Bacteria and Viruses

Science FUNdamentals

OUTLINE

Bacteria vs Viruses

Antivirals, antibiotics, & Vaccines

Protecting against pathogens

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Bacteria and Viruses

What are Germs?

Germs are tiny living things.

They are sometimes called bugs

How big are they?

Can you see them?

Germs are so small you can’t see them!

You need special tools like microscopes that zoom into them!

There are different kinds of germs (or bugs.)

Bacteria

Viruses

Bacteria Vs. Virus

Bacteria vs. Viruses

• Infection - when you get sick

from a germ or bug

• Bacteria - usually affects 1 part of your body
• Viruses - causes colds, flus
• makes you sick all over!

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Bacteria Characteristics

• Single celled & living
• reproduce by dividing
• can grow on all surfaces
• not all bacteria are bad (gut/stomach bacteria)

Virus Characteristics

• not living
• capsule of genetic material
• need living hosts to multiply
• invade the cells of host
• make them produce more viruses

Antibiotics, Antivirals, & Vaccines

Can you name different sicknesses caused by bacteria as compared to viruses?

• Antibiotics - fight against bacteria
• Ex. Penicillin
• Antivirals - fight against viruses
• Ex. Colds are caused by viruses so antibiotics cannot be used to cure a cold!

Antibiotics VS Antivirals

Antiviral or Antibiotics are used when a patient is sick. Vaccines used to prevent getting sick.

Vaccines - protect against and prevent illness

• Insert weaken or dead virus or bacteria
• Ex: Chicken pox shot, Flu shot

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Vaccines

ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE

ACTIVITY TIME!

• Bacteria have different characteristics
• Just as some of you are good at one sport where others are not …some bacteria are good at fighting one drug and others are not.

• Resistance - drugs used too often or when you don’t need to
• Antibiotic resistance - antibiotics don’t work anymore
• The bacteria become stronger

and harder to kill

• They are SUPER BUGS!

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ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE

Protecting Against germs

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Where can we find GERMS?

Germs are EVERYWHERE!

Rank the following from the most contaminated to the least contaminated:

Bus rails

Playground

Pens (shared)

Public phones

Cell Phone

Toilet seats

Vending Machines

How dirty are things?

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Were you correct?

Cell Phone

Playground

Toilet seats

Bus rails

Pens (shared)

Vending Machines

Public phones*

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Contamination (%)

96

44

42

35

16

14

13

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Greatest # of germs

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Least # of germs

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If germs are everywhere, why don’t we get sick?

• Our body protects us from germs!
• SKIN
• Good bugs (bacteria) that protect us from the bad bugs

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How are germs transferred?

Germs can be transferred by:

• Shaking hand
• Not covering your mouth
• Not washing your hands

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How can we protect ourselves?

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Protecting Ourselves

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against

germs

Cleaning your hands

• hand sanitizer
• Not as effect as hand washing
• Good to use if hand washing unavailable
• Washing with soap and water

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Social Distancing

During Covid-19 the CDC recommends that people stay at least 2 meters or 6 feet apart

• Best way to prevent spread
• Germs can only travel so far

2 adult golden retrievers from tail to tail

A bit less then the average door (8 feet)

So what does 2 meter of 6 feet look like?

The length of a full size or twin size bed

Rogers, Kristen. “Social Distancing Means Standing 6 Feet Apart. Here's What That Actually Looks Like.” CNN, Cable News Network, 24 Mar. 2020, www.cnn.com/2020/03/24/health/six-feet-social-distance-explainer-coronavirus-wellness/index.html.

2 meters or 6 feet

Wearing a Mask

Mask are useful because they…

• prevent sick people from spreading germs
• minimizes spread

Make sure to…

• Not touch your mask
• Sanitize before removing

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Petri dishes (left) tell us how much bacteria something has.

Match the following cases to each petri dish:

1. Coughing
2. Sneezing
3. Talking
4. singing

Let’s look at mask combined with social distancing! What do you notice?

Masks are good at keeping you from spreading germs

When You Should Wash Your Hands?

• Before you eat
• After you go to the bathroom
• After you sneeze or blow your nose
• After playing

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How do we Wash our Hands?

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HOW TO WASH YOUR HANDS:

• Use plain soap and water
• Wet your hands
• Apply soap
• Rub hands for 20 seconds
• Rinse hands for 10 seconds
• DRY your hands!
• Removes 42% more germs than just washing your hands alone!

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ACTIVITY TIME!

Infection Simulation

(click here)

Credit: Chemistry Experiment Vector Illustration By Vecteezy

QUESTIONS?

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