VPE 511: Environment and Environmental Hygiene (2+1)

EXERCISE-14: PATHOGENIC MICROBES IN AIR

Air Microbiology

• More than 500000 microbial species exist in nature but only a few hundred species cause disease.
• Most microorganisms are closely associated with plants and animals in a stable beneficial relationship.
• However, pathogenic species have profoundly negative impact on host organisms.
• Air is often contaminated with biological pollutants such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and other forms. While some of these are non pathogenic, many are infectious in nature and cause various diseases in human and animals.
• Dust contamination is higher in pig and poultry houses than cattle housings. Among various microbes in air 80% is represented by streptococci and staphylococci, 1% by fungi, moulds, yeasts and 0.5% by E.coli type of bacteria.