Some microbes can be harmful to humans and can cause disease: the Influenza virus causes the flu (short for Influenza), Campylobacter bacteria can cause food poisoning and dermatophyte fungi, such as Trichophyton, can cause diseases such as athlete’s foot and ringworm. Microbes like these are known as pathogens.

Each microbe can make us ill in different ways. Many harmful microbes can pass from one person to another by a number of different routes – air, touch, water, food, aerosols (such as sneezes and water vapour), animals, etc. This is why hygiene is so important to protect from infection and illness.

This lesson plan supports students to understand that microbes can be harmful to humans, how these harmful microbes can grow, and what actions we can take to reduce the growth and spread of harmful microbes.