BACTERIA.

VIRUSES.

FUNGI.

PARASITES.
Meningococcal meningitis is the medical term for a bacterial infection of
the lining of the brain and spinal cord. It is a life threatening condition that
requires urgent medical treatment.
Signs and symptoms of meningitis include:
fever sensitivity to light
headache nausea and vomiting
a stiff neck confusion
sensitivity to light
Some possible symptoms of meningitis in infants and babies include:
inactivity or slowness
vomiting
feeding poorly
bulging in the soft spot of the skull
Any severe or untreated bacterial infection can trigger an exaggerated
immune response called sepsis. This condition can lead to tissue damage,
organ failure, and death.

\Some signs and symptoms of sepsis include:

fever or chills
clammy, sweaty skin
an increased heart rate
shortness of breath
extreme pain and discomfort
confusion or disorientation
 Bacteria are transmitted to humans through air, water, food, or living
vectors. The principal modes of transmission of bacterial infection are
contact, airborne, droplet, vectors, and vehicular.

Via contact includes direct skin-to-skin or mucous membrane-to-

mucous membrane contact or fecal–oral transmission of intestinal
bacteria. Transfusion of contaminated blood products also transmits
several bacterial infections, such as syphilis.
 Some bacteria are carried on air currents in droplet nuclei. Q fever,
tuberculosis, and Legionella travel great distances from their origin.
Animals with Q fever have been known to transmit infection to other animals
as far as 10 miles away.

When an infection is spread via droplets greater than 5 μm in

diameter, this type of spread is not considered airborne given that the
droplet is unlikely to travel through the air for more than 1 m. They are
generally more susceptible than airborne droplet nuclei to filtering in the
nose via nasal hairs or to removal by nasal or facial masks.
 Typically, the arthropod (mosquito, tick, louse) takes a blood meal
from an infected host (which can be human or animal) and transfers
pathogens to an uninfected individual. Bacteria such as Shigella can
adhere to the foot pad of house flies and be transmitted in this manner.

(including food, water, and fomite transmission) Bacterial infection

due to food and water generally develops when bacteria enter the intestine
via the mouth. Those organisms that survive the low pH of the stomach and
are not swept away by the mucus of the small intestine adhere to the cell
surfaces. There they may invade the host cells or release toxins, causing
diarrhea.
 Many infectious diseases have similar signs and symptoms. Samples
of body fluids can sometimes reveal evidence of the particular microbe
that's causing the illness. This helps the doctor tailor treatment.

A technician obtains a sample of blood by inserting a needle into a vein,

usually in the arm.
This painless test requires you to urinate into a container. To avoid
potential contamination of the sample, you may be instructed to
cleanse your genital area with an antiseptic pad and to collect the urine
midstream.

Samples from the throat, or other moist areas of the body, may be
obtained with a sterile swab.

You may be instructed to collect a stool sample so a lab can check the
sample for parasites and other organisms.
This procedure obtains a sample of the cerebrospinal fluid through a
needle carefully inserted between the bones of the lower spine. You'll
usually be asked to lie on your side with your knees pulled up toward
your chest.

Imaging procedures — such as X-rays, computerized tomography and

magnetic resonance imaging — can help pinpoint diagnoses and rule
out other conditions that may be causing symptoms.
 During a biopsy, a tiny sample of tissue is taken from an internal organ
for testing. For example, a biopsy of lung tissue can be checked for a
variety of fungi that can cause a type of pneumonia.

Knowing what type of germ is causing your illness makes it easier for your
doctor to choose appropriate treatment.
Antibiotics are grouped into "families" of similar types. Bacteria also are
put together in groups of similar types, such as streptococcus or E. coli.
Certain types of bacteria are especially susceptible to particular
classes of antibiotics. Treatment can be targeted more precisely if your
doctor knows what type of bacteria you're infected with.
Antibiotics are usually reserved for bacterial infections, because these
types of drugs have no effect on illnesses caused by viruses. But
sometimes it's difficult to tell which type of germ is at work. For example,
pneumonia can be caused by a bacterium, a virus, a fungus or a
parasite.
The overuse of antibiotics has resulted in several types of bacteria
developing resistance to one or more varieties of antibiotics. This makes
these bacteria much more difficult to treat.
 Drugs have been developed to treat some, but not all, viruses.
Examples include the viruses that cause:

HIV/AIDS
Herpes
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis C
Influenza
 Topical antifungal medications can be used to treat skin or nail infections
caused by fungi. Some fungal infections, such as those affecting the lungs
or the mucous membranes, can be treated with an oral antifungal. More-
severe internal organ fungal infections, especially in people with weakened
immune systems, may require intravenous antifungal medications.

Some diseases, including malaria, are caused by tiny parasites. While there
are drugs to treat these diseases, some varieties of parasites have
developed resistance to the drugs.
 Many infectious diseases, such as colds, will resolve on their own. Drink
plenty of fluids and get lots of rest.

A number of products have claimed to help fend off common illnesses,

such as the cold or flu. While some of these substances have appeared
promising in early trials, follow-up studies may have had conflicting or
inconclusive results. More research needs to be done.
Some of the substances that have been studied for preventing or
shortening the duration of infection include:

Cranberry
Echinacea
Garlic
Ginseng
Goldenseal
Vitamin C
Vitamin D
Zinc

Check with your doctor before trying any products that promise to boost
your immune system or chase colds and other illnesses away. Some of
these products may cause allergic reactions or interact adversely with
other medications you may be taking.