What Are the Morphological Features of Common Pathogens?
Bacteria Bacteria exhibit diverse shapes such as cocci (spherical), bacilli (rod-shaped), and spirilla (spiral). Gram staining differentiates them into Gram-positive and Gram-negative, based on cell wall composition.
Viruses Viruses have unique shapes, including icosahedral, helical, and complex structures. The morphology is determined by the arrangement of capsid proteins and the presence of an envelope.
Fungi Fungi can be unicellular (yeasts) or multicellular (molds). They exhibit various morphological forms such as hyphae, spores, and mycelium.
Parasites Parasites include protozoa and helminths. Protozoa have diverse shapes, often classified based on their movement mechanisms (e.g., flagella, cilia). Helminths are multicellular with complex body structures.
