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Pathogens
Bacteria, Fungi and Viruses, Sizes and Significance
(Sizes in Microns)
Note: Most are above 0.1M in size. None are below 0.01 in size.
| Organism |
Microbial Group
|
Rod Length µm
|
Rod or Coccus Diameter µm
|
Source
|
Significance
|
| Absidia corymbifera |
Fungi
|
3.8
|
Environmental
|
Zygomycosis
|
|
| Acetobacter Melanogenus |
Bacteria
|
1.0-2.0
|
0.4-0.8
|
Strong beer/vinegar bacterium.
|
|
| Acinetobacter |
Bacteria
|
1.3
|
Environmental
|
Opportunistic infections
|
|
| Acremonium spp. |
Fungi
|
2.5
|
Environmental
|
Extrinsic Allergic Aveons
|
|
| Actinomyces israelii |
Bacteria
|
1.0
|
Humans
|
Antinomycosis
|
|
| Adenovirus |
Virus
|
0.08
|
Humans
|
Colds
|
|
| Alcaligenes Viscolactis |
Bacteria
|
0.8-2.6
|
0.6-1.0
|
Causes ropiness in milk.
|
|
| Alkaligenes |
Bacteria
|
0.75
|
Humans
|
Opportunistic infections
|
|
| Alternaria alternata |
Fungi
|
14.4
|
Environmental
|
Mycotoxicosis
|
|
| Arenavirus |
Virus
|
0.18
|
Rodents
|
Hemorrhagic fever
|
|
| Aspergillis spp. |
Fungi
|
3.5
|
Environmental
|
Aspergillosis, Volatile Organic Compound
|
|
| Aureobasidium pullulans |
Fungi
|
5
|
Environmental
|
Chromomycosis
|
|
| Bacillus anthracis |
Bacteria
|
3.0-10.0
|
1.0-1.3 (1.1 average)
|
Environmental
|
Causes anthrax in mammals
|
| Bacillus Stearothermophilus |
Bacteria
|
2.0-5.0
|
0.6-1.0
|
Biological indicator for steam sterilization
|
|
| Bacillus subtilis |
Bacteria
|
2.0-3.0
|
0.7-0.8
|
Biological indicator for ethylene oxide sterilization
|
|
| Blastomyces dermatiitidis |
Fungi
|
14
|
Environmental
|
Blastomycosis
|
|
| Bordetella pertussis |
Bacteria
|
0.25
|
Humans
|
Whooping cough
|
|
| Botrytis cinera |
Fungi
|
7
|
Environmental
|
Extrinsic Allergic Aveons
|
|
| Cardiobacterium |
Bacteria
|
0.63
|
Humans
|
Opportunistic infections
|
|
| Chaetomium globosum |
Fungi
|
5.5
|
Environmental
|
Chromomycosis, Volatile Organic Compound
|
|
| Chiamydia psittaci |
Bacteria
|
0.3
|
Birds
|
Psittacosis
|
|
| Chlamydia pneumoiae |
Virus
|
0.3
|
Humans
|
Pneumonia
|
|
| Cladosporium spp. |
Fungi
|
9
|
Environmental
|
Chromblastomycosis
|
|
| Clostridium botulinum (B) |
Bacteria
|
3.0-8.0
|
0.5-0.8
|
Produces exotin causes botulism
|
|
| Clostridium Perinngens |
Bacteria
|
4.0-8.0
|
1.0-1.5
|
Produces toxin causing food poisoning
|
|
| Clostridium tetani |
Bacteria
|
4.0-8.0
|
0.4-0.6
|
Produces exotoxin causing tetanus
|
|
| Coccidioides immitis |
Fungi
|
4
|
Environmental
|
Coccidiodomycosis
|
|
| Coronavirus |
Virus
|
0.11
|
Humans
|
Colds
|
|
| Corynebacteria diphtheria |
Bacteria
|
1.0
|
Humans
|
Diphtheria
|
|
| Coxiella burnetii |
Bacteria
|
0.5
|
Cattle, sheep
|
Q fever
|
|
| Coxsackievirus |
Virus
|
0.027
|
Humans
|
Colds
|
|
| Cryptococcus neoformans |
Fungi
|
5.5
|
Environmental
|
Cryptococcosis
|
|
| Diplococcus Pneumoniae |
Bacteria
|
0.5-1.25
|
Causes lobar pneumonia
|
||
| Echovirus |
Virus
|
0.028
|
Humans
|
Colds
|
|
| Emericella nidulans |
Fungi
|
3.3
|
Environmental
|
Mycotoxicosis, Volatile Organic Compound
|
|
| Epicoccum nigrum |
Fungi
|
20
|
Environmental
|
Extrinsic Allergic Aveons
|
|
| Erwina aroideae |
Bacteria
|
2.0-3.0
|
0.5
|
Causes soft rot in vegetables.
|
|
| Escherichia coll |
Bacteria
|
1.0-3.0
|
0.5
|
Indicator of fecal contamination in water.
|
|
| Eurotium spp. |
Fungi
|
5.8
|
Environmental
|
Extrinsic Allergic Aveons
|
|
| Exophiala jeanselmei |
Fungi
|
2
|
Environmental
|
Chromomycosis
|
|
| Francisella tularensis |
Bacteria
|
0.2
|
Wild animals
|
Tularemia
|
|
| Geomyces pannorum |
Fungi
|
3
|
Environmental
|
Extrinsic Allergic Aveons
|
|
| Haemophilus influenzae |
Bacteria
|
0.5-2.0
|
0.2-0.3
|
Causes influenza and acute respiratory infections
|
|
| Haemophilus influenzae |
Bacteria
|
0.43
|
Humans
|
Meningitis, pneumonia
|
|
| Haemophilus parainfluenzae |
Bacteria
|
1
|
Humans
|
Opportunistic infections
|
|
| Hantavirus |
Virus
|
0.07
|
Rodents
|
Hantavirus
|
|
| Helminthosporium |
Fungi
|
12.5
|
Environmental
|
Extrinsic Allergic Aveons
|
|
| Histoplasma capsulatum |
Fungi
|
3
|
Environmental
|
Histoplasmosis
|
|
| Influenza |
Virus
|
0.1
|
Humans, birds
|
Flu
|
|
| Klebsielia pneumoniae |
Bacteria
|
5
|
0.4-0.5
|
Environmental
|
Opportunistic infections, causes pneumonia and other respiratory inflammation
|
| Lactobacillus Delbrueckil |
Bacteria
|
2.0-9.0
|
0.5-0.8
|
Causes souring of grain-mashes
|
|
| Legionella pneumophia |
Bacteria
|
0.6
|
Environmental
|
Pontiac fever
|
|
| Micromonospora faeni |
Actinomycetes
|
1
|
Agricultural
|
Farmers' lung, Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis
|
|
| Micropolyspora faeni |
Actinomycetes
|
0.69
|
Agricultural
|
Farmers' lung, Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis
|
|
| Moraxella catarrhalis |
Bacteria
|
1.3
|
Humans
|
Opportunistic infections
|
|
| Moraxella lacunata |
Bacteria
|
1
|
Humans
|
Opportunistic infections
|
|
| Morbillvirus |
Virus
|
0.12
|
Humans
|
Measles (rubeola)
|
|
| Mucor plumbeus |
Fungi
|
7.5
|
Environmental
|
Mucormycosis
|
|
| Mycobacterium avium |
Bacteria
|
1.2
|
Environmental
|
Cavitary pulmonary disorder
|
|
| Mycobacterium intracellulare |
Bacteria
|
1.2
|
Environmental
|
Cavitary pulmonary disorder
|
|
| Mycobacterium kansasli |
Bacteria
|
0.86
|
Unknown
|
Cavitary pulmonary disorder
|
|
| Mycobacterium Tuberculosis |
Bacteria
|
1.0-4.0
|
0.2-0.5 (0.86 average)
|
Humans
|
Hard swelling of body tissues. TB
|
| Mycoplasma pneumoniae |
Bacteria
|
0.25
|
Humans
|
Pneumonia
|
|
| Mycoplasma pneumoniae (PPLO) |
Bacteria
|
0.3-0.5
|
Smallest known free-living organism
|
||
| Neisseria meningitidis |
Bacteria
|
0.8
|
Humans
|
Meningitis
|
|
| Nocardia Brasilensis |
Actinomycetes
|
1.5
|
Environmental
|
Pulmonary mycetoma
|
|
| Nocardiaasteroides |
Actinomycetes
|
1.1
|
Environmental
|
Nocardiosis
|
|
| Paecilomyces variotii |
Fungi
|
3
|
Environmental
|
Mucormycosis
|
|
| Paracoccidioides brasilensis |
Fungi
|
23
|
Environmental
|
Paracoccidioidomycosis
|
|
| Parainfluenza |
Virus
|
0.22
|
Humans
|
Flu
|
|
| Paramyxovirus |
Virus
|
0.23
|
Humans
|
Mumps
|
|
| Parvovirus B19 |
Virus
|
0.022
|
Humans
|
Filth disease, anemia
|
|
| Pediococcus acidilactci |
Bacteria
|
0.6-1.0
|
Causes mash spoilage in brewing
|
||
| Pediococcus Cerevisiae |
Bacteria
|
1.0-1.3
|
Causes deterioration in beer
|
||
| Penicillium spp. |
Fungi
|
3.3
|
Environmental
|
Mycotoxicosis, Volatile Organic Compound
|
|
| Phialophora spp. |
Fungi
|
1.5
|
Environmental
|
Chromomycosis
|
|
| Phoma spp |
Fungi
|
3.3
|
Environmental
|
Mucormycosis
|
|
| Pneumocystis carinii |
Bacteria
|
2
|
Environmental
|
Pneumocystosis
|
|
| Poxvirus - Vaccinia |
Virus
|
0.23
|
Agricultural
|
Cowpox
|
|
| Pseudomonas aeruginosa |
Bacteria
|
0.57
|
Environmental
|
Opportunistic infections
|
|
| Pseudomonas mallei |
Bacteria
|
0.77
|
Environmental
|
Opportunistic infections
|
|
| Pseudomonas pseudomallei |
Bacteria
|
0.57
|
Environmental
|
Opportunistic infections
|
|
| Pseudormonas diminuta |
Bacteria
|
1.0 0.3
|
Test organism for retention 0.2 µm membranes
|
||
| Rhinorvirus |
Virus
|
0.023
|
Humans
|
Colds
|
|
| Rhizopus stolonifer |
Fungi
|
8
|
Environmental
|
Zygomycosis
|
|
| Rhodoturula spp. |
Fungi
|
14
|
Environmental
|
Extrinsic Allergic Aveons
|
|
| Salmonella enteritidis |
Bacteria
|
2.0-3.0
|
0.6-0.7
|
Causes food poisoning
|
|
| Salmonella enteritidis |
Bacteria
|
2.0-3.0
|
0.6-0.7
|
Causes food poisoning
|
|
| Salmonella hirschefeldii |
Bacteria
|
1.0-2.5
|
0.3-0.5
|
Causes enteric fever
|
|
| Salmonella typhimurium |
Bacteria
|
1.0-1.5 0.5
|
Causes food poisoning in man
|
||
| Salmonella typhosa |
Bacteria
|
2.0-3.0
|
0.6-0.7
|
Causes typhoid fever
|
|
| Sarcina maxima |
Bacteria
|
4.0-4.5
|
Isolated from fermenting malt mash
|
||
| Scopulariopsis spp. |
Fungi
|
6
|
Environmental
|
Onychomycosis
|
|
| Serratia marcescens |
Bacteria
|
0.5-1.0
|
0.5
|
Test organism for retention of 0.45 µm membranes
|
|
| Serratia marcescens |
Bacteria
|
1.3
|
Environmental
|
Opportunistic infections
|
|
| Shigella dysenteriae |
Bacteria
|
1.0-3.0
|
0.4-0.6
|
Causes dysentery in man
|
|
| Sporothrix schenckii |
Fungi
|
6.5
|
Environmental
|
Sporotrichosis
|
|
| Stachybotrys spp. |
Fungi
|
5.7
|
Environmental
|
Stachybotryotoxicosis
|
|
| Staphylococcus Aureus |
Bacteria
|
0.8-1.0
|
Humans
|
Causes pus forming infections, opportunistic infections
|
|
| Streptoccous lactis |
Bacteria
|
0.5-1.0
|
Contaminant in milk
|
||
| Streptococcus pneumoniae |
Bacteria
|
0.9
|
Humans
|
Pneumonia, otitis media
|
|
| Streptococcus pyogenes |
Bacteria
|
0.6-1.0 (0.9 average)
|
Humans
|
Causes pus forming infections, scarlet fever, pharyngitis
|
|
| Thermoactinomyces sacchari |
Actinomycetes
|
0.86
|
Agricultural
|
Bagassosis
|
|
| Thermoactinomyces vulgaris |
Actinomycetes
|
1
|
Agricultural
|
Farmers' lung, Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis
|
|
| Thermomonspora viridis |
Actinomycetes
|
0.6
|
Agricultural
|
Farmers' lung, Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis
|
|
| Togavirus |
Virus
|
0.063
|
Humans
|
Rubella (german measles)
|
|
| Trichoderma spp. |
Fungi
|
4.1
|
Environmental
|
Mycotoxicosis, Volatile Organic Compound
|
|
| Ulociadium spp. |
Fungi
|
15
|
Environmental
|
Extrinsic Allergic Aveons
|
|
| Varicella-zoster |
Virus
|
0.3
|
Humans
|
Chickenpox
|
|
| Wallemia sebi |
Fungi
|
3
|
Environmental
|
Extrinsic Allergic Aveons
|
|
| Yersinia pestis |
Virus
|
0.75
|
Humans
|
Pheumonic plague
|
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