Ma. Ellah Patricia M.

Gutierrez 3C- Biochemistry

General and Industrial Microbiology

Are Microorganism boon or bane? Why?

Microorganism or microbe are microscopic living organism, such as bacteria, fungi,

archaea, protists, and viruses. These organisms are considered to be disease causing
parasites. Therefore, I consider microorganisms mainly as bane organisms. For this paper, I will
site some reasons that will prove microorganisms are harmful.

They cause all diseases. It very is important to take into consideration because health
is very important to human. Microorganisms are the primary cause of these diseases. We are
all familiar of bacteria and viruses because they are the ones responsible for the large number
of human diseases. These bacteria produce poisonous substance called endotoxins and
exotoxins, which are responsible for the symptoms that occur with an illness. These includes
meningitis, pneumonia, tuberculosis and several types of food- borne disease. Viruses cause
common colds, influenza and measles. Ebola, AIDS, small pox, and cholera are caused by
microorganisms.

They can are harmful to both Agriculture. Fungal species such as, Aspergillus flavus
and Fusarium are phytopathogenic that cause pre-harvest and post- harvest. They can also
reduce the yield and grade of the plant and contaminate the plant with fungal toxin called
mycotoxin. These fungi are treat to agricultural production which can result to huge economic
losses to agriculture and loss of food consumptions.

They can evolve and adapt. Microorganisms have been around since the dawn life on
Earth, and they have continue to adapt and evolve and they will continue to. And today it
became the major problem of the medical community because disease causing bacteria
develop the ability to resist antibiotics and other antibacterial drugs. These types of bacteria
have been able to change their forms or have even able to secrete enzymes that destroy the
antibiotics.

A report released by World Health Organization (WHO) last April 2014 stated, This
serious threat is no longer a prediction for the future, it is happening right now in every region of
the world and has the potential to affect anyone, of any age, in any country. Antibiotic
resistancewhen bacteria change so antibiotics no longer work in people who need them to
treat infectionsis now a major threat to public health. And according to the Centers for
Diseases Control and Prevention, in the United States at least 2 million people became infected
with bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics and at least 23,000 people die each year as a direct
result of these infections. Until now, the medical community has NO SOLUTION to this problem.