Infectious Disease Cases and Pathogens: Key Features and Identification

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)

Patient presents with night sweats, chronic diarrhea, and persistent fatigue.

Trypanosoma brucei

Patient has a disrupted sleep cycle and confusion after a tsetse fly bite.

Clostridioides difficile

Severe watery diarrhea and abdominal cramping after a hospital stay.

Ascaris lumbricoides

Patient has a persistent cough and intestinal blockage; eggs found in soil.

Neisseria meningitidis

High fever, stiff neck, and severe sensitivity to light.

Clostridium botulinum toxin

Double vision, drooping eyelids, and muscle paralysis after eating home-canned food.

Varicella-Zoster Virus (VZV)

An itchy red blister rash (pox) or a painful, localized rash (shingles).

Vibrio cholerae

Massive 'rice-water' diarrhea and extreme dehydration.

Bartonella henselae

Swollen lymph nodes near a scratch site from a kitten.

Cryptococcus neoformans

Pneumonia symptoms or fungal meningitis after inhaling bird dropping dust.

Corynebacterium diphtheriae

A thick gray coating (pseudomembrane) is visible in the patient's throat.

Filarial worms (e.g., Wuchereria bancrofti)

Massive swelling of the limbs or genitals following a mosquito bite.

Clostridium perfringens

Rapid tissue death and gas bubbles under the skin in a deep wound.

Rubella virus

Mild fever and rash; patient is pregnant and concerned about birth defects.

Norovirus

Sudden onset of intense vomiting and watery diarrhea.

Neisseria gonorrhoeae

Painful urination and yellow/green abnormal discharge.

HBV and HCV viruses

Jaundice (yellowing of eyes/skin) and dark urine.

Herpes simplex virus

Cold sores or painful blisters on the genitals.

Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV)

Extreme fatigue, sore throat, and an enlarged spleen; transmitted by saliva.

Influenza virus

High fever, body aches, and dry cough during winter months.

Mycobacterium leprae

Skin lesions with loss of sensation and nerve damage.

Borrelia burgdorferi

'Bullseye' rash, joint pain, and fatigue after a tick bite.

Plasmodium species

Recurrent cycles of chills, high fever, and sweating; patient is anemic.

Rubeola virus

Koplik's spots in the mouth followed by a full-body rash.

Mumps virus

Swelling of the salivary (parotid) glands and fever.

Helicobacter pylori

Burning stomach pain and bloating.

Bordetella pertussis

Severe coughing fits ending in a high-pitched 'whoop' sound.

Yersinia pestis

Swollen lymph nodes (buboes) and fever after a flea bite.

Streptococcus pneumoniae

Difficulty breathing, chest pain, and cough with phlegm.

Campylobacter jejuni

Bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps after eating undercooked poultry.

Rabies virus

Confusion, aggression, and hydrophobia (fear of water).

Human Herpesvirus 6 or 7

High fever for several days followed by a pink rash on the trunk.

Listeria monocytogenes

Meningitis symptoms; dangerous for pregnant women (miscarriage risk).

Streptococcus pyogenes

Severe sore throat with white patches on the tonsils.

Treponema pallidum

A painless sore (chancre) followed later by a rash on palms and soles.

Clostridium tetani toxin

'Lockjaw' and painful muscle spasms following a puncture wound.

Toxoplasma gondii

Flu-like symptoms; risk of brain lesions in the immunocompromised.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Persistent cough with blood, weight loss, and night sweats.

Salmonella Typhi

Sustained high fever, stomach pain, and 'rose spots' rash.

Legionella pneumophila

Severe pneumonia after inhaling mist from a contaminated AC unit.

Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

Fleshy bumps on the skin or genitals.

West Nile Virus

Fever and headache that can progress to brain inflammation.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Red, swollen skin bumps that look like spider bites and contain pus.

SARS-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV)

High fever, dry cough, and shortness of breath (2003 outbreak).

Candida albicans

White patches (thrush) or thick white discharge with itching.

Taenia species

Nausea and weight loss; patient passed segments of a worm.

Necator americanus or Ancylostoma duodenale

Itchy rash on the feet followed by anemia and abdominal pain.

Ebola virus

Sudden fever with internal and external bleeding and organ failure.

Zika virus

Fever and rash; associated with microcephaly in newborns.

Chikungunya virus

Sudden fever and severe, debilitating joint pain.