Unit 6 Bacterial Diseases

Bacterial Diseases

Prepared by: Brian Dicam

Objectives

  • Correlate the relevance of studying bacteria to nursing practice.

  • Describe common bacterial diseases in relation to the components of the chain of infection.

  • Recognize common signs and symptoms, along with preventive measures, control, and treatment of bacterial diseases.

Part I: Characteristics of Bacteria

Overview of Bacteria

  • Where can we find them?

  • How do they infect a host?

  • How do they spread from host to host?

Important Features

  • Antibiotic resistance

  • Gene sharing

  • Rapid reproduction

  • Asexual reproduction

Part II: Bacterial Diseases

Leptospirosis

  • Pathogen: Leptospira spp.

  • Transmission: Primarily spread by animal urine contaminating soil and water. Direct contact with infected individuals does not spread the disease.

  • Pathogenic Process:

    • Enters the body, moves to bloodstream (Bacteremia), invades organs including kidneys, liver, lungs, and brain.

Signs and Symptoms

  • Common Symptoms:

    • Fever

    • Headache

    • Muscle pain

    • Diarrhea

    • Nausea and vomiting

  • Severe Symptoms:

    • Jaundice

    • Blood in urine, stool, and cough

    • Chest pain

    • Breathing difficulty

    • Rashes

Diagnosis

  • Tests:

    • Serology test (repeated)

    • PCR test

Disease Management

  • Antibiotics

  • Supportive care

Tetanus

  • Pathogen: Clostridium tetani

  • Symptoms: Lockjaw due to tetanospasmin (tetanus toxin)

  • Sources: Found in infected soil, manure, and rusty objects

Signs and Symptoms

  • Fever

  • Headache

  • Seizures

  • Trouble swallowing

  • Cramping jaw

  • Muscle spasms

Diagnosis

  • Diagnosis based on clinical features (no specific test)

Disease Management

  • Urgent hospital care

  • Aggressive wound care

  • Antibiotics

  • Tetanus Immune Globulin

  • Tetanus Vaccination

Tetanus Vaccines

  • Tetanus Toxoid Containing Vaccines:

    • DT Vaccine

    • DTaP Vaccine

    • TDaP Vaccine

Cholera

  • Pathogen: Vibrio cholerae

  • Toxin: Choleragen (cholera toxin)

  • Transmission: Fecal-oral route

Signs and Symptoms

  • Common Symptoms:

    • Vomiting

    • Rice water diarrhea

    • Rapid dehydration

  • Severe Symptoms:

    • Loss of skin elasticity

    • Dry mucous membranes

    • Shock (circulatory collapse)

Diagnosis

  • Stool culture

Disease Management

  • Antibiotics

  • Constant rehydration (avoid sugary drinks)

Tuberculosis

  • Pathogen: Mycobacterium tuberculosis

  • Forms of Tuberculosis: Active and inactive (latent)

  • Transmission: Acquired through droplets from an infected person, not from fomites.

Inactive TB

  • Presence of pathogen without symptoms.

  • Cannot spread the pathogen to others.

Signs and Symptoms

  • Fever

  • Chills

  • Night sweats

  • Fatigue

  • Loss of appetite

  • Weight loss

  • Cough lasting three weeks or longer

  • Coughing up blood or sputum

Diagnosis

  • Tuberculosis Blood Test

  • Tuberculin Skin Test

  • Sputum smear

  • Chest X-ray

Inactive TB Diagnosis

  • Positive results for Tuberculosis blood tests and Tuberculin skin tests

  • Negative results for sputum smear and chest X-ray

Disease Management

  • Antibiotic treatment

  • Directly Observed Therapy: Healthcare worker supervision during medication intake.