REPORT ON DISEASE CAUSED BY

MICRO-ORGANISMS IN HUMANS
BACTERIAL DISEASES
1.CHOLERA
Cholera is a bacterial disease caused by the bacterium ‘Vibrio Cholerae’. This type of bacteria is
usually present in contaminated foods. It is also found in places where there is a lack of
sanitation facilities. This disease was first discovered in the US during the 1800s. Cholera
disease has been causing severe issues to people for hundreds of years. If this disease is left
untreated, it might cause severe diarrhoea and would lead to dehydration in the body. Sometimes
it might lead to a fatal condition.

CAUSATIVE AGENT

Vibrio cholerae is the causative agent of the disease. It is a curved and comma-shaped, Gram-
negative bacterium. It is present in coastal saltwater areas and in the sewage. They attach
themselves to the shells of shell-fish, crabs, etc. Drinking of contaminated water leads to
various diseases including cholera.

This bacterium lives in the small intestine of the human body which releases an exotoxin thus
causes a flow of water and certain electrolytes such as the sodium bicarbonate, chloride etc, into
the small intestine.
Symptoms of Cholera

 High fever.
 Weight loss.
 Increased thirst.
 Feeling of Nausea.
 Vomiting sensation.
 A kind bloating in the belly.
 Blood pressure becomes low.
 The elasticity of the skin is lost.
 Develop cramps in the muscles.
 A rapid increase in the heart rate.
 Dryness in the mouth, nose, and eyelids.
 Formation of blood or mucus or sometimes undigested materials in the stool.
Prevention of Cholera

The most important thing that one could do to avoid the disease is to prevent it because
prevention is better than cure. Cholera could be prevented by:

 Drink water which is boiled.

 Avoid consumption of raw foods.
 Avoid dairy products as much as possible.
 Wash fruits and vegetables before you eat.
 Washing your hands before you eat is a good way to keep the disease away.
 Drink plenty of water and it is recommended to drink about 8 ounces of water every day.

Vaccination
For many years killed whole-cell Cholera vaccine was the only vaccine available
which was administered by injection. However, this vaccine offers at best only limited
protection of short duration, it does not prevent transmission of the infective agent,
and it produces unpleasant side-effects in many patients. In view of these limitations,
the vaccine has not been considered satisfactory for general public health use, and
in 1973 the World Health Assembly abolished the requirement established by the
International Health Regulations for a certificate of vaccination against cholera.
Because the inactivated vaccine is no longer recommended for general public health
use (although it is still produced in some countries), the Expert Committee for
Biological Standardization discontinued the requirements relating to the parenteral
whole-cell vaccine in 1999.
 Leprosy
Leprosy is a disease that causes severe, scarring skin sores and nerve damage in the limbs.
Leprosy disease has affected people on every continent. Leprosy is actually not that infectious
but it spreads when a healthy person comes in regular and close contact with mouse droplets
and leprosy patient. Children get more affected by this disease than adults. Almost, 180000
people all over the world get infected with leprosy.

The Leprosy disease mainly affects the peripheral nerves, skin, upper respiratory tract and the
eyes. The most prevalent possibility of transmission is through the respiratory route. Leprosy is
also transmitted through insects.

Let us have a detailed look at the Leprosy disease, different types of leprosy, causes of Leprosy,
symptoms and treatment of Leprosy disease.

CAUSATIVE AGENT

This disease is caused by bacteria, “Mycobacterium leprae” which is slow-growing. Leprosy is

also termed as Hansen’s disease after the name of the scientist – Dr Gerhard Henrik Armauer
Hansen who discovered this infectious disease in the year 1873.

Symptoms of Leprosy
Leprosy firstly affects the skin and then moves on to nerves present outside the brain and spinal
cord which is known as the peripheral nerves.

Although it takes three to five years for these symptoms to appear after coming in contact with
the bacteria, in some cases, symptoms appear after 20 years of being infected.

The time period between being exposed and the appearance of symptoms is known as the
incubation period. If this period increases then, it is very difficult for doctors to diagnose the
disease.

Following are some of the symptoms of leprosy:

  Severe pain.
 Bleeding Nose.
 Growth on skin.
 Enlarged nerves.
 Stiff, dry, and thick skin.
 Ulcers on the soles of the feet.
 Paralysis or muscle weakness.
 Non-sensitive lesions on the body.
 Numbness in hands, arms, feet, and legs.
 Eye problems that might even cause blindness.

Treatment of Leprosy
Leprosy treatment fully depends on the type of leprosy the patient is suffering from. Antibiotics
are used by doctors to treat the infection. Long-term treatment includes two or more antibiotics
which will carry from 6 months to a year.

People suffering from severe leprosy may need to take antibiotics for a longer time period. But,
these antibiotics are unable to treat the nerve damage. There are some anti-inflammatory drugs
that are used to control nerve pain and severe damage caused by leprosy.

FUNGAL DISEASES
RINGWORMS
Ringworm, also known as dermatophytosis, is a fungal infection of the skin. It can affect both humans and
animals. The infection initially appears as red patches on the affected areas that later spreads to different
areas of the body. It majorly affects the scalp, nails, feet, groin and beard.

Causes of Ringworm
Ringworm can be caused by the following ways:

 It spreads by skin contact with an infected person.

 It spreads from pets and cows. One should wash hands properly after playing with the
pets.
 The fungus causing ringworm might be found lingering on clothes, comb, towels and
brushes.
 These fungi are mainly present in the spores of soil. Coming into contact with such soil
will result in an infection.

Symptoms of Ringworm
Ringworm symptoms vary depending upon the site of infection. The following are the common
characteristic symptoms of ringworm:
 1. The skin of the feet becomes swollen and itchy between the toes. The soles and heels of
the feet may also be affected.
2. Itchy, scaly red spots appear on the groin area.
3. Ringworm appears like an itchy, scaly, inflamed bald spot on the scalp.
4. Ringworm on nails appear to be thick and abnormal in colour and shape.
5. In the beard, itchy, red spots appear on the chin, cheeks, and the upper neck.

Ringworm Prevention
Following precautions is one of the best methods to avoid ringworms. And more than often,
lifestyle choices and decisions affect how the disease is spread. For instance, obesity increases
the risk of ringworm.

1. Maintain cleanliness and hygiene

2. Wash hands with sanitizers
3. Wear clean ironed clothes
4. Avoid using communal pools
5. Wear loose-fitting cotton clothes to avoid the accumulation of sweat
6. The skin folds have to be kept clean regularly to avoid the accumulation of sweat and dirt
between the creases
7. Having a shower twice a day is also recommended
8. Touching or scratching the itchy red patches would help to prevent it from spreading

Ringworm is not a serious disease, but it is a sign of poor hygiene and a precursor to many other
major diseases and infections.

Mucormycosis
Mucormycosis is a rare but serious infection that is caused by a group of moulds called
mucormycetes. Colloquially termed ‘Black Fungus’, it was previously known as zygomycosis.

Symptoms of Mucormycosis
The common symptoms of black fungus are fever, pain or redness around the eyes/nose,
coughing, headache, shortness of breath, blood vomit, altered mental status, sinusitis, blackish
discolouration over bridge of nose/palate, local pain on the cheek bone, one-sided facial pain,
numbness or swelling, blurred or double vision with pain, loosening of teeth, jaw involvement,
chest pain, pleural effusion, thrombosis, necrosis, skin lesion, and worsening of respiratory
symptoms.

Mucormycosis Treatment
Mucormycosis is treated with prescription antifungal medicines, generally amphotericin B,
posaconazole, or isavuconazole.

 To maintain sufficient systemic hydration, normal saline (IV) has to be infused before
infusion of amphotericin B and antifungal therapy, for at least 4-6 weeks.
 Doctors advise to control diabetes, reduce steroid use, and discontinue
immunomodulating drugs.
  Eventually, surgery may be required to remove the infected part. This can cause
difficulties for patients who would need to come to terms with loss of function due to a
missing jaw or an eye.
 For recovered coronavirus patients, it is important to monitor blood glucose level and
control hyperglycemia. The use of steroids should also be prudent.

 Prevention
Even though mucormycosis is a rare disease, certain groups are more vulnerable to it. What
predisposes patients is uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, immunosuppression by steroids,
prolonged ICU stay, and comorbidities — post transplant/malignancy, voriconazole therapy.
Doctors advise people to use masks if in the vicinity of dusty construction sites, wear long-
sleeved shirts, shoes, long trousers and gloves while while handling manure, soil or moss. It
is of utmost importance to maintain high standards of personal hygiene.

MALARIA
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease caused by various species of the parasitic
protozoan microorganisms called Plasmodium. Malaria is a disease that man has battled with
for a long time. The first evidence of this protozoan came from mosquitoes preserved in amber
nearly 30 million years ago

Causes of Malaria
There are many factors that can cause malaria, such as –

 Bitten by a malarial vector (Anopheles stephensi)

 Use of shared and infected syringes.
 Organ transplantation.
 Transfusion.
 From an infected mother to her baby during birth.

Symptoms of malaria
Symptoms of malaria are exhibited within 7 to 18 days of being infected. Common symptoms
include:

 Fever, fatigue, chills, vomiting, and headaches

 Diarrhoea, anaemia and muscle pain
 Profuse sweating and convulsions
 Bloody stools.
 In severe cases, malaria can be devastating; it can lead to seizures, coma and eventually,
death.
Amoebiasis
“Amoebiasis is an infection caused by the microorganism Entamoeba hystolytica,
that is transmitted through contaminated food or water.”
Causes of Amoebiasis
Amebiasis is caused by the following ways:

1. Living in areas with poor sanitary conditions.

2. Ingesting water or food, contaminated by faeces of infected people.
3. By swallowing cysts of the parasite. It can also occur by oral-anal sexual contact with an
infected person.

Symptoms of Amoebiasis
An individual infected with E. histolytica may have mild to severe symptoms. Sometimes a
person may show no symptoms of the disease.

 Fever
 Chills
 Nausea
 Weight loss
 Abdominal discomfort
 Diarrhoea that may include blood or mucus with periods of constipation

Symptoms of Amoebiasis
An individual infected with E. histolytica may have mild to severe symptoms. Sometimes a
person may show no symptoms of the disease.

 Fever
 Chills
  Nausea
 Weight loss
 Abdominal discomfort
 Diarrhoea that may include blood or mucus with periods of constipation

VIRAL DISEASES

COVID-19

COVID-19 or Coronavirus is a term the world has been uttering for almost two years now. The
coronavirus disease is an infectious disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 virus. Since the birth of the
pandemic, the world has shifted to a new normal where masks are the new accessory and
sanitisers are used like sunscreens. There is a lot of information out there about the pandemic,
but when you are asked to write an article on COVID-19, do not just pick information at random;
instead, try to gather details that would explain the dawn of the virus, the harmful effects and the
precautionary measures to be taken to keep one safe and secure. Symptoms
People affected by coronavirus show a range of symptoms from mild to severe conditions. The
symptoms include cold, cough, fever, soreness, fatigue, difficulty in breathing, loss of taste and
smell. These symptoms start appearing from 2-14 days after the individual has been exposed to
the virus. Make sure that you get yourself tested the moment you witness any of these
symptoms to prevent it from getting any worse.

Precautions
To keep yourself from being affected by coronavirus, see to that you

 wear your masks covering your nose and mouth every time you step out of your house
 wash your hands thoroughly
 sanitise yourself
 inhale steam at least two times a day
 avoid eating or drinking anything cold
 avoid consuming packaged and outside food
 maintain a physical distance when you are in contact with a group of people
 avoid all sorts of direct physical contact
Taking care of yourself means taking care of others too. If each one is conscious about the
complications this disease can bring into their lives, it would be a lot easier to curb the spread of
the virus. Be cautious. Create awareness. Stay safe.

RABIES
Rabies is a viral disease that is spread through the animal bite such as the dog. It is caused by
the infection of rabies virus. The infection caused by this leads to encephalomyelitis i.e the
inflammation of the brain as well as the spinal cord. The transmission of the virus happens
through the saliva and affects the CNS or Central nervous system. This virus belongs to a family

called Rhabdoviridae. It takes the shape of a bullet. Symptoms Of Rabies

The symptoms caused by the dog bite or rabies are given below-

 Develop fear from water

 Swelling in the brain and the spinal cord
 Frequent headache
 Nausea
 Stomachache
 Muscle cramps
 Drowsiness
 Insomnia
 Severe fever
 Anxiety
 Hallucination
 Excess secretion of saliva
 Difficulty in swallowing

Control and Prevention of Rabies

Prevention is better than cure. Rabies is an infectious disease that is preventable. Following
measures can reduce the infection to nearly high extents. Some of the measures are given
below-

 Get rabies vaccination to prevent the infection.

 Vaccinating your pet against the disease.
 Maintain distance with the wild animals.
 Wash wounds with soap and water and maintain good hygiene.
 Keep your pets away from the other stray dogs.
 Prevent bats wandering around your campuses and living places.