How Germs Spread and Infect Others

The flu, like any other illness, starts when tiny, microscopic particles called germs enter our systems. Germs come in many shapes and sizes. They can be categorized in 4 different ways: bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa. Germs attach to all sorts of things, including plants, animals and people. Once they find a living host, germs begin to multiply. The host then must battle back to remain healthy. Germs that multiply and spread are called contagious.

People are generally contagious with the flu a few days before they start to feel sick. They are also contagious once they have developed flu symptoms. Flu symptoms include fever, cough, achiness, difficulty breathing, head ache, and sore throat. People who catch the flu usually have symptoms for up to a week. If complications or secondary infections set in, factors of contagion will vary.

Types of Germs

• Bacterium is an important germ. It is extremely tiny, only consisting of one cell. Some varieties of bacteria can live and multiply without a host. Other bacterium requires a living organism to continue to spread. Bacteria are important because it helps maintain balance in our systems. Their job is to break down nutrients, and sift out waste products. Bacteria are also useful in creating vaccines to fight against disease. However, some bacteria can be dangerous. These germs actually steal nutrients and create toxins in our systems when they spread, exposing more germs to those around us.

• Viruses are germs whose sole purpose is to attack and destroy the living cell they attach to as a host. They live to breed, and breed to conquer the surrounding area. Viruses treat cells like dried sponges. They attach to it like a drop of water, and then fill it up until it explodes, because it simply can't hold any more of them. When this happens, virus germs continue to spread wherever they can unless they are stopped. The lifespan of a virus depends on several factors. They seem to thrive better in warm moist environments.

• Fungi, unlike bacteria and viruses, consist of many cells. These germs multiply by getting nutrition from their host. Some fungi help decompose waste material, while other fungi feeds on living organisms. We enjoy ingesting helpful fungus when we eat bread containing yeast, or sauté mushrooms with a meal. If fungus feeds on a host, it can and often does spread disease. Athlete's foot and ringworm are examples of disease causing fungus.

• Protozoa are tiny little animals that spread disease. They are often referred to as amoeba, arguably the most primitive animal known to man. The purpose of protozoa is to spread disease. Protozoa, like viruses, are parasites. They need to attach themselves to a living host in order to survive and multiply.

Influenza is a Virus

The flu, scientifically known as influenza, is a viral germ. Viruses are among the tiniest of germs. When they invade the body, their host gets sick. As viruses spread, contamination of the environment occurs. Some viruses have the ability to change or mutate over time. They are able to evolve, and even jump from host to host. When this happens, it is difficult to control the spread of disease.

Defining Contamination and Contagion

To be contagious, a host must first be infected. People get infected with the flu when they are exposed to contamination. Viruses live for different lengths of time. Their life spans depend on environmental factors, as well as their ability to breed and multiply. Many viruses thrive in warm, moist environments. That's why they are able to infect people from inanimate objects. Viruses do not survive well in cold, dry environments. A virus is able to breed and multiply when it attaches itself to a living host.

A living host is able to spread contamination of the flu virus in a variety of ways. When someone who has the flu sneezes, their germs spread out of their mouth and onto surrounding surfaces. If this happens in a warm house, viruses can survive on those surfaces until they attach themselves to another host.

Cleaning up after someone who has the flu is a very dirty job. Everything they touch or use has the potential of being contaminated with microscopic virus cells. If an unsuspecting host gets sick from contamination, they are considered contagious. Being contagious means you are able to spread illness to surrounding areas and people.