WHAT IS TODAY´S LESSON GOING TO BE ABOUT??? I´LL GIVE YOU A HINT: 1. IT´S A LIVING THING 2. THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 5 MILLION TRILLION TRILLION ON THE EARTH. 3. THEY REPRODUCE VERY RAPIDLY. THEY CAN DOUBLE IN NUMBERS IN TEN MINUTES. 4. THEY CAN LIVE IN WEIRD PLACES, LIKE RADIOACTIVE WASTE, UNDER VOLCANOES, AND ALSO IN EXTREMELY COLD PLACES. 5. THEY ALSO LIVE ALMOST EVERYWHERE. THEY COVER EVERYTHING, INCLUDING YOUR SKIN. THEY LIVE IN WATER, DIRT, FOOD, AND IN THE AIR. THEY LIVE INSIDE YOU: IN YOUR MOUTH, STOMACH, AND LUNGS. Can you guess?????

BACTERIA: Is it good or bad???

Most bacteria are harmless, and some are even beneficial to people!  Bacteria in the digestive system (stomach and other organs) help break down food for us and other animals.  Good bacteria in our bodies fight bad bacteria.  Bacteria help things decompose, like compost and trash.  Some bacteria produce oxygen.  There is more good bacteria in the world than there is bad.  People need bacteria, we just need to be careful to not spread bad bacteria.

Problem bacteria that gives everybody else a bad reputation!  Food poisoning – When food is not stored and cooked properly, the bacteria that it has naturally can multiply very quickly and can make people sick.  Strep throat, ear infections, pneumonia, etc.. – These are common bacterial infections that can be treated with antibiotics.  Cavities – caused by bacteria that eat sugar and release acid that destroys your teeth.  Body odor – the bad smell we all can have if we sweat is because the bacteria in our skin multiplies faster in hot moist places.

Are viruses a type of bacteria??

No, viruses are different for many reasons:  Most importantly, viruses are not living things, like bacteria are.  Bacteria are single celled organisms, but viruses are not made of cells.  Viruses cannot reproduce on their own, they need a cell. They attack and take over the body of the cell.  Viruses have DNA-like material to tell their host cell what to do once they invade.  Some bacteria are helpful. Viruses are not beneficial, although scientists are trying to discover ways to use them to our advantage by studying them.  The right antibiotic can kill bacterial infections, but antiviral medicine slows down the virus, but can´t destroy it completely.

Common Viral and Bacterial Infections: People often confuse viruses and bacterial infections  The common cold aka rhinoviruses (gripe)  Flu (influenza)  HIV (SIDA)  Rabies (rabia)  Chicken Pox (varicela)  H1N1  Cholera (colera)  Tuberculosis  Tetanus (tetano)  Leprosy (lepra)  Pneumonia (pulmonia)  E. Coli Viral InfectionsBacterial Infections

Prevention of viral and bacterial infections. Both are spread the same way, so prevention is the same for all types.  DON´T BECOME BLOOD BROTHERS WITH YOUR BEST FRIEND!!! Body fluids generally have the infection in them. Accidentally taking in the body fluids of someone else can transmit the bacteria or virus.  WASH YOUR HANDS!!! Many bacteria and viruses can be spread by shaking hands with someone, or when dirty hands touch the food we eat. Washing our hands when we go to the bathroom and before we eat is key in preventing some common infections.  DO THE DRACULA!!! When people sneeze or cough it is better to cough into your arm, not your hands, because your hands come into contact with so many things. Coughing and sneezing in the air can sometimes transmit the infection.

How do you treat an infection?  Bacterial infections  Usually treated with a special antibiotic that only attacks the bacterial infection.  Some people worry that using too many antibiotics is creating super- bacteria that can resist antibiotics.  Viral infections  Many doctors simply recommend that you have lots of water and sleep when you are sick with a virus. Your immune system should take care of any minor viral infections on it´s own.  It is also good to stay home from school or work if you are sick. You can give the infection to someone else and you are more likely to get a bacterial infection when your immune system is busy fighting the viral infection.  There are some anti-viral drugs that can prevent the virus from multiplying, but these drugs powers are very limited.

Extra credit project: Make a poster with your own supplies on your own time. Remind students to wash their hands or cover their mouths when they sneeze and cough. Nice posters will earn 5 points in the communication category for science. Really informative and attention-grabbing posters will give more points.