"Bacteria vs Viruses"

By Jose Reyes

          I will try to explain, exactly, what a Virus and what a Bacteria are, and make it simple to understand.

Bacteria 

Definition: Bacteria is plural for Bacterium. A bacterium is a microbe (a microscopic single cell organism) that can be found virtually anywhere, they are in air, the soil, and water, and in and on plants and animals.

Function: There are good and bad bacteria. They have useful functions like, making vitamins, break down garbage, and even maintain our atmosphere. The human  mouth is home to more than 500 species of Bacteria. The more we know about Bacteria, the more we are able to figure out how to make microbes work for us or stop dangerous ones from causing serious harm.

Appearance: A Bacterium consists of a single cell.

      " Barrelia Burgdorferi"             "Gillionella Bacteria"               "Anebena Bacteria"

                         Diseases caused by Bacteria

Bacillus Anthracis: Anthrax 

Escherichia Coli: E. Coli 0157:h7 (a food born sickness in stomach)

Microbacterium tuberculosis: Tuberculosis

Streptococcus pneumoniae: Strep Throat, Meningitis, and Pneumonia.

Virus

Definition:

Viruses are the simplest and tiniest of  microbes. They can be as much as 10,000 times smaller than Bacteria. Viruses consist of a small collection of genetic material (DNA or RNA) encased in a protective coat called a capsid.

When viruses come into contact with the host cells, they trigger the cells to engulf them and connect themselves so they can release their DNA into the cell. Once a host cell, viruses take over its machinery to reproduce. Once this occurs, the Virus then overrides the host cell's normal functions with their own set of instructions which shut down the production of the host's proteins and direct the cell to produce viral proteins to make new virus particles. Some viruses insert their genetic material into the host cell's DNA, where they begin directing the copying of their genes or simply lie asleep for years or a lifetime. Either way, the host cell does all the actual work, the viruses simply provide the instructions.

Appearance: 

    (Click on Picture)                 " Hepatitus B" Virus                            "Rotavirus" Stomach Viruses

   "West Nile Virus"

                   Diseases caused by Viruses

Human Immunodeficiency: AIDS

Human Papillomavirus: Cervicle Cancer

Influenza: The Flu

Viriola Major: Smallpox

Conclusion: 

I hope my explanation was simple enough. I had to spend more time on viruses because of its complexity in function.

Comments: SciSim@Cubanology.com