THE BACTERIA The simplest living things Biology and Geology department– I.E.S Campanar - Valencia

1.-What are micro-organisms? Micro-organisms or microbes are single celled organisms. Too small to be seen with the naked eye. They are found practically EVERYWHERE on earth. Also commonly known as bugs, germs and microbes. Generally divided into 3 different groups: Bacteria, Fungi and Virus

2.-What is a bacteria? Bacteria have a prokariotic cell structure. They do not have an organized nucleus. They are unicellular organisms containing DNA and ribosomes. They belong to monera kingdom.

Prokariotic cell structure

3.-Bacteria can only be seen by microscope: They have three distinct shapes Different kinds of bacteria seen at the microscope. Spherical (cocci) Rod-shaped (bacilli) Spiral (spirilla)

4.-Which characteristics do they have? . Bacteria have ALL CHARACTERISTICS of living beings: nutrition, reproduction and interaction with the environment.

4.1.- Bacteria nutrition (I)  Most bacteria are heterotrophs: they do not produce their own food. There are 3 types: Parasites: They feed off living things. They cause illnesses like tuberculosis and cholera. Saprophytes: They live on dead or decomposing matter. They transform organic substances into inorganic. Some saporphytes are useful, example lactobacilo is used to make yoghurt. Symbionts: They live on bodies of other living things to provide mutual benefit. They can be found in the digestive system of many mammals. There intestinal bacteria help with digestion.

Autotrophs: they make their own food through photosynthesis, for 4.1.- Bacteria nutrition (II) Some bacteria are: Autotrophs: they make their own food through photosynthesis, for example cyanobacteria. Others are: Aerobic: Which means they require oxygen to live. Anaerobic: which means oxygen is deadly to them.

4.2.-Bacteria reproduction Bacteria generally reproduce by binary fission, producing two daughter cells. Each daughter cell grows and then divides again.

5.-Harmful bacteria, useful bacteria? What a mess!!! Recommended reading: The misunderstood bacteria

5.1.-Harmful bacteria: Bacteria produce diseases in these two situations: Using cells as food: Bacteria borke healthy cells in order to feed off them, destroying the cellular tissue. Spreading toxins: Some bacteria throw a toxin that flows through the bloodstream along all the body, altering the proper performance of the cellular tissue.  E.g: Scarlatina –Cough – Meningitis –Pneumonia –Leprosy –tetanus – Yaws disease But, only a minority of the bacteria (less than 1%) cause diseases in humans, animals and plants. The rest of them are beneficial Food poisoning- Tuberculosis - Cholera - Syphilis – Ulcers –Throat streptococcus

What is Yaws disease? It belongs to the group of chronic diseases caused for bacteria classified as Treponema. There are known three species: Treponema pallidum pertenue : Yaws disease Treponema pallidum endemicum: Endemic Syphilis or bejel Treponema pallidum carateum: Pinta

What is Yaws disease? Although they are not lethal, these diseases are painful and they produced lesions in the skin, cartilages, face and soft tissues from the mouth and bones.

What is Yaws disease? From the beforementioned three, the Yaws disease is the one that can be most easily found. It can be spotted in poor rural communities located in warm and humid tropical zones from Africa, Asia, South America and the Pacific.

What is Yaws disease? Children under 15 year old which live in poor socio- economic conditions are the main target of the infection.

What is Yaws disease? Transmission occurs with direct contact with an infected wound, trough the skin. The incubation period has an average of 21 days

What is Yaws disease? In 1948 when the World Health Organization (WHO) was created, the treponematose diseases were the most troublesome ones in matters of public health Yaws : 160 million of affected. Bejel: Pinta: 1 million of affected. 700.000 affected.

What is Yaws disease? For this reason, urgent health campaigns were released. Massive injectable penicillin treatments were applied in 46 countries. These diseases were reduced on a 95% This was one of the biggest achievements of the WHO.

What is Yaws disease? But, the lack of controls and the diminution of resources made the Yaws disease appear again in West Africa, Asia and the Pacific, after the 70s In 2006 the WHO highlighted, on its public health agenda, the Yaws disease as an important problem. The eradication of this disease on India was the motivation for this renewed eradication in other countries.

What is Yaws disease? In 2010 the doctor Oriol Mitjà went to Lihir, an island in Papua, new Guinea, to make a substitution for a month in a medical center. There he found out that most of its inhabitants were affected by the Yaws disease and he decided to stay to look for solutions.

What is Yaws disease? He discovered that only one pill of the antibiotic AZITROMIZINA was enough to cure the disease with a cost of 0,50€. Thanks to his work and working alongside the WHO, a campaign was started in order to eradicate the disease globally for the year 2020.

5.1.-Harmful bacteria: Yaws disease TEASER "Where the roads end": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZFMOSsi9KQ Un médico español descubre el modo para erradicar la enfermedad de Pian: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWZBETxqi-8

5.2.-Ways of protection against the harmful bacteria There are a few big ways to protect yourself against pathogens: Antibiotics (drugs to kill bacteria) Vaccination (using your body´s own immune system to pre- emptively guard against attack) Hygiene, clean your hands before your meals can prevent from diseases.

5.3.-Antibiotics can only be used to treat bacterial infections They target specific structures on bacteria to kill them. First made from a fungus substance (penicillin),now most are made artificially. Antibiotic resistance is when the antibiotic doesn´t target bacteria anymore. This is becoming a major problem.

5.4.- Vaccines can only be used to prevent infections “Trick” your immune system to make antibodies that destroy foreign “bodies” or particles (such as bacteria and viruses) They are made from a weakened bacteria or inactivated microorganisms, or by using only part of the bacteria itself.

6.-Useful bacteria Bacteria have a variety of important uses: They help to produce interesting food (buttermilk, yogurt, cheese, sauerkraut, pickles, and olives, etc) Decompose organic matter (recycle nutrients from dead organisms, break down sewage into simpler compounds) Nitrogen fixation (chemically changes nitrogen gas, N2 into amonia NH3, so plants can make amino acids) Human health (Bacteria on skin prevent infection and bacteria in gut helps digest food and make vitamins) – Biotechnology (used to make antibiotics, insulin, human growth hormone, vitamins and other drugs)

Bacteria are awesome! Biology and Geology department– I.E.S Campanar - Valencia