- Fact 2 - The term bacteria was
devised in the 19th century by the German biologist Ferdinand
Cohn (24 January 1828 – 25 June 1898) who based it on the Greek
word 'bakterion' meaning a small rod or staff.
- Fact 3 - Ferdinand Cohn classified
bacteria into four groups based on shape:
- Sphericals
- Short rods
- Threads
- Spirals
- Fact 4 - Ferdinand Cohn is
considered to be the father of modern bacteriology
- Fact 5 - Some types of bacteria can
cause diseases and become harmful to the environment whilst
other types others offer benefits
- Fact 6 - Bacteria are everywhere -
in the air, sky, on mountains, in oceans, in humans, animals and
on everything we touch
- Fact 7 - Bacteria are minute, on
average most species of bacteria have diameters of 0.5 to 2.0
microns
- Fact 8 - Some bacteria can move
- Fact 9 - Anywhere that dead and
decaying matter is present is a good home for bacteria
- Fact 10 - Examples of bacteria
include:
- Acidophilus, a normal inhabitant of
yogurt
- Clostridium welchii the most common
cause of gas gangrene
- E. coli - found in the lower
intestine. E. coli can be a threat to food safety
- Streptococcus, the human mouth and
gut. Can cause diseases including strep throat
- Chlamydia which causes a sexually
transmitted infection
- Fact 11 - Bacteria have flourished
on earth for over three billion years
- Fact 12 - Some types can attack
plants, causing diseases like leaf spot and fireblight
- Fact 13 - The term “friendly
bacteria” is used to describe the types of bacteria that offer
some benefit
- Helps produce food
- Keeps soil fertile
- Helps us to digest food
- Inhibits the growth of potentially
harmful bacteria
- Fact 14 - Friendly Bacteria:
Bacteria in our digestive system help to convert milk protein
into lactic acid and reducing the growth of harmful bacteria.
- Fact 15 - People have millions of
bacteria living on the skin surface and on the mucous membranes
of the nose, mouth, and bowels
- Fact 16 - Humans spread bacteria
from the mouth and nose
- Fact 17 - The virulence of the
bacteria: Virulence = the capability of bacteria to cause
infection by production of bacterial poisons
- Fact 18 - MRSA was discovered in
1961 in the United Kingdom and is often referred to in the press
as a "superbug"
- Fact 19 - MRSA infections are
responsible for more deaths in the U.S. each year than AIDS
- Fact 20 - Antonie van Leeuwenhoek
was the first person to observe bacteria using a microscope
- Fact 21 - Robert Koch was a pioneer
in medical microbiology and worked on cholera, anthrax and
tuberculosis
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