Microbiology is a specialized area of biology dealing with organisms too small to be seen without sufficient magnification. Microbiologists study bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses, including their interactions with humans, animals, plants, and the environment. While viruses are not a living organisms like bacteria, fungi, and parasites, they are studied by microbiologists. In addition, there is an infectious agent responsible for numerous neurodegenerative diseases found in animals and humans known as “prions”