List of ten important bacterial diseases: 1. Pulmonary Tuberculosis 2. Diphtheria 3. Cholera 4. Leprosy 5. Pertussis 6. Tetanus 7. Plague 8. Gonorrhoea 9. Syphilis 10. Salmonellosis.
Bacterial Disease # 1. Pulmonary Tuberculosis:
Pathogen – Mycobacterium tuberculae
Epidemiology – Airborne & Droplet infection
Incubation Period – 2-10 weeks
Symptoms – Coughing; chest pain and bloody sputum with tuberculin.
Prophylaxis – BCG vaccine Isolation, Health education.
Therapy – Streptomycin, para-amino salicylic acid, rifampicin etc.
Bacterial Disease # 2. Diphtheria:
Pathogen – Corynebacterium diphtheriae
Epidemiology – Airborne & Droplet infection
Incubation Period – 2-6 days
Symptoms – Inflammation of mucosa of nasal chamber, throat etc. respiratory tract blocked.
Prophylaxis – DPT vaccine.
Therapy – Diphtheria antitoxins, Penicillin, Erythromycin.
Bacterial Disease # 3. Cholera:
Pathogen – Vibrio cholerae
Epidemiology – Direct & oral (with contaminated food & water)
Incubation Period – 6 hours to 2 – 3 days
Symptoms – Acute diarrhoea & dehydration.
Prophylaxis – Sanitation, boiling of water & cholera vaccine.
Therapy – Oral rehydration therapy & tetracycline.
Bacterial Disease # 4. Leprosy (Hansen’s Disease):
Pathogen – Mycobacterium leprae
Epidemiology – Slowest infectious & contagious
Incubation Period – 2-5 years
Symptoms – Skin hypopigmentation, nodulated skin, deformity of fingers & toes. Lepromin in skin tests.
Prophylaxis – Isolation.
Therapy – Dapsone, rifampicin, Clofazimine.
Bacterial Disease # 5. Pertussis (Whooping Cough):
Pathogen – Bordetella pertussis
Epidemiology – Contagious & Droplet infection
Incubation Period – 7-14 days
Symptoms – Whoops during inspiration.
Prophylaxis – DPT vaccine.
Therapy – Erythromycin.
Bacterial Disease # 6. Tetanus (Lock Jaw):
Pathogen – Clostridium tetani
Epidemiology – Through injury
Incubation Period – 3-21 days
Symptoms – Degeneration of motor neurons, rigid jaw muscles, spasm and paralysis.
Prophylaxis – ATS and DPT vaccines.
Therapy – Tetanus- antitoxins.
Bacterial Disease # 7. Plague:
Pasteurella (or Yersinia) pestis
Epidemiology – Indirect & inoculative (vector is rat flea)
Incubation Period – 2-6 days
Symptoms – Bubonic plague affects lymph nodes; Pneumonic plague affects lungs and Septicemic plague causes anaemia.
Prophylaxis – Killing of rats & ratfleas, Plague- vaccine.
Therapy – Tetracycline, streptomycin, Chloromycetin.
Bacterial Disease # 8. Gonorrhoea:
Pathogen – Neisseria gonorrhoeae
Epidemiology – Sexual transmission
Incubation Period – 2-10 days
Symptoms – Inflammation of urinogenital tract.
Prophylaxis – Avoid prostitution.
Therapy – Penicillin & Ampicillin.
Bacterial Disease # 9. Syphilis:
Pathogen – Treponema pallidum
Epidemiology – Sexual transmission
Incubation Period – 3 weeks
Symptoms – Inflammation of urinogenital tract.
Prophylaxis – Avoid prostitution.
Therapy – Tetracycline & penicillin.
Bacterial Disease # 10. Salmonellosis:
Pathogen – Salmonella enteridis.
Epidemiology – Direct & oral
Incubation Period – 48 hours
Symptoms – Diarrhoea.
Prophylaxis – Isolation.
Therapy – Antibiotics.