It's Catching! The Infectious World of Germs and Microbes

It's Catching! The Infectious World of Germs and Microbes — page 5
R E T P A H C 1 Meet the Meet the Microbes Microbes Microbes All germs are microbes but not all microbes are germs Before you can understand germs you need to understand microbes A microbe is a very small living thing In fact the word microbe comes from the Greek mikros meaning very small and bios meaning life Microbiology is the study of microbes and scientists who study microbes are called microbiologists MICROBES very small living things MICROBIOLOGY study of microbes MICROBIOLOGISTS scientists who study microbes MICROBES friendly but some can cause disease Most microbes are friendly Most microbes are friendly but a very small number can cause disease Scientists call these unfriendly microbes pathogens but many people use the nickname germs The illnesses caused by pathogens are called infectious diseases Microbes are everywhere The hands you’re using to hold this book Covered in microbes The air you’re breathing right now Teeming with microbes The lake or ocean you went swimming in that one awesome summer Chock full of microbes PATHOGENS the unfriendly microbes INFECTIOUS DISEASES illnesses caused by pathogens