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Human Disease Causing Bacteria
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Bacteria, one among the group of micro organisms like virus, protozoa and fungi, is universal in nature. It is found to be present in air, water and soil, the basic elements of life closely associated with all living organisms. Prevailing both in the internal and external environment bacteria constitute both beneficial and pathogenic microbes. Gut of humans have abundant micro flora playing vital role benefiting the humans are the examples of beneficial bacteria. Some of the bacteria present in the environment are fair enough to cause disease in plants, animals and humans and they are called as pathogens. These pathogenic bacteria are different for humans, plants and animals. Human pathogenic bacteria gain entry into the body through various routes and causes disease. The ability of the bacteria to enter the human body and their potential to generate toxins (exotoxins and endotoxins) are the two basic factors determining the pathogenicity of the bacteria. There is some deadly bacterial diseases created history of epidemics. Cholera and plague are the best examples of bacterial epidemic diseases. The deadly diseases associated with the pathogenic bacteria led to the development of various antibiotics and vaccines.

With that knowledge of pathogenic bacteria let us see some of the common bacterial disease caused by different pathogenic bacteria, the nature of the bacteria, types of disease, route of entry and available treatment methods and best preventive measures.

1. Bacillus anthracis: This is Gram positive, rod shaped, endospore forming bacteria. It is either transferred from animals like sheep and goat to humans on coming in contact with such animals or enters the human body on an instance of inhaling air contaminated with Bacillus spores or gain entry by penetrating skin on physical contact with the organism. Bacillus anthracis is known to cause multiple diseases like cutaneous anthrax, pulmonary anthrax and Gastro intestinal anthrax. Treatment is ensured with drugs like penicillin, Doxycycline and ciprofloxacin. Even anthrax vaccine is available to protect from the disease. Also there is some evidence of using this deadly spore as bio weapon.

2. Vibrio cholerae : Vibrio cholerae is a gram negative, comma shaped bacteria causative agent for the epidemic disease cholera. The main source of this bacterium is contaminated food and water and gains direct entry into the body of the person consuming the contaminated food or water. It causes fluid loss of the body by inducing watery diarrhea and vomit. Fluid substitution through oral or intravenous rehydration is the best way to manage the disease cholera along with some antibiotics like erythromycin, tetracycline and chloramphenicol. Cholera vaccination with Dukoral is the best preventive method.

3. Escherichia coli: This is Gram negative, rod shaped bacteria and is considered as the indicator organism in checking the water for contamination. Water contaminated with fecal matter is known to have E coli and drinking contaminated water causes severe diarrhea. Rehydration with electrolytes and taking antibiotics helps to manage the condition once acquired. Proper washing of hands with disinfectants after using wash rooms and drinking purified water are the basic hygienic way of developing protection from infection. The one more strain of E coli called as enteropathogenic E coli is known to be transferred from mother to the fetus causing diarrhea in the newborn.

4. Clostridium botulinum: Gram positive, rod shaped, spore forming bacteria gains entry into the human body through contaminated food like vegetables and meat and is known to produce a toxin which is vulnerable on nerve causing paralysis. Treating the patient with antitoxin derived from horse anti serum is possible. Ensuring standard food preservation methods is a way to prevent the infection.

5. Chlamydia trachomatis: This Gram negative bacteria is sexually transmitted and known to cause conditions like urethritis, pelvic inflammation, ectopic pregnancy, conjunctivitis of new born and so on. Antibiotics like erythromycin, doxycyclin, azithromycin are prescribed to infected patients. Safe and protective sex is the suggested way of preventing the infection.

6. Salmonella typhi: The causative agent of typhoid fever is a gram negative bacilli transferred to humans either through contaminated food and water or through human to human interaction. Antibiotics and vaccination are available and standard hygiene keeps the bacteria away.

7. Streptococcus pneumonia: Gram positive spherical shaped bacteria cause Pneumonia and meningitis in the infected person. It is transferred between humans through respiratory droplets. Children infected with this bacterium develop sinusitis. Penicillin G and vancomycin are the available antibiotics.

8. Yersinia pestis: Gram negative, tiny rod shaped bacteria is transferred to humans from animals via flies or by consuming infected animal meat or through respiratory droplets. Plague is the disease caused by this bacterium and though antibiotics are available, developing a barrier between humans – rodents and human –flies and taking vaccination is the best way to prevent the infection.

Following standard preventive measures is the best way of protecting human race from these bacterial infections than depending on the antibiotics after acquiring the infection as some of these pathogenic bacteria were identified with resistance to antibiotics.
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Human Disease Causing Bacteria - by priyasaravanan_1406 - 12-24-2012, 08:43 PM
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