Bacterial and Fungal Diseases

Bacterial Diseases

Toxic Shock Syndrome

  • Pathogen: Staphylococcus aureus

  • Signs/Symptoms:

    • Fever

    • Hypotension

    • Vomiting

    • Scalded skin syndrome (late stages)

    • Shedding of palms/soles

  • Transmission:

    • Tampon usage

    • Wound bodily fluid

  • Diagnostics:

    • Microscopic examination

  • Prevention and/or Treatment:

    • Avoid long-term usage of high absorbency tampons

    • Fluid replacement

    • Antibiotics

Necrotizing Fasciitis

  • Pathogen: Streptococcus pyogenes (most common)

  • Signs/Symptoms:

    • Intense pain and swelling

    • Rapid tissue destruction

    • Bacteria digest connective tissue

    • Necrosis, tissue turns black

    • Can spread several cm per hour

    • May appear within 1 hour of inoculation

  • Transmission:

    • Spread through direct contact

    • Enters through cuts or wounds

  • Diagnostics:

    • Spinal tap

    • Gram stain and culture of CSF

  • Prevention and/or Treatment:

    • IV broad-spectrum antibiotics

    • Mortality <15% with treatment

    • Vaccines (pneumococcal, HIB, meningococcal)

    • Prophylactic antibiotics for close contact

    • Treat pregnant women for group B strep

Bacterial Meningitis

Streptococcus pneumoniae

  • Signs/Symptoms:

    • Sudden high fever

    • Severe headache

    • Stiff neck

    • Photophobia

    • Nausea and vomiting

    • Confusion or altered mental status

  • Transmission:

    • Respiratory droplets

    • Often follows pneumonia, sinus, or ear infection

  • Diagnostics:

    • Spinal tap (CSF analysis)

    • Gram-positive diplococci on gram stain

    • CSF culture

  • Prevention and/or Treatment:

    • IV broad-spectrum antibiotics

    • Cephalosporins + vancomycin

    • Pneumococcal vaccine

Neisseria meningitidis

  • Signs/Symptoms:

    • Sudden high fever

    • Severe headache

    • Stiff neck

    • Photophobia

    • Nausea and vomiting

    • Confusion

    • Possible rash

  • Transmission:

    • Respiratory droplets

    • Close contact (dorms, military, households)

  • Diagnostics:

    • Spinal tap

    • Gram-positive diplococci on gram stain

    • CSF culture

  • Prevention and/or Treatment:

    • IV antibiotics (cephalosporins)

    • Supportive care

    • Meningococcal vaccine

    • Prophylactic antibiotics for close contacts

Haemophilus influenzae

  • Signs/Symptoms:

    • Fever

    • Headache

    • Stiff neck

    • Photophobia

    • Nausea and vomiting

  • Transmission:

    • Respiratory droplets

  • Diagnostics:

    • Spinal tap

    • Gram-negative coccobacilli on gram stain

    • CSF culture

  • Prevention and/or Treatment:

    • IV antibiotics (cephalosporins)

    • Hib vaccine

Listeria monocytogenes

  • Signs/Symptoms:

    • Fever

    • Headache

    • Stiff neck

    • Confusion

    • Nausea and vomiting

  • Transmission:

    • Contaminated food (unpasteurized dairy, deli meats)

    • Vertical transmission (mother to fetus)

  • Diagnostics:

    • Spinal tap

    • CSF culture

    • Blood culture

  • Prevention and/or Treatment:

    • IV antibiotics (ampicillin-based therapy)

    • Avoid high-risk foods during pregnancy

    • Proper food handling

Streptococcus agalactiae

  • Signs/Symptoms:

    • Fever

    • Poor feeding

    • Lethargy

    • Seizures (newborns)

  • Transmission:

    • Mother to newborn during childbirth

  • Diagnostics:

    • Spinal tap

    • CSF culture

  • Prevention and/or Treatment:

    • IV antibiotics

    • Screen pregnant women

    • Antibiotics during labor if positive

Tuberculosis

  • Pathogen: Mycobacterium tuberculosis

  • Signs/Symptoms:

    • Chronic cough

    • Chest pain

    • Weight loss

    • Fatigue

    • Malaise

    • Hemoptysis (cough up blood)

  • Transmission:

    • Droplet transmission

    • Spreads through inhalation (coughing, talking, laughing)

    • Requires close contact

  • Diagnostics:

    • Tuberculin (Mantoux) skin test

    • Chest x-ray

    • Acid-fast staining of sputum

  • Prevention and/or Treatment:

    • Long-term multi-drug antibiotic therapy

    • BCG vaccine used in endemic countries

    • Not used in immunocompromised individuals

Secondary (Reactivate) Tuberculosis

  • Pathogen: Mycobacterium rupture tubercle

  • Signs/Symptoms:

    • Impaired cell-mediated immunity

    • Old age, malnutrition – common co-infection with HIV

  • Transmission:

    • Spreads throughout lungs, via bronchiole, cough, and bloody sputum

Peptic Ulcers

  • Pathogen: Helicobacter pylori

  • Signs/Symptoms:

    • Abdominal pain

    • Nausea, vomiting (with blood)

    • Weight loss

    • Chest pain

    • Bloody stool

    • Shock

    • Perforation (Rupture in lining)

  • Transmission:

    • Fecal-oral

    • Risk factors: Aspirin, ibuprofen, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications

    • Excessive alcohol, smoking, genetic history

    • Stress can exacerbate

  • Diagnostics:

    • Endoscopy and biopsy

    • Culture

    • Gram stain

    • Urease test

    • Urea breath test

  • Prevention and/or Treatment:

    • Reduce risk factors

Chlamydia

  • Pathogen: Chlamydia trachomatis

  • Signs/Symptoms:

    • Often asymptomatic

    • Painful urination

    • Watery discharge

    • Burning or itching (urethritis)

  • Transmission:

    • Direct sexual contact

    • Mother to newborn (eye or pneumonia infection)

  • Diagnostics:

    • Antigen detection

    • DNA testing

    • Swabs

  • Prevention and/or Treatment:

    • Antibiotic therapy

    • Treat all sexual partners

    • Antibiotic-resistant strains exist

    • No vaccine

Fungal Diseases

Candidiasis (Vaginal)

  • Pathogen: Candida Albicans (yeast)

  • Signs/Symptoms:

    • Intense itching and irritation

    • Thick, white discharge

    • Redness and swelling of the vulva

    • Burning sensation (urination or sex)

    • Soreness or pain

  • Transmission:

    • Occurs when normal vaginal balance is disrupted

  • Diagnostics:

    • Pelvic exam

    • Vaginal discharge sample

    • Test for KOH

    • Normal pH is 4.5

  • Prevention and/or Treatment:

    • Antifungal medications (topical or oral)

Oral Candidiasis

  • Pathogen: Candida Albicans (yeast)

  • Signs/Symptoms:

    • White patches on the tongue, inner cheek, gums or throat

    • Redness or soreness in the mouth

    • Pain when swallowing

  • Transmission:

    • Overgrowth happens when immune defense is reduced

  • Diagnostics:

    • Visual exam of mouth

    • White patches scraping

    • Test for KOH smear and fungal culture

  • Prevention and/or Treatment:

    • Antifungal mouthwash

Cutaneous (Skin) Candidiasis

  • Pathogen: Candida Albicans (yeast)

  • Signs/Symptoms:

    • Red itchy rash

    • Rash with satellite lesions

    • Burning or discomfort

    • Moist, irritated skin

  • Transmission:

    • Occurs when skin stays damp or irritated

  • Diagnostics:

    • Physical exam of affected skin

    • KOH scraping of skin

    • Fungal culture

  • Prevention and/or Treatment:

    • Topical antifungal medication

Histoplasmosis

  • Pathogen: Histoplasma capsulatum

  • Signs/Symptoms:

    • Fever

    • Coughing

    • Chest pain

  • Transmission:

    • Breathed in spores from bat species

    • Known as “Ohio valley fever”

  • Diagnostics:

    • Serological tests (collect mucus to test for pathogens)

    • X-ray

  • Prevention and/or Treatment:

    • Antifungal medication

Coccidioidomycosis

  • Pathogen: Coccidioides immitis

  • Signs/Symptoms:

    • Fever

    • Coughing

    • Weight loss

  • Transmission:

    • Inhalation of spores from disturbed soil

    • Desert soils of American Southwest

  • Diagnostics:

    • Serological tests

    • X-ray

    • CT

  • Prevention and/or Treatment:

    • Antifungal medication

Trichomoniasis

  • Pathogen: Trichomonas vaginalis

  • Signs/Symptoms:

    • Vaginal irritation

    • Profuse green/yellow frothy discharge

    • Foul odor

    • Vaginal pH: 5-8

    • Many cases are asymptomatic

  • Transmission:

    • Found in semen or urine of male carriers

    • Sexually transmitted infection (STI)

  • Diagnostics:

    • Sample collection

    • Sometimes combined with antibiotics for co-infections

  • Prevention and/or Treatment:

    • Antiprotozoal medication

    • Sometimes combined with antibiotics for co-infection

Malaria (Falciparum Malaria)

  • Signs/Symptoms:

    • Aches

    • Nausea with or without diarrhea

    • Persistent fever, cough weakness for weeks without relief

  • Transmission:

    • Bite of infected Anopheles mosquito

    • Depends on species and drug resistance

  • Diagnostics:

    • Antimalarial medication

    • Treatment depends on species and drug resistance

    • Prophylaxis (medication when traveling)

  • Prevention:

    • Vector control (Bed nets)

Tapeworm

  • Pathogen: Diphyllobothrium latum

  • Signs/Symptoms:

    • Vague abdominal discomfort

    • Bloating

    • Vomiting

    • Diarrhea

    • Possible vitamin B12 deficiency

    • Brain fog

    • Low energy

    • Tingling in fingers

  • Transmission:

    • Eating raw fish

    • Drinking unclean water

  • Diagnostics:

    • Stool sample examined under a microscope

  • Prevention and/or Treatment:

    • Anti-helminths

Enterobiasis

  • Pathogen: Enterobius vermicularis

  • Signs/Symptoms:

    • Anal itching

    • Disrupted sleep

    • Irritability

  • Transmission:

    • Direct or indirect with worm or egg

    • Common in children

  • Diagnostics:

    • Stool sample

    • Tape the anus overnight then take the tape and look at it under a microscope

  • Prevention and/or Treatment:

    • Anti-helminthic medication

    • Bleach and hot water for clothes and toys

    • Take a helminthic medication