Pathogen Cards - Set II

Escherchia coli

G- rod

Symptoms: chronic diarrhea, urinary tract infection, respiratory illness, pneumonia, cystitis, gastroenteritis, kidney damage

Infective source: food, water, fecal-oral, under cooked hamburger meat

Diagnosis: stool culture, ELISA, PCR

Treatment: antibiotics, ciprofloxacin, chloramphenicol

Prevention: no vaccine, chlorination of water, thoroughly cook hamburger meat, wash fruits and vegetables

Salmonella typhosa

G- rod

Symptoms: illnesses in the GI tract (blood in stool), fever, gastroenteritis, vomiting, diarrhea, mucosal irritation, headache, spleen enlargement

Infective source: unpasteurized dairy, poor sanitation, food, beverage, fecal-oral, foreign travel

Diagnosis: stool culture

Treatment: rehydration with intravenous fluids, antibiotic, chloramphenicol

Prevention: avoid direct contact with reptiles, wash hands, cook meat, controlled sewage, vaccine

Borrelia vincentii and Fusobacterium fusiforme

G- rod

Symptoms: foul breath, ulcers in gums, increase space between teeth, gums covered with white/gray layer of dead skin, fever, fatigue, sever pain, bleeding, psuedomembrane formation, necrosis, bacteria and fungus growing together

Infective source: oral-oral, contaminated objects

Diagnosis: microscopically, clinical observation

Treatment: antibiotics, peroxide mouth washes, dental work, debridement (removal of damaged tissue), metron idazole, clindamycin, penicillin

Prevention: good oral hygiene

Vibro cholera

G- bent rod

Symptoms: vomiting, secretory diarrhea, loss of blood volume, acidosis from bicarbonate loss, potassium depletion, muscle cramps, severe thirst, flaccid skin, sunken eyes, coma and convulsions in young children, hypotension, tachycardia, cyanosis, collapse from shock within 18 to 24 hours, 50% mortality, rice-water stools, dehydration

Infective source: contaminated food or water, fecal-oral, shell fish

Diagnosis: isolation and identification from stool samples, clinical diagnosis, microscopic techniques, serological detection of antitoxin

Treatment: rehydration techniques that replace the lost fluid and electrolytes, in severe cases tetracycline, TMP-SM2

Prevention: proper sewage treatment and water purification, water hydration, cook shell fish, vaccine

Brucella species

(Malta fever, Undulant fever, or Bang's disease) G- rod

Symptoms: focal lesions in the liver/spleen/bone marrow/kidney, fluctuating pattern of fever, chills, profuse sweating, headache, muscle pain, weakness, weight loss, arthritic symptoms

Infective source: enters through damaged skin or via mucous membranes of the digestive tract, conjunctiva, respiratory tract, infection takes place through contact with blood, urine, placentas, also through consumption of raw milk and cheese, direct contact, airborne, parenteral (needle sticks), farm animals

Diagnosis: test of patient's blood and blood culture of the pathogen, gram stain of biopsy material

Treatment: combination of doxycycline plus gentamicin or streptomycin - taken for 3 to 6 weeks

Prevention: testing and elimination of infected animals, quarantine of imported animals, pasteurization of milk

Salmonella typhimurium or enteritidis

G- rod

Symptoms: diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps, vomiting, mucosal irritation, nausea, 12-36 hours after exposure inflammation of GI tract

Infective source: uncooked ground beef, beverage, food, fecal-oral, milk, egg, meat (chicken)

Diagnosis: isolation of organism

Treatment: rehydration with intravenous fluids, antibiotics, run its course

Prevention: food and personal hygiene, pasteurization, cook poultry well

Polio virus

Symptoms: headache, sore throat, fever, nausea, damages nervous system, causes paralysis, vomiting, stiffness in neck and back, myalgia, serious cases gets into motor neurons

Infective source: oral-oral, fecal-oral, contaminated water, food

Diagnosis: isolation of poliovirus in stool, viral culture, serology

Treatment: no treatment

Prevention: sabin vaccine, soc vaccine

Balantidium coli

Symptoms: mild disease with abdominal pain, vomiting, weight loss, diarrhea, perforated colon, dysentery (bloody diarrhea), colitis (inflammation of the colon)

Infective source: fecal-oral route by contaminated food and water

Diagnosis: finding trophozoites from a stool or tissue sample

Treatment: antibiotics (tetracycline, metronidazole, iodoquinol)

Prevention: good hygiene, wash fruits and vegetables with clean water, avoid contaminated food and water, water treatment, proper water disposal

Actinomyces israelii, bovis

G+ rod filaments

Symptoms: produces gingivitis, causes lumpy jaw, destroy tissue of head/neck/lungs, lesion in mouth (puss filled)

Infective source: cattle, human bites

Diagnosis: isolation of organism, clinical observation

Treatment: antibiotics

Prevention: good oral hygiene

Infectious Hepatitis virus A

Symptoms: flu-like symptoms, jaundice, swollen (tender and enlarged) liver, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, 8-12 weeks recovery, kidney, spleen

Infective source: spread through the fecal-oral route and carriers

Diagnosis: ELISA

Treatment: immune globulin

Prevention: vax or combined vax, sanitary control of food and water

Serum Hepatitis virus B

Symptoms: nausea, jaundice, liver becomes large and infected, 90% complete recover but 10% become carrier, 12 week incubation

Infective source: enters the body through a break in the skin or mucous membrane or by injection into the bloodstream, body fluids (transmitted through blood, semen, breast milk), parenteral, direct contact, vertical

Diagnosis: serology (ELISA, radioimmunoassay), clinical symptoms

Treatment: no treatment

Prevention: HBV recombinant vaccine, sterilization of needles and avoiding needle sticks, safe sex

Hepatitis C

Symptoms: more likely to become chronic than hepatitis B, incubation period of 60 days, cause liver disease/damage later in life, cirrhosis of liver, liver cancer

Infective source: parenteral (blood contact), vertical, sex

Diagnosis: serology

Treatment: no treatment available

Prevention: no prevention

Giardia lamblia

Symptoms: prolonged diarrhea, abdominal pain, flatulence, nausea, weakness, water loss, malaise

Infective source: water born disease, water contamination, unwashed fruits and vegetables, vehicle, fecal-oral, direct contact

Diagnosis: ELISA test, fecal exam, PCR test, string test

Treatment: tinidazole, metronidazole

Prevention: no human vaccine, washing fruits and vegetables, drinking from freshwater sources, personal hygiene

Clostridium botulinum

G+ rod

Symptoms: nausea, double vision, difficulty swallowing, weakness, gradual paralysis can last 1-10 days, dizziness, respiratory compromise

Infective source: food-borne, poor contaminated canning of foods, vehicle

Diagnosis: clinical picture, culture

Treatment: CDC maintains a supply of type A, B, and E trivalent horse antitoxins, managed with respiratory and cardiac support systems

Prevention: proper canning and cooking of foods

Herpes Simplex Types I

Symptoms: lesions occur on oral mucosa caused by sun exposure, anxiety, hormonal changes, diet changes, can be transmitted to genitals and eyes, behavior changes, confusion

Infective source: direct contact, vertical or reactivation of latent

Diagnosis: clinical pictures, PCR, Ab test

Treatment: topical trifluridine and/or oral acyclovir

Prevention: avoiding direct contact, material screening for HSV

Infectious mononucleosis (Epstein Barr Virus/EBV)

Symptoms: tired, swollen lymph nodes, fatigue, muscle weakness, headache, takes weeks to recover, high fever, gray-white exudates in the throat, skin rash, enlarged spleen and liver, sore throat, cervical lymphadenopathy

Infective source: direct oral contact and contamination with salive, through blood transfusions, sexual contact, organ transplants, indirect contact, parenteral

Diagnosis: monospot test for heterophile antibody, differential blood count, ELISA

Treatment: supportive

Prevention: no prevention

Rotavirus

Symptoms: common cause of gastroenteritis in children, low grade fever, diarrhea, vomiting, dehydration, 2 day incubation, 5-8 day symptoms

Infective source: fecal-oral, vehicle, fomite

Diagnosis: ELISA

Treatment: rehydration, no treatment

Prevention: oral live virus vaccine

Leptospira species

G+ spirochete

Symptoms: severe kidney or liver disease, headache, muscle aches, kidney failure, fever, chills, conjunctivitis, vomiting, hepatic disease, jaundice, anemia, neurological disturbance

Infective source: enter through a scratch or from entering urine polluted water, puppy urine, soil or water, swimming in urine contamination

Diagnosis: isolation of organism from blood or spinal fluid, slide agglutination test of blood

Treatment: amoxicillin, doxycycline

Prevention: avoid swimming and wading in natural water sources that are frequented by livestock, strain specific vaccine

Listeria monocytogens

G+ rod

Symptoms: mild often symptomless disease, fever, diarrhea, sore throat, can cause spontaneous premature abortion or still births

Infective source: vertical, vehicle (food), food especially dairy products, rodent droppings

Diagnosis: cold enrichment, rapid methods, isolation of organism

Treatment: ampicillin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, penicillin

Prevention: cooking food, avoiding unpasteurized dairy products

Ascaris

Symptoms: pneumonia-like symptoms, can grow a foot in length, abdominal discomfort, sever inflammatory reactions, bronchospasms, asthma, skin rash

Infective source: contaminated food or water, soil, fecal-oral, self inoculation

Diagnosis: observation of egg/worms from nose and/or anus, blood count, serology

Treatment: albendazole, mebendazole

Prevention: good hygiene, avoid contaminated soil, wash fruits and vegetables, asepsis

Cryptosporidium species

Symptoms: diarrhea, respiratory and gallbladder infections, can cause death, headache, sweating, vomiting, severe abdominal cramps, gastroenteritis, immune suppressed

Infective source: found in most water sources, vehicles (water, food), fecal-oral, cattle runoff

Diagnosis: fecal exam looking for ocyte, acid-fast staining, ruling out bacteria

Treatment: metronidazole

Prevention: filtration of water, proper food handling

Heliobacter pylori

G- spiral

Symptoms: sharp or burning abdominal pain, lesions in the mucosa of the stomach, lesions on small intestine, bloody stools, vomiting, chronic active gastritis, constipation, nausea

Infective source: contaminated food, poor sanitation

Diagnosis: biopsy, endoscopy, breath test measuring sulfur dioxide, ELISA

Treatment: metronidazole, acid suppressors

Prevention: over-the-counter stomach acid neutralizers, food hygiene

Pinworm (Enterobiusvermicularis)

Symptoms: heavy infections cause abdominal pain, nausea, fever, vomiting, nervousness, anal itching

Infective source: enter fecal-oral route, vehicle (food, water, fomites), self inoculation

Diagnosis: adhesive tape method, observation

Treatment: mebendazole, piperazine, pyrantel

Prevention: good hygiene, wash hands, keep hands out of mouth

Shigella species

G- rod

Symptoms: frequent watery stools, fever, intense abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, mucus and blood in stools, ulcer and scar tissue

Infective source: food and water, fecal-oral, direct contact

Diagnosis: stool culture, antigen testing for shiga toxin, isolation

Treatment: trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMZ), supportive measures

Prevention: sanitary handling of food and water, personal hygiene

Entamoeba histolytica

Symptoms: minor or severe diarrhea, presence of blood or mucus in stool, may experience 30 or more bowel movements a day, abdominal pain, fever, weight loss, erosive ulcerations, dysentery, peritonitis

Infective source: contaminated food and water, fecal-oral, vehicle

Diagnosis: microscopic examination of stool, ELISA tests of stool, serological testing

Treatment: iodoquinol plus metronidazole or chloroquine, flagyl

Prevention: proper handling of food and water, proper hygiene

Streptococcus mutans

G+ cocci in chains

Symptoms: breaks down enamel in teeth, plaque

Infective source: close contact, direct contact, eating sugar

Diagnosis: observation of symptoms

Treatment: removal of diseased tooth material, brush teeth

Prevention: oral hygiene, fluoride supplementation

Trichina worm (Trichinellaspiralis)

Symptoms: pork infection, fever, swelling around eyes, symptoms mimic influenza or viral fevers, diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pains, sweating, intense must and joint pain, shortness of breath, pronounced eosinophilia small hemorrhages under fingernails

Infective source: improperly cooked pork

Diagnosis: ELISA, serology combine with clinical picture, muscle biopsy

Treatment: mebendazole, steroids

Prevention: cook meat well, avoid raw pork

Beef tapeworm

Symptoms: abdominal pain, nausea, proglottids in stool

Infective source: eating improperly cooked beef or pork, fecal-oral

Diagnosis: CBC, including differential count, stool exam for eggs or worms, blood count, serology

Treatment: praziquantal, niclosamide

Prevention: cook meat (pork and beef), avoid pig feces

Camplyobacter jejuni

G- rod

Symptoms: leading causes of GI tract problems, fever, nausea, diarrhea, watery stools, vomiting, headaches, severe abdominal pain

Infective source: fecal-oral, under cooked chicken

Diagnosis: symptoms, isolation of stool culture, dark field microscopy

Treatment: rehydration, erythromycin

Prevention: cook chicken, wash hands

Norwalk Virus

Symptoms: nausea, vomiting, watery diarrhea, cramps, stomach pain, mild fever, headache, body aches, recovery of 2-3 days

Infective source: fecal-oral

Diagnosis: PCR, stool samples, symptoms

Treatment: rehydration

Prevention: wash hands, cook shellfish, wash fruits and vegetables

Clostridium difficile

G+ rod

Symptoms: diarrhea, abdominal cramps, fever, decrease in white blood cell count, necrosis in wall of intestine

Infective source: endogenous, oral antibiotics

Diagnosis: stool culture, PCR, ELISA, demonstration of toxins in stool

Treatment: withdrawal of antibiotic, metronidazole or vancomycin

Prevention: no prevention

Cyclospora cayetanensis

Symptoms: muscle aches, stomach cramps, bloating, fever, chronic and watery diarrhea

Infective source: fecal-oral, fruits and vegetables, vehicle

Diagnosis: stool examination, PCR

Treatment: TMP-SMZ, antibiotics

Prevention: washing and cooking fruits and vegetables, good hygiene

Stronglyloides stercoralis

Symptoms: produces itchy red rash, bloody diarrhea, liver enlargement, malabsorption, malnutrition, pneumonia-like

Infective source: skin contact with soil, fomite

Diagnosis: blood count, serology, egg or worm detection in feces

Treatment: ivermectin or thiabendazole

Prevention: sanitation, good hygiene

Diphyllobothrium latum

Symptoms: abdominal discomfort, nausea, anemia

Infective source: seafood specifically sushi

Diagnosis: blood count, serology, egg or worm detection

Treatment: praziquantel, niclosamide

Prevention: cook meat and fish

Schistosoma mansoni

Symptoms: liver disease, itching at area of penetration, fever, chills, diarrhea, cough, spleen and liver enlargement, cause bladder obstruction, heart damage or heart attack, blood in urine, 800,000 deaths/year worldwide

Infective source: carriers, infected water, contact

Diagnosis: identification of eggs in feces, scarring of intestines detected by endoscopy

Treatment: praziquantel

Prevention: sanitation, avoid contamination