfully fight putrefactive and pathogenic microbes, protecting the intestines from them.
Interesting facts about bacteria
The human body contains 2 to 3 kilograms of bacteria, most of which live in the intestines
Harmfulbacteria
There are also plenty of these creatures in nature. The most disgusting of them:
Staphylococcus aureus. The causative agent of many dangerous diseases.
Salmonella. Found in meat, raw water, and dairy products. Causes severe intoxication and affects the gastrointestinal tract.
Tetanus bacillus. Has everyone heard about “tetanus”? Her job. It spits a very strong toxic poison that causes paralysis of the nervous system.
Koch's stick. You've probably read about this bastard too. Causes tuberculosis of the lungs, lymph nodes, kidneys, bones and skin.
VIDEO: Facts about bacteria
Most people associate the word “bacteria” with something unpleasant and a threat to health. At best, fermented milk products come to mind. At worst - dysbacteriosis, plague, dysentery and other troubles. But bacteria are everywhere, they are good and bad. What can microorganisms hide?
What are bacteria
Bacteria means “stick” in Greek. This title doesn't say what it means harmful bacteria.
They were given this name because of their shape. Most of these single cells look like rods. They also come in squares and star-shaped cells. For a billion years, bacteria do not change their appearance; they can only change internally. They can be movable or immobile. Bacteria On the outside it is covered with a thin shell. This allows it to maintain its shape. There is no nucleus or chlorophyll inside the cell. There are ribosomes, vacuoles, cytoplasmic outgrowths, and protoplasm. The largest bacterium was found in 1999. It was called the "Grey Pearl of Namibia". Bacteria and bacillus mean the same thing, they just have different origins.
Man and bacteria
In our body there is a constant battle between harmful and beneficial bacteria. Thanks to this process, a person receives protection from various infections. Various microorganisms surround us at every step. They live on clothes, fly in the air, they are omnipresent.
The presence of bacteria in the mouth, and this is about forty thousand microorganisms, protects the gums from bleeding, from periodontal disease and even from sore throat. If a woman’s microflora is disturbed, she may develop gynecological diseases. Following basic rules of personal hygiene will help avoid such failures.
Human immunity completely depends on the state of the microflora. Almost 60% of all bacteria are found in the gastrointestinal tract alone. The rest settled in respiratory system and in the genital area. About two kilograms of bacteria live in a person.
The appearance of bacteria in the body
A newly born baby has a sterile intestine.
After his first breath, many microorganisms enter the body with which he was previously unfamiliar. When the baby is first put to the breast, the mother transfers beneficial bacteria with milk, which will help normalize the intestinal microflora. It is not for nothing that doctors insist that the mother immediately after the birth of her child breastfeed him. They also recommend extending this feeding as long as possible.
Beneficial bacteria
Beneficial bacteria are: lactic acid bacteria, bifidobacteria, E. coli, streptomycents, mycorrhizae, cyanobacteria.
They all play important role in a person's life. Some of them prevent infections, others are used in production medicines, still others maintain balance in the ecosystem of our planet.
Types of harmful bacteria
Harmful bacteria can cause a number of serious illnesses in humans. For example, diphtheria, sore throat, plague and many others. They are easily transmitted from an infected person through air, food, or touch. It is the harmful bacteria, the names of which will be given below, that spoil food. From them appears bad smell, rotting and decomposition occurs, they cause diseases.
Bacteria can be gram-positive, gram-negative, rod-shaped.
Names of harmful bacteria
| Titles | Habitat | Harm |
| Mycobacteria | food, water | tuberculosis, leprosy, ulcer |
| Tetanus bacillus | soil, skin, digestive tract | tetanus, muscle spasms, respiratory failure |
Plague stick (considered by experts as a biological weapon) | only in humans, rodents and mammals | bubonic plague, pneumonia, skin infections |
| Helicobacter pylori | human gastric mucosa | gastritis, peptic ulcer, produces cytoxins, ammonia |
| Anthrax bacillus | soil | anthrax |
| Botulism stick | food, contaminated dishes | poisoning |
Harmful bacteria can for a long time reside in the body and absorb useful substances from it. However, they can cause an infectious disease.
The most dangerous bacteria
One of the most resistant bacteria is methicillin. It is better known as Staphylococcus aureus (Staphylococcus aureus). can cause not one, but several infectious diseases. Some types of these bacteria are resistant to powerful antibiotics and antiseptics. Strains of this bacterium can live in the upper respiratory tract, open wounds and urinary tract of every third inhabitant of the Earth. For a person with a strong immune system, this does not pose a danger.
Harmful bacteria to humans are also pathogens called Salmonella typhi. They are pathogens acute infection intestines and typhoid fever. These types of bacteria, harmful to humans, are dangerous because they produce toxic substances that are extremely dangerous to life. As the disease progresses, intoxication of the body occurs, very high fever, rashes on the body, and the liver and spleen enlarge. The bacterium is very resistant to various external influences. Lives well in water, on vegetables, fruits and reproduces well in milk products.
Clostridium tetan is also one of the most dangerous bacteria. It produces a poison called tetanus exotoxin. People who become infected with this pathogen experience terrible pain, seizures and die very hard. The disease is called tetanus. Despite the fact that the vaccine was created back in 1890, 60 thousand people die from it every year on Earth.
And another bacterium that can lead to the death of a person is It causes tuberculosis, which is resistant to drugs. If you do not seek help in a timely manner, a person may die.
Measures to prevent the spread of infections
Harmful bacteria and the names of microorganisms are studied by doctors of all disciplines from their student days. Healthcare annually seeks new methods to prevent the spread of life-threatening infections. If you follow preventive measures, you will not have to waste energy on finding new ways to combat such diseases.
To do this, it is necessary to timely identify the source of the infection, determine the circle of sick people and possible victims. It is imperative to isolate those who are infected and disinfect the source of infection.
The second stage is the destruction of pathways through which harmful bacteria can be transmitted. For this purpose, appropriate propaganda is carried out among the population.
Food facilities, reservoirs, and food storage warehouses are taken under control.
Every person can resist harmful bacteria by strengthening their immunity in every possible way. Healthy image life, observing basic hygiene rules, protecting yourself during sexual intercourse, using sterile disposable medical instruments and equipment, a complete restriction from communication with people in quarantine. If you enter an epidemiological area or a source of infection, you must strictly comply with all the requirements of sanitary and epidemiological services. A number of infections are equated in their effects to bacteriological weapons.
What bacteria are there: types of bacteria, their classification
Bacteria are tiny microorganisms that appeared many thousands of years ago. It is impossible to see microbes with the naked eye, but we should not forget about their existence. There are a huge number of bacilli. The science of microbiology deals with their classification, study, varieties, structural features and physiology.
Microorganisms are called differently, depending on their type of action and function. Under a microscope, you can observe how these small creatures interact with each other. The first microorganisms were quite primitive in form, but their importance should in no case be underestimated. From the very beginning, bacilli developed, created colonies, tried to survive in the changing climatic conditions. Different vibrios are able to exchange amino acids in order to grow and develop normally.
Today it is difficult to say how many species of these microorganisms there are on earth (this number exceeds a million), but the most famous ones and their names are familiar to almost every person. It doesn’t matter what kind of microbes there are or what they are called, they all have one advantage - they live in colonies, which makes it much easier for them to adapt and survive.
First, let's figure out what microorganisms exist. The simplest classification is good and bad. In other words, those that are harmful to the human body cause many diseases, and those that are beneficial. Next, we will talk in detail about what the main beneficial bacteria are and give their description.
You can also classify microorganisms according to their shape and characteristics. Many probably remember that in school textbooks there was a special table depicting various microorganisms, and next to them was the meaning and their role in nature. There are several types of bacteria:
- cocci - small balls that resemble a chain, as they are located one after another;
- rod-shaped;
- spirilla, spirochetes (have a convoluted shape);
- vibrios.
Bacteria of different shapes
We have already mentioned that one of the classifications divides microbes into types depending on their forms.
Bacillus bacteria also have some characteristics. For example, there are rod-shaped types with pointed poles, thickened, rounded or straight ends. As a rule, rod-shaped microbes are very different and are always in chaos, they do not line up in a chain (with the exception of streptobacilli), and do not attach to each other (except for diplobacilli).
Microbiologists include streptococci, staphylococci, diplococci, and gonococci among spherical microorganisms. These can be pairs or long chains of balls.
Curved bacilli are spirilla, spirochetes. They are always active, but do not produce spores. Spirilla is safe for people and animals. You can distinguish spirilla from spirochetes if you pay attention to the number of curls; they are less convoluted and have special flagella on their limbs.
Types of pathogenic bacteria
For example, a group of microorganisms called cocci, and more specifically streptococci and staphylococci, become the cause of real purulent diseases (furunculosis, streptococcal tonsillitis).
Anaerobes live and develop well without oxygen; for some types of these microorganisms, oxygen becomes fatal. Aerobic microbes require oxygen to thrive.
Archaea are practically colorless single-celled organisms.
You need to beware of pathogenic bacteria, because they cause infections; gram-negative microorganisms are considered resistant to antibodies. There is a lot of information about soil, putrefactive microorganisms, which can be harmful or beneficial.
In general, spirilla are not dangerous, but some species can cause sodoku.
Types of beneficial bacteria
Even schoolchildren know that bacilli can be useful and harmful. People know some names by ear (staphylococcus, streptococcus, plague bacillus). These are harmful creatures that interfere not only external environment, but also to man. There are microscopic bacilli that cause food poisoning.
Must know useful information about lactic acid, food, probiotic microorganisms. For example, probiotics, in other words good organisms, are often used in medical purposes. You may ask: for what? They do not allow harmful bacteria to multiply inside a person, strengthen protective functions intestines, have a good effect on the human immune system.
Bifidobacteria are also very beneficial for the intestines. Lactic acid vibrios include about 25 species. They are found in huge quantities in the human body, but are not dangerous. On the contrary, they protect the gastrointestinal tract from putrefactive and other microbes.
Speaking of good ones, one cannot fail to mention the huge species of streptomycetes. They are known to those who have taken chloramphenicol, erythromycin and similar drugs.
There are microorganisms such as Azotobacter. They live in the soil for many years, have a beneficial effect on the soil, stimulate plant growth, and cleanse the soil of heavy metals. They are indispensable in medicine, agriculture, medicine, food industry.
Types of bacterial variability
By their nature, microbes are very fickle, they die quickly, they can be spontaneous or induced. We will not go into detail about the variability of bacteria, since this information is more interesting to those who are interested in microbiology and all its branches.
Types of bacteria for septic tanks
Residents of private houses understand the urgent need to treat wastewater, as well as cesspools. Today, you can quickly and efficiently clean drains using special bacteria for septic tanks. This is a huge relief for a person, since cleaning sewers is not a pleasant task.
We have already clarified where biological wastewater treatment is used, and now let’s talk about the system itself. Bacteria for septic tanks are grown in laboratories; they kill the unpleasant odor of wastewater, disinfect drainage wells, cesspools, and reduce the volume waste water. There are three types of bacteria that are used for septic tanks:
- aerobic;
- anaerobic;
- live (bioactivators).
Very often people use combined cleaning methods. Strictly follow the instructions on the product, ensuring that the water level is conducive to the normal survival of bacteria. Also remember to use the drain at least once every two weeks to give the bacteria something to eat, otherwise they will die. Don't forget that chlorine from cleaning powders and liquids kills bacteria.
The most popular bacteria are Doctor Robic, Septifos, Waste Treat.
Types of bacteria in urine
In theory, there should be no bacteria in the urine, but after various actions and situations, tiny microorganisms settle wherever they please: in the vagina, in the nose, in water, and so on. If bacteria are detected during tests, this means that the person suffers from kidney, bladder or ureter diseases. There are several ways that microorganisms enter the urine. Before treatment, it is very important to examine and accurately determine the type of bacteria and the route of entry. This can be determined by biological culture of urine, when bacteria are placed in a favorable habitat. Next, the reaction of bacteria to various antibiotics is checked.
We wish you to always remain healthy. Take care of yourself, wash your hands regularly, protect your body from harmful bacteria!
Everyone knows that bacteria are the most ancient look living creatures that inhabit our planet. The first bacteria were the most primitive, but as our earth changed, so did the bacteria. They are present everywhere, in water, on land, in the air we breathe, in food, in plants. Just like people, bacteria can be good and bad.
Beneficial bacteria are:
- Lactic acid or lactobacilli. One of these good bacteria is lactic acid bacteria. This is a rod-shaped type of bacteria that lives in dairy and fermented milk products. These bacteria also inhabit the human oral cavity, intestines, and vagina. The main benefit of these bacteria is that they produce lactic acid as a fermentation, thanks to which we get yogurt, kefir, fermented baked milk from milk, in addition, these products are very useful for humans. In the intestines, they play the role of cleansing the intestinal environment from bad bacteria.
- Bifidobacteria. Bifidobacteria are found mainly in the gastrointestinal tract, just like lactic acid bacteria are capable of producing lactic acid and acetic acid, due to which these bacteria control the growth of pathogenic bacteria, thereby regulating the pH level in our intestines. Various varieties of bifidobacteria help get rid of constipation, diarrhea, and fungal infections.
- Escherichia coli. The human intestinal microflora consists of most microbes of the Escherichia coli group. They promote good digestion and are also involved in certain cellular processes. But some varieties of this stick can cause poisoning, diarrhea, and kidney failure.
- Streptomycetes. The habitat of streptomycetes is water, decomposing compounds, soil. Therefore, they are especially useful for the environment, because... Many processes of decomposition and combinations are carried out with them. In addition, some of these bacteria are used in the production of antibiotics and antifungal drugs.
Harmful bacteria are:
- Streptococci. Chain-shaped bacteria, which, when entering the body, are the causative agents of many diseases, such as tonsillitis, bronchitis, otitis media and others.
- Plague stick. A rod-shaped bacterium that lives in small rodents causes terrible diseases such as plague or pneumonia. Plague is a terrible disease that can destroy entire countries, and it has been compared to biological weapons.
- Helicobacter pylori. The habitat of Helicobacter pylori is the human stomach, but in some people the presence of these bacteria causes gastritis and ulcers.
- Staphylococcus. The name staphylococcus comes from the fact that the cells resemble a bunch of grapes in shape. For humans, these bacteria cause severe diseases with intoxication and purulent formations. No matter how terrible bacteria are, humanity has learned to survive among them thanks to vaccination.
Where do bacteria settle in the human body?
- Most of them inhabit the intestines, providing harmonious microflora.
- They live on mucous membranes, including the oral cavity.
- Many microorganisms inhabit the skin.
What microorganisms are responsible for:
- They support immune function. If there is a lack of beneficial microbes, the body is immediately attacked by harmful ones.
- Eating ingredients plant food, bacteria help digestion. The bulk of the products that reach the large intestine are digested thanks to bacteria.
- Benefits of intestinal microorganisms - in the synthesis of B vitamins, antibodies, absorption of fatty acids.
- Microbiota maintains water-salt balance.
- Bacteria on the skin protect the integument from penetration of harmful microorganisms. The same applies to the population of mucous membranes.
What happens if you remove bacteria from the human body? Vitamins will not be absorbed, hemoglobin in the blood will drop, diseases of the skin, gastrointestinal tract, respiratory system, etc. will begin to progress. Conclusion: the main function of bacteria in the human body is protective. Let's take a closer look at what types of microorganisms exist and how to support their work.
Main groups of beneficial bacteria
Beneficial bacteria for humans can be divided into 4 main groups:
- bifidobacteria;
- lactobacilli;
- enterococci;
- coli.
The most common type of beneficial microbiota. The task is to create an acidic environment in the intestines. In such conditions, pathogenic microflora cannot survive. The bacteria produce lactic acid and acetate. Thus, the intestinal tract is not afraid of the processes of fermentation and decay.
Another property of bifidobacteria is antitumor. Microorganisms participate in the synthesis of vitamin C, the main antioxidant in the body. Vitamins D and B-group are absorbed thanks to this type of microbes. The digestion of carbohydrates is also accelerated. Bifidobacteria increase the ability of the intestinal walls to absorb valuable substances, including calcium, magnesium and iron ions.
From the mouth to the colon, lactobacilli live in the digestive tract. The combined action of these bacteria and other microorganisms controls the proliferation of pathogenic microflora. Causative agents of intestinal infections are much less likely to infect the system if lactobacilli inhabit it in sufficient quantities.
The task of the little hard workers is to normalize the functioning of the intestinal tract and support immune function. Microbiota is used in the food and medical industries: from healthy kefirs to drugs for normalizing intestinal microflora.
Lactobacilli are especially valuable for women's health: the acidic environment of the mucous membranes of the reproductive system does not allow bacterial vaginosis to develop.
Advice! Biologists say that the immune system begins in the gut. The body’s ability to resist harmful bacteria depends on the condition of the tract. Maintain a normal gastrointestinal tract, and then not only will the absorption of food improve, but the body’s defenses will also increase.
Enterococci
The habitat of enterococci is the small intestine. They block the proliferation of pathogenic microorganisms and help absorb sucrose.
The magazine "Polzateevo" found out that there is an intermediate group of bacteria - conditionally pathogenic. In one state they are beneficial, but when some conditions change they become harmful. These include enterococci. Staphylococci that live on the skin also have a dual effect: they protect the skin from harmful microbes, but they themselves can get into the wound and cause a pathological process.
E. coli often causes negative associations, but only some species from this group cause harm. Most E. coli have a beneficial effect on the tract.
These microorganisms synthesize a number of B vitamins: folic and nicotinic acid, thiamine, riboflavin. The indirect effect of such synthesis is the improvement of blood composition.
Which bacteria are harmful?
Harmful bacteria are more widely known than beneficial bacteria, as they pose a direct threat. Many people know the dangers of salmonella, plague bacillus and vibrio cholerae.
The most dangerous bacteria for a person:
- Tetanus bacillus: lives on the skin and can cause tetanus, muscle spasms and respiratory problems.
- Botulism stick. If you eat a spoiled product with this pathogenic microorganism, you can get fatal poisoning. Botulism often develops in expired sausages and fish.
- Staphylococcus aureus is capable of causing several ailments in the body at once, is resistant to many antibiotics and incredibly quickly adapts to drugs, becoming insensitive to them.
- Salmonella is the cause of acute intestinal infections, including very dangerous disease- typhoid fever.
Prevention of dysbacteriosis
Living in urban conditions with poor ecology and nutrition significantly increases the risk of dysbiosis - an imbalance of bacteria in the human body. Most often, the intestines suffer from dysbacteriosis, less often - the mucous membranes. Signs of a lack of beneficial bacteria: gas formation, bloating, abdominal pain, upset stool. If the disease is neglected, vitamin deficiency, anemia, unpleasant odor of the mucous membranes of the reproductive system, weight loss, and skin defects may develop.
Dysbacteriosis easily develops even when taking antibiotic drugs. To restore the microbiota, probiotics are prescribed - compositions with living organisms and prebiotics - preparations with substances that stimulate their development. Fermented milk drinks containing live bifidobacteria and lactobacilli are also considered beneficial.
In addition to therapy, beneficial microbiota responds well to fasting days, consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, and whole grains.
The role of bacteria in nature
The kingdom of bacteria is one of the most numerous on the planet. These microscopic creatures bring benefits and harm not only to humans, but also to all other species, and provide many processes in nature. Bacteria are found in the air and soil. Azotobacter is a very useful soil inhabitant that synthesizes nitrogen from the air, converting it into ammonium ions. In this form, the element is easily absorbed by plants. These same microorganisms cleanse soils of heavy metals and fill them with biologically active substances.
Don't be afraid of bacteria: our body is designed in such a way that it cannot function normally without these tiny workers. If their number is normal, then the immune, digestive and a number of other functions of the body will be fine.
