Main articles:
- Bacteria and viruses are found around us on a daily basis on surfaces in the home, office and public places.
- Bacteria that live on surfaces and can cause disease can be avoided by washing hands and disinfecting surfaces.
- Viruses, on the other hand, are transmitted through the respiratory system, hand-mouth cycle, fecal-mouth cycle and in direct contact, and the fight against viral diseases is carried out mainly through isolations and vaccines that prevent cases of infection and disease.
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Viruses, bacteria and everything in between
Bacteria and viruses are found in our daily living environment on the inanimate surfaces around the home, in the office and in public places. Even in the cleanest house one can find colonies of bacteria, viruses and fungi some of which have negative effects on human health. Studies show that in hospitals, kindergartens, kitchens and more, microorganisms can survive for days, weeks and even months on surfaces.
If that’s not disturbing enough, not only surfaces carrying viruses and bacteria, we too. When our body carries a virus or bacterium, we may infect those around us, whether through direct contact by contact with the surface and then with the mouth, or through the air.
What is a virus? Also called a virus
A virus is a sub-microscopic infectious agent that hangs on a “host” living cell to multiply. A virus, or virus in Hebrew, is not considered a living substance until it enters a living cell. Biologically, the purpose of the virus’ genes is to replicate, just like humans and animals, but only when it reaches a cell can it put its genetic material into it and take control of it in a short time.
What is the difference between a bacterium and a virus?
Humans, as is well known, are a collection of cells. A bacterium is actually a single cell, a unicellular creature that multiplies independently outside our cell. This is in contrast to a virus that must be inside a cell in order to replicate. Bacteria are the most common life forms on the planet, they manage to exist in diverse living environments and even extreme ones in which no other organism can exist.
Because a bacterium is a cell, it has a number of unique properties, so it is possible to develop drugs that will harm it and not our cells. In contrast, a virus is inside our cell, it takes over and every action it takes is aided by the processes of the cell. Therefore, damaging it will damage our cells. This is why there are almost no cures for viruses.
Antibiotics are used by us in the fight against bacteria, but a large proportion of the bacteria have developed resistance to it, so medicine has started using bacterial viruses to attack them.
Bacteria in an office environment
A study of the office environment of the Institute of Life Sciences at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem found a large and diverse number of bacteria on computer mice and door handles, including intestinal, skin and respiratory bacteria and pathogenic bacteria – bacteria that cause respiratory and intestinal diseases.
Keyboards, handles, computer mice, monitors, phone earbuds and more – these have a significant bacterial infection potential. Photo: Shatterstock
The study found that the office environment, where there are a large number of people touching the same surfaces – keyboards, door handles, computer mice, monitors, telephone earbuds and more – has a significant potential for pathogenic bacteria that can cause skin, intestinal and respiratory diseases. As a result, the researchers recommended that offices be provided with antiseptics so that they would be available at a number of sites around the office and increase awareness of this danger.
Caution! Bacterial colonies in the home
Genetic research has found that in public restrooms there are 19 different types of bacteria, from different groups, that affect different body systems in humans. The study, conducted in the public toilets of women and men on the campus of an American college, found that most of the bacteria were concentrated on surfaces such as doors, toilets, toilet seats, soap dishes, faucets and floors.
At home, a number of objects that we use every day may serve as a real bacterial colony. The first, the toothbrush, which according to studies contains about 100 million bacteria that come to it from the oral cavity. Scotch Kitchen is also an active bacterial colony, with about 1.4 million bacteria accumulating. In addition, kitchen and bath towels, TV remote control and pet food bowls are a fertile breeding ground for bacteria because of how they are used, whether it is frequent contact or leftover food standing in the open air.
The main prevention is maintaining hygiene and disinfection. Photo: Shatterstock
Among the corona virus, polio virus and monkey pox
When they take over our cells, the three viruses that have been threatening us in the past year – corona, polio and monkey pox – can cause an outbreak of viral diseases. Therefore, you should know how they pass from person to person:
Corona virus Passes from person to person mainly through the respiratory tract. When a corona carrier breathes out, particles floating in the air and containing the virus can be absorbed by another person around it, whether by breathing or landing on the eyes, nose and mouth, especially in the case of coughing and sneezing. Infection from infected surfaces has been found to be less common.
polio virus Passes from person to person through a fecal-oral cycle. Water that comes in contact with feces, food that comes in contact with feces, an improper sewage treatment system and inadequate cleaning after contact with feces – all of these can cause viral particles to be swallowed and the viral replication to take place within the digestive tract.
Monkey smallpox virus Can be transmitted from animal to human by bite or by direct contact with the body fluids of an infected animal. The virus can spread from person to person by respiratory contact, by droplets originating in the airways, which require prolonged proximity of face to face, or by contact with the body fluids of an infected person. Joint use of rooms and beds, the same utensils and bedding, is a high risk factor for infection.
When a person whose respiratory system has a virus or bacterium sneezes, it immediately disperses about 5,000 contagious particles in the immediate shower.. Photographer: Shatterstock
How do we deal with the bacteria and viruses we carry on us?
The oily layer of the palms accumulates on it everything we have touched. Inside the fats are viruses and bacteria. The main prevention is maintaining hygiene and disinfection. Alcohol can be used, but experts recommend rinsing your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds.
In addition, we also share the air between us and the viruses within us, so during the Corona period it was important to maintain insulation. When a person in his respiratory system has a virus or bacterium sneezing, he immediately scatter about 5,000 infectious particles around him; When he coughs, he scatters about 3,000 such particles and when he speaks, he scatters 1,000 particles per minute.
The two main preventive measures in the fight against viruses that cause viral diseases are isolation and vaccination. Isolation is used as an effective means of preventing infections, especially in viruses such as the coronavirus whose main infection is in the respiratory tract.
Because viruses do not really have a cure, the most effective means of treatment is the vaccine, which prevents infection and disease in advance. Exposure of the immune system to the attenuated virus allows it to generate antibodies, which later, after the action of its identifying memory, will allow it to deal with the virus even in its active version.