Difference Between Germs and Bacteria

Germs vs Bacteria

Microorganisms are vast and have many classifications. Microorganisms or microbes can be classified as bacteria, protozoa,virus, fungi, archaea, protists, plankton, and planarian. These microbes can be viewed only via a microscope. These are very minute. They can also be beneficial or harmful to humans, animals, plants, and other forms of organisms.

Most of the time, people use the words “germs” and “bacteria” at the same time. Most of the time, people consider these two words as similar or alike. Some have even thought that these words are just the synonym of each other. But everyone is wrong or has misconceptions regarding these two words. Let us try to differentiate between germs and bacteria.

Germs are considered harmful microorganisms while bacteria is a broad classification of a microorganism. Germs are generally known as culprits or bad microorganisms while bacteria can be classified as good bacteria or bad bacteria. This is generally the difference.

Germs can be classified as harmful microorganisms or bad microbes such as bad bacteria, bad viruses, bad fungi, and bad protozoans. Bacteria are unicellular organisms that gets their food from their surroundings. Most of these survive in the human body. These can grow inside or outside the body. Most bacteria cause infections such as sore throats, ear infections, pneumonia, and a lot more. These can be treated with antibacterials or antibiotics. Viruses are more of the harmful types of microbes compared to bacteria. These multiply and reproduce. The illnesses viruses commonly cause are: meningitis, chickenpox, measles, flu, and HIV that will turn into AIDS. These can be treated with anti-virals.

Fungi, on the other hand, are lesser evil forms of microbes. Most fungi cause skin problems such as fungal infections. These are usually itchy. These microbes live in damp and warm environments. The interventions for these are anti-fungals. Protozoans are also unicellular organisms. These usually settle in the intestines and may cause different problems such as diarrhea, nausea, and stomach pain.

Bacteria, on the other hand, can be good or bad. Not all bacteria are harmful. Some are beneficial. Most of the good bacteria settle inside our stomach and intestines. One of these are lactobacilli. These kinds of bacteria are beneficial to humans which in turn maintain homeostasis. These bacteria are also beneficial in making vaccines by the help of scientists.

Summary:

1. Germs are considered harmful microorganisms while bacteria is a broad classification of a microorganism.
2. Germs are bad microorganisms while bacteria can be classified as good or bad.
3. Germs are composed of bad microbes which can be bad bacteria, bad viruses, bad fungi, or bad protozoans which are harmful to humans.

Sharing is caring!