Germs versus Humans:

How tiny microbes make a big impact on our health

Nicole Spahich

What is Microbiology?The study of things that are very smallMicroscopic - microbesUnicellular versus multicellularViruses, bacteria, fungi

Staphylococcus aureus

What makes us sick?

Types of sicknessColdFluCoughFood poisoningEar ache

Infectious

Germs: bacteria, viruses and more!

Germs are everywhere

Microbe match gameWhere did these microbes come from?

Door knob?

Mouth?

Shoes?

Toilet seat?

1

43

2

Microbe match gameWhere did these microbes come from?

1

43

2

Toilet seat

ShoesDoor knob

Mouth

Good guys versus bad guys

Microbiome versus pathogens

Our microbiome

Sharing our microbes

Rules:Shake hands with 3 different peopleGive the people you shook hands with half

of each stack of stickers that you have

Sharing our microbes

Rules:Shake hands with 4 different peopleGive the people you shook hands with half

of each stack of stickers that you have

Who was infected?

ORANGE

How to avoid germs

Wash your handsCover your mouth when you

sneeze/coughAvoid sharing food/drinksCook and store food properly

Why do we feel sick?

Toxin productionby pathogens Poisons damage

cells

Immune system tries to get rid of the invadersPoking holes in pathogen cellsEating pathogens

Invaders!Immune

system effects:FeverRunny

nose/mucus production

InflammationSwelling

What happens when we get an infection?Our immune system destroys the

pathogen in 2 ways:1. Immune cells destroy pathogens

White blood cells

Macrophage

Eat pathogens and debris

Neutrophil

Eat pathogens and kill by releasing toxic particles

Eating bacteria

What happens when we get an infection?

Immune cells in action

What happens when we get an infection?Our immune system destroy the

pathogen in 2 ways:2. Antibodies destroy pathogens

What do antibodies do?

Prevent pathogens from sticking to cells

BacteriaBacteria

What do antibodies do?Help cells recognize pathogens so that

they can eat them up

Macrophage

Neutrophil

BacteriaBacteria

Bacteria

Bacteria

What do antibodies do?Each B cell produces a unique

antibody that recognizes a specific piece of foreign material (e.g., pathogen)

Pathogens

Antibodies

B cells

Let’s be antibodiesAntibodies have 2 armsAntibodies are specific to their pathogen

You can only pick up beads that match your given color

Let’s be antibodiesWhy are there blue beads left over?

Why could this be a problem during infection?

Why is there a pink bead left over?What would your body do at this point?

Vaccines

Your body makes antibodies to pathogens before you actually get sickInject weakened/killed form of the

pathogen Parts of the pathogen that your immune

system recognizes

Thanks!

Any questions?