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Online notes - Types of Pathogens Topic of Class 12 Biology There are several types of pathogens affecting both animals including human beings and plants Bacterial The vast majority of bacteria, which typically range between 1 and 5 micrometres in length, are harmless or beneficial to humans. However, a relatively small list of pathogenic bacteria can cause infectious diseases. One of the bacterial diseases with the highest disease burden is tuberculosis, caused by the bacterium  Mycobacterium tuberculosis , which kills about 2 million people a year, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa. Pathogenic bacteria contribute to other globally significant diseases, such as pneumonia, which can be caused by bacteria such as  Streptococcus  and  Pseudomonas , and foodborne illnesses, which can be caused by bacteria such as  Shigella ,  Campylobacter , and  Salmonella . Pathogenic bacteria also cause infections such as tetanus, typhoid fever, diphtheria, syphilis, and leprosy. Bacteria  can