Importance of Microbiology

Keeping the planet healthy

Microbes are essentially protectors of the planet, ensuring that minerals such as carbon and nitrogen
are incessantly recycled. They play a crucial role in keeping the atmosphere oxygenated and also actively
degrade dead organic matter, thus transforming organic carbon back into carbon dioxide.

Agriculture

When it comes to creating soils that can support crops and livestock, microbes are indispensable
Studying microbiology helps farmers to optimize nitrate levels and maximize output.

Combating disease

Infectious diseases have the capacity to wipe out entire populations, and microbiology is the key to
keeping outbreaks under control. The study of microscopic organisms allows scientist to develop
antibiotics and vaccines, with revelations such as Alexander Fleming’s discovery of penicillin saving
millions upon millions of lives.

Chemical products

From antibiotics and solvents to preservatives and pharmaceuticals, microbes are used to create a
myriad of useful products that we take for granted. Uncovering these chemical reactions and retailing
them as commercial goods shapes the face of life as we know it.

Biotechnology

Genetic engineering is an incredibly exciting revelation, and microbiology lies at the heart of the sphere.
The scientific process of freely moving genes from one organism to another, isolating DNA and
manipulating results is all hosted by bacteria.

Microbiology in Everyday Life

▪ Industrial processes such as brewing (beer and wine), food production (e.g. yeast in baking
bread, cheese), agriculture

▪ Microbes’ interaction with humans is the cause of many diseases, and understanding them
is a major part of medical/health sciences
▪ Microbes are an essential component of our gut, needed to process the food we digest.
This is very important for animals who eat grass e.g. cattle
 ▪ Microbes have proved invaluable in the study of how cells work, especially regarding
genetics
▪ Without microbes the entire cycle of life on earth would grind to a halt because microbes
take dead organisms and break them down to their constituents which are used to feed
other organisms such as plants, which provides the food source for animals, including
humans.

Importance of Microbiology in Different Fields

Environmental

Environmental microbiologists study the many ways microorganisms interact with the environment.
Scientists working in this field usually place an emphasis on microorganisms’ interaction with plant life
and animal life. Environmental microbiologists may also study the ways in which certain microorganisms
can work as effective agents to degrade various types of human and industrial waste products.

Medical

Medical microbiologists place their focus on the detection, identification, and isolation of
microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi that can cause disease. These scientists help to diagnose
diseases such as meningitis and tuberculosis, and help to prevent the spread of diseases by identifying,
containing, and treating disease in the human body. It studies the development of diseases and how
microbes can be used to make our health better with vaccination, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, use
of probiotics, it also includes the study of disease control which embodies infection control, treatment
and quarantine.

Food Industry

Microbiologists work with various food suppliers to ensure that products are free of pathogenic
organisms before being delivered to the public. Microbiologists specializing in food-based bacteria can
sometimes work with the Food and Drug Administration to help identify food products that can pose a
risk to human health. Food industry microbiologists may also investigate food poisoning outbreaks,
aiming to identify their causes in order to prevent recurrence. It gives knowledge about their effects on
food which includes spoilage, fermentation, decay, food poisoning and formation of toxins
Research

They study the life cycle and reactions of various bacteria and other microorganisms in a clean,
controlled environment. Microbiological research can have a large impact on illness prevention and
treatment, and can influence how various medications are ultimately distributed to the public.

Importance of Microbiology on Nursing Profession

Nurses are responsible for caring for their patient; it is not possible to do so without putting health and
safety first. Nurses use concepts of microbiology to maintain environments that are free of
contamination and infection.

Nurses use microbiology on the job in many ways. They use microbiology when it comes to the disposal
of biomedical waste of all types. They must determine the proper procedure to handle the waste so that
it does not cause infection.

Microbiology also helps nurse to prevent transfer of germs from one patient to another, prevent germ
transfer to oneself and even prevent germ transfer from inanimate objects. The nurse learns to
appreciate the differences between pathogenic microbes and nonpathogenic microbes that play
important roles in the environment. The nurse, through microbiology, learns how the immune system
can resist less pathogenic microbes but require prior exposure (vaccines) in order to resist more
pathogenic varieties.