Which Diseases do Microorganisms Cause in Plants and Animals?
August 12, 2023 | by Yashaswi Pathakamuri | Posted in FAQ's
Microorganisms can cause a wide range of diseases in both plants and animals. Here are some examples of diseases caused by microorganisms in each category:
Plants:
- Bacterial Diseases:
- Bacterial blight (Xanthomonas spp.)
- Crown gall (Agrobacterium tumefaciens)
- Citrus canker (Xanthomonas citri)
- Fungal Diseases:
- Rusts (various fungal genera)
- Powdery mildew (Erysiphales)
- Fusarium wilt (Fusarium spp.)
- Dutch elm disease (Ophiostoma spp.)
- Viral Diseases:
- Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV)
- Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV)
- Potato virus Y (PVY)
- Parasitic Diseases:
- Root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.)
- Plant-parasitic fungi (e.g., Phytophthora spp.)
Animals:
- Bacterial Diseases:
- Tuberculosis (Mycobacterium tuberculosis)
- Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi)
- Anthrax (Bacillus anthracis)
- Fungal Diseases:
- Ringworm (various fungal species)
- Chytridiomycosis (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis)
- White-nose syndrome (Pseudogymnoascus destructans) in bats
- Viral Diseases:
- Influenza (various influenza virus strains)
- Rabies (Rabies virus)
- Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV)
- Parasitic Diseases:
- Malaria (Plasmodium spp.)
- Toxoplasmosis (Toxoplasma gondii)
- Heartworm disease (Dirofilaria immitis) in dogs
It’s important to note that microorganisms can cause a diverse range of diseases in both plants and animals, and the list above is not exhaustive. Disease management strategies often involve a combination of measures, such as vaccination, quarantine, sanitation, and the use of antimicrobial agents, depending on the specific disease and its host.