Bacterial Diseases

Lyme Disease

Cause: Borrelia burgdorferi

Symptoms: fever, fatigue, headaches, muscle aches, joint aches, Bulls-eye shaped rash

Transmission: tick bite Treatment: antibiotics

Tetanus (Lock jaw)

Cause: Clostridium tetaniToxins released by bacteria interfere with nervous system

Symptoms: Severe muscle spasms and possibly death

Transmission: Commonly contracted from deep puncture wound or self-piercing with contaminated materials

Tetanus (Lock jaw)

Treatment:– Clean wound– Mild: given antibodies

against it, with antibiotics, and a vaccine

– Severe: same as above, muscle relaxers or even paralytic drugs to stop the spasming

Tuberculosis (TB)

Affects nearly 1/3 of the world’s population

Cause: Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Symptoms: Fatigue, weight loss, fever, chronic coughTubercles form in lungs (dormant form)

Transmission: Spread through cough

Treatment: long term antibiotic treatment (6-12 months)

Gonorrhea

Cause: Neisseria gonorrhoeae

Male symptoms:– Thick, foul-smelling

discharge from penis– Painful urination– Testiculur and abdominal

pain Female symptoms:

– Pus-like vaginal discharge– Pain urinating– Bleeding after intercourse

Transmission: oral, anal, or vaginal sex

Treatment: with antibiotics

Chlamydia

One of the most common STIs on college campuses

Cause: Chlamydia trachomatis Symptoms: Burning during

urination, discharge from the penis or vagina, pain and itching

Transmission: oral, anal, or vaginal sex; mother to child during childbirth through vaginal canal

Treatment: with antibiotics

Strep Throat

Cause: Streptococcus pyogenes, certain strains cause scarlet fever and Toxic Shock Syndrome

Symptoms: fever, sore throat, swollen glands

Transmission: respiratory droplets (coughing sneezing)

Treatment: antibiotics can cause it to go away faster

Purple gram +

Tooth Decay

Cause: Streptococcus mutans, bacteria doubles in 24 hours

Symptoms: Destruction of tooth enamel

Transmission: resident in mouth

Treatment: brush and floss daily

Bacterial meningitis

Cause: Neisseria meningitis

Symptoms: high fever, headache, stiff neck, nausea, fatigue

Transmission: most common in college dorms

Treatment: antibiotics, early detection is essential

Anthrax

Used in Bioterrorism Cause: Bacillus anthracis, a spore-forming bacteria Transmission/Symptoms of varying types:

– Spread by eating undercooked meat (vomiting and diarrhea, possible death)

– breathing in spores (usually fatal)– skin contact (ulcers, rashes, not fatal)

Treatment: oral and IV antibiotics

Botulism- food poisoning

Cause: Clostridium botulinum Symptoms: blurred vision, slurred

speech, difficulty swallowing, muscle weakness, paralysis

Transmission: From a wound, contaminated food

Treatment: antibiotics FACTOID: Botox is a toxin secreted

by Clostridium botulinum

Staphylococcus aureus

Pets can carry bacteria as well! Staphylococcus aureus

– Gram +– Cause: Staphylococcus aureus– Symptoms: nausea, cramping,

retching; some individuals may not show symptoms

– Transmission: eating contaminated food, contaminated air, individuals and surfaces

PETS!