Public opinions and knowledge about microorganisms

Figures & data

Table 1. Frequency of participants’ responses and mean scores on knowledge about microorganisms.

Item	True / False	No.	Agree/[%]	Neutral/[%]	Don´t agree/[%]	Correct [%]	Mean†	SD†
Microorganisms are found in dairy products such as yogurt or sour milk.	T	536	417/78	48/9	71/13	78	2.35	1.832
The cell is able to function alone or as part of a larger organism.	T	536	417/78	39/7	80/15	78	2.31	1.961
The cell is the smallest basic building and functional unit of the organism.	T	536	414/78	40/7	82/15	78	2.25	2.091
Some bacteria are able to actively move with the help of flagellum.	T	535	400/75	70/13	65/12	75	2.35	1.792
All bacteria are harmful to humans.	F	421	59/14	47/11	315/75	75	5.72	1.921
All microorganisms are harmful to humans.	F	421	55/13	50/12	316/75	75	5.68	1.837
The cell phone keypad has a comparable number of bacteria to the toilet bowl.	T	535	377/70	51/10	107/20	70	2.67	2.092
Dough rises because of microorganisms.	T	535	373/70	64/12	98/18	70	2.66	2.011
Most microorganisms reproduce by sexual reproduction.	F	535	103/19	86/16	346/65	65	5.27	1.957
Some microorganisms can actively move by swimming.	T	535	325/61	118/22	92/17	61	2.94	1.856
Pasteurization is another name for sterilization.	F	421	98/23	75/18	248/59	59	4.97	2.155
Bacteria contain DNA.	T	536	310/58	91/17	135/25	58	3.12	2.230
Viruses affect only one part of the body.	F	421	88/21	90/21	243/58	58	4.95	1.915
Bacteria are organisms that are generally harmful to health.	F	536	179/33	67/13	290/54	54	4.58	2.172
Tick-borne meningoencephalitis is a disease caused by a virus.	T	536	282/53	102/19	152/28	53	3.44	2.205
Viruses can be parasites of bacteria.	T	421	225/53	133/32	63/15	53	3.14	1.777
A single micro-organism is always made up of only one cell.	F	536	164/30	94/18	278/52	52	4.58	2.203
Viruses have no cellular organization.	T	421	219/52	114/27	88/21	52	3.15	1.903
All yeast fungi are harmless to humans.	F	421	104/25	98/23	219/52	52	4.67	1.936
The bacteria are surrounded by a cell wall.	T	536	271/51	86/16	179/33	51	3.54	2.349
Viral diseases are treated with antibiotics.	F	421	165/39	48/11	208/50	50	4.44	2.408
Bacteria’s spores can spend a few minutes in boiling water.	T	421	208/49	140/33	73/18	49	3.31	1.773
Bacteria can survive for millennia outside the aquatic environment.	T	536	257/48	108/20	171/32	48	3.61	2.043
Bacteria can also be called bacilli.	F	537	216/40	74/14	247/46	46	4.16	2.257
All viruses are harmful to humans.	F	421	153/37	73/17	195/46	46	4.28	2.175
Most bacteria are found on the toilet bowl.	F	535	212/39	90/17	233/44	44	4.16	1.929
Most archaea reside in extreme environments such as thermal springs and salt lakes.	T	421	179/43	181/43	61/14	43	3.38	1.662
All bacteria are anaerobic organisms.	F	421	84/20	155/37	182/43	43	4.68	1.862
All bacteria are prokaryotic unicellular organisms.	T	421	183/43	147/35	91/22	43	3.47	1.912
Lyme borreliosis is caused by bacteria.	T	421	178/42	189/45	54/13	42	3.26	1.692
Paramecia are harmful to humans.	F	421	76/18	173/41	172/41	41	4.58	1.688
Candida is classified as a type of yeast fungus.	T	536	203/39	249/46	84/16	39	3.40	1.691
Methanogenic archaea live in the digestive tract of ruminants.	T	536	208/39	266/50	62/11	39	3.35	1.508
Viruses are the smallest organisms.	T	421	164/39	120/29	137/32	39	3.86	2.093
Archaea play an important role in the circulation of gases in the ecosystem.	T	421	158/38	211/50	52/12	38	3.43	1.533
Microorganisms are viable in a vacuum.	T	535	203/37	176/33	156/30	37	3.79	1.916
Euglena is the only photosynthetic microorganism.	F	536	120/23	222/41	194/36	36	4.32	1.776
Methanogenic archaea are a major source of atmospheric methane.	T	536	173/32	283/53	80/15	32	3.66	1.460
The virus is the only organism capable of being in space.	F	421	94/22	194/46	133/32	32	4.27	1.723
Viruses are obligatory parasites in various cellular structures.	T	421	131/31	178/42	112/27	31	3.87	1.744
The most appropriate habitat for all microorganisms is a warm, humid environment.	F	421	220/52	77/18	124/30	30	3.49	2.005
All microorganisms form spores that endure adverse living conditions.	F	420	152/36	142/34	126/30	30	3.96	1.803
Microorganisms cannot survive in weightless space.	T	536	155/29	189/35	192/36	29	4.22	1.840
Most bacteria are found on money.	F	535	307/58	88/16	140/26	26	3.35	1.937
An individual microorganism can be observed only with a microscope.	F	421	284/68	54/13	83/19	19	2.73	1.930
Some viruses can be parasitic on the surface of cells.	F	535	313/58	128/24	94/18	18	3.03	1.847
Sterilization is the process by which more than 99% of microorganisms are destroyed.	F	421	278/66	76/18	67/16	16	2.75	1.847

†Mean and SD – Standard Deviation were calculated before coding as ˝True˝ or ˝False˝ response.

Figure 1. Distribution of the summative test scores.

Table 2. Frequency of participants’ responses and mean scores for attitudes towards microorganisms.

Items	No.	Frequency (N) and answers percentages [%]							M	SD	Me	Mod
		1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Because of the harmful microorganisms in nature, I do not go there.	535	44 (8.2)	14 (2.6)	19 (3.5)	30 (5.6)	27 (5.0)	45 (8.4)	356 (66.3)	5.88	1.93	7	7
I do not like to touch foods that contain bacteria.	535	40 (7.4)	15 (2.8)	32 (6.0)	59 (11.0)	47 (8.8)	78 (14.5)	264 (49.2)	5.52	1.91	6	7
I do not like to touch foods that contain microorganisms.	535	37 (6.9)	16 (3.0)	32 (6.0)	76 (14.2)	39 (7.3)	54 (10.1)	281 (52.3)	5.52	1.92	7	7
Foods produced by the incorporation of microorganisms disgust me.	421	31 (7.4)	25 (5.9)	22 (5.2)	81 (19.2)	33 (7.8)	59 (14.0)	170 (40.4)	5.18	1.96	6	7
Foods containing live microorganisms should be forbidden.	421	36 (8.6)	20 (4.8)	20 (4.8)	90 (21.4)	33 (7.8)	47 (11.2)	175 (41.6)	5.15	1.99	6	7
The compulsory vaccination of children is the result of a conspiracy by doctors who have been bribed by pharmaceutical multinationals.	422	39 (9.2)	23 (5.5)	26 (6.2)	89 (21.1)	29 (6.9)	47 (11.1)	169 (40.0)	5.05	2.04	6	7
It is best not to introduce bacteria into the human body.	535	53 (9.9)	27 (5.0)	38 (7.1)	78 (14.5)	76 (14.2)	85 (15.8)	178 (33.1)	4.99	1.99	5	7
I have never heard of the term Archaea.	421	87 (20.7)	29 (6.9)	20 (4.8)	53 (12.6)	30 (7.1)	28 (6.7)	174 (41.3)	4.64	2.42	5	7
Due to unpredictable environmental consequences, any genetic modification of micro-organisms should be prohibited.	421	93 (22.1)	33 (7.8)	47 (11.2)	99 (23.5)	51 (12.1)	40 (9.5)	58 (13.8)	3.79	2.03	4	4
I am not interested in microbiology.	536	96 (17.9)	66 (12.3)	75 (14.0)	88 (16.4)	63 (11.7)	66 (12.3)	82 (15.3)	3.90	2.06	4	1
The topic of microorganisms was under-represented in school.	421	79 (18.8)	56 (13.3)	56 (13.3)	105 (24.9)	46 (10.9)	45 (10.7)	34 (8.1)	3.60	1.86	4	4
Because of the responsibility to others, people should be vaccinated against the flu.	421	106 (25.2)	51 (12.1)	74 (17.6)	85 (20.2)	40 (9.5)	23 (5.5)	42 (10.0)	3.33	1.92	3	1
Children who are not vaccinated against infectious diseases are a threat to themselves.	421	177 (42.0)	58 (13.7)	61 (14.5)	77 (18.3)	45 (10.7)	17 (4.0)	46 (11.0)	3.26	1.98	3	1
It is inconsiderate to others to spend time with people when you have a respiratory disease.	535	173 (32.2)	72 (13.4)	80 (14.9)	98 (18.2)	35 (6.5)	44 (8.2)	33 (6.1)	3.03	1.90	3	1
I am in favour of mandatory vaccination for tick-borne meningoencephalitis.	421	150 (35.6)	51 (12.1)	51 (12.1)	83 (19.7)	30 (7.1)	23 (5.5)	33 (7.8)	2.98	1.95	3	1
Bacteria in dairy products are good for health.	536	168 (31.3)	91 (16.9)	72 (13.4)	99 (18.4)	45 (8.4)	22 (4.1)	39 (7.3)	2.97	1.87	3	1
I do not use the term archaea in everyday life.	536	265 (49.3)	56 (10.4)	39 (7.3)	80 (14.9)	23 (4.3)	14 (2.6)	59 (11.0)	2.66	2.07	2	1
Knowledge about microorganisms is important and useful.	421	193 (45.8)	69 (16.4)	52 (12.4)	47 (11.2)	21 (5.0)	17 (4.0)	22 (5.3)	2.46	1.80	2	1

M = mean; SD = standard deviation; Me = median; Mod = mode.

Table 3. Rotated component matrix of participants’ opinions.

Items	Component
	1	2	3	4
I do not like to touch foods that contain bacteria.	0.83
I do not like to touch foods that contain microorganisms.	0.83
Because of the harmful microorganisms in nature, I do not go there.	0.79
Foods reproduced by the incorporation of microorganisms disgust me.	0.79
Foods containing live microorganisms should be forbidden.	0.75
It is best not to introduce bacteria into the human body.	0.69
The compulsory vaccination of children is the result of a conspiracy by doctors who have been bribed by pharmaceutical multinationals.	0.61
I have never heard of the term archaea.	0.43
Due to unpredictable environmental consequences, any genetic modification of micro-organisms should be prohibited.		0.67
It is inconsiderate to others to spend time with people when you have a respiratory disease.		0.61
I do not use the term archaea in everyday life.		0.53
Bacteria in dairy products are good for health.		0.53
The topic of microorganisms was under-represented in school.		0.45
I am in favour of mandatory vaccination for tick-borne meningoencephalitis.			−0.81
Because of the responsibility to others, people should be vaccinated against the flu.			−0.79
Children who are not vaccinated against infectious diseases are a threat to themselves.			−0.57
I am not interested in microbiology.				0.78
Knowledge about microorganisms is important and useful.				0.50
Explained variance	25.60	14.57	8.26	6.84
Eigenvalue	4.61	2.62	1.49	1.23
Cronbach’s alpha	0.78	0.52	0.62	0.44