bacteria, protists, and viruses can cause human illness, but they can also have beneficial effects?

Question

bacteria, protists, and viruses can cause human illness, but they can also have beneficial effects in our bodies or in the enviroment. explain this statement using specific examples of microbs from each of these three groups...someone help me out i dont even know what to do!!!

Answer 1

Bacteria:
1. decompose dead organic matter and wastes to return nutrients to the environment.
2. fix nitrogen, taking nitrogen gas from the air and putting it into the ground for producers to use
3. are photosynthetic (just the cyanobacteria), starting food chains and putting oxygen back into the air and water
4. are chemosynthetic, starting deep ocean food chains around volcanic vents
5. are used in industrial processes such as tanning leather
6. are used in biological treatment of some hazardous wastes
7. are used as micro-factories to produce chemicals and medicines for us (through genetic engineering)
8. colonize parts of our bodies, preventing disease bacteria from moving in
9. help make certain foods: yogurt, cheese, sauerkraut, ...

Protists:
1. are the major producers in aquatic ecosystems (algae)
2. live inside termites to help them digest wood
3. are links in many food chains
4. act as decomposers to return nutrients to the ecosystem (slime molds)
5. produce substances that we use in many products (algae) such as agar, toothpaste, ice cream, puddings, paints, ...

Viruses:
1. act as the delivery system for the "good genes" in treatment for cystic fibrosis and other diseases
2. make patterns in leaves and petals of tulips and other commercial plants

Answer 2

Bacteria: E. coli is a necessary bacterium that is present in your digestive system and helps your body digest foods. However, if a human is infected with E. coli, they can have serious health effects such as fever, vomiting, and diarrhea.

Here are some key terms that will help you with your other two: Symbiosis- both organisms benefit from the presence of the other.
Pathogenesis- one organism benefits from the detriment of the other organism

Good luck!

Answer 3

Bacteria is used in gene cloning as a host, e.Coli. It also used to produce some hormone in large quantities such as insulin in gene cloning. E.Coli in our intestine produce some useful substance, vit b12 if i wasnt mistaken.Also in food production- cheese, vitagen. Protista used as food source for human because some are nutricious- spirulina. Food source for aquatic animal-algae.

Answer 4

Yeah some bacteria are quite helpful e.g.
1. lactobacillus - for preparing yogurt
2. azotobacter - for nitrogen fixation in plants. etc.

don't know much about protists and viruses

Answer 5

Bacteria in your digestive tract help to digest your food. That is why doctors recommend eating yougurt after taking antibiotics.

Answer 6

yes they do give some benefit to human. such as E.coli, and i think yeast (not sure thought) because genetitist can use yeast to study human genetic.