Back to homepage

Microbes

Differences between Bacteria, Virus and Fungi

Bacteria Virus Fungi
Structure Most bacteria consist of a ring of DNA surrounded by a cellular machinery, contained within a fatty membrane. They consist of little more than a small piece of genetic material surrounded by a thin protein coating. Some are also surrounded by a thin and fatty envelop. A typical fungus consists of the hyphae, which form the fungal body. These hyphae are microscopic walled tubes or filaments that are lined with plasma membrane and contain cytoplasm.
Cell membrane Present below the cell wall No cell membrane Present
Genetic Material DNA DNA or RNA DNA
Size Medium Smallest  Largest
Type Intercellular organisms Intracellular organisms Either unicellular or multi-cellular.
Shape Come in three different possible shapesCocci = sphere shapeBacilli = rod shapeSpirella = spiral shape Viruses come in all different shapes.Most common shape is icosahedral, some are helical shaped. 

Some viruses are shaped like a space ship.  They are called bacteriophages.

 Most fungi come in thread-like strands, called hyphae (collectively called mycelium)
Host Can grow on non-living surfaces Needs a living host, like a plant or animal Can live on its own
Usefulness Some are useful Mostly are harmful Many fungi are beneficial
Antibiotics Kill bacteria Cannot kill viruses Do not effect
Diseases Caused Cholera, tuberculosis, lyme disease, pertussus, salmonella, staph infections, strep throat, leprosy, tetanus, diptheria, E.coli, flesh eating (necrotizing fascitis) rickets, etc. Flu, colds, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, west nile, measles, herpes, shingles, chicken pox, monkey pox, polio, smallpox, ebola, and some cancers (epstein-barr) are just a few viruses that affect humans and animals Allergic, ronchopulmona, aspergillosis, spergilloma, aspergillosis, athlete’s foot, dermatophyte, dermatophytid, dermatophytosis, etc.
Source of Energy Seize energy from the same essential sources as humans, including sugars, proteins, and fats. Seize materials and energy from host cells by hijacking cellular machinery They use pre-existing carbon sources in their environment and use the energy from chemical reactions to create the organic compounds they need for energy and growth.
Living Yes Characteristics of both living and non-living Yes
How they are transmitted Direct contact with an infected personContaminated food or water (Salmonella, E.coli)Dirty objects (tetanus)Infected animals (rabies) By direct contact with infected individualsBy contact with contaminated objects (such as toys, doorknobs)By inhalation of virus-laden aerosols. (think sneezes)By animals that act as hosts (vectors) Transmitted through a number of ways, which include transmission by air and contact.
Reproduction Bacteria reproduce through binary fission, they split into two cells. Virus injects itself into a living cellProtein coat is discardedHereditary material takes over the cell’s activitiesVirus reproduces and the cell fills

Cell splits open

Viruses leave the cell and attack new cells

 Reproduction takes place in multiple ways likeBuddingFragmentationProduction of spores asexually

Production of spores sexually
Motility Move through the environment using a structure known as the flagellum. Viruses do not have structures and thus cannot move on their own. Typically, fungi are non-motile organisms.