Summarizing Bacterial Diseases in Humans

Summary

Devastating diseases and plagues have been among us since early times. There are records about microbial diseases as far back as 3000 B.C. Infectious diseases remain among the leading causes of death worldwide. Emerging diseases are those rapidly increasing in incidence or geographic range. They can be new or re-emerging diseases (previously under control). Many emerging diseases affecting humans, such as brucellosis, are zoonoses. The WHO has identified a group of diseases whose re-emergence should be monitored: Those caused by bacteria include bubonic plague, diphtheria, and cholera.

Biofilms are considered responsible for diseases such as bacterial infections in patients with cystic fibrosis, Legionnaires’ disease, and otitis media. They produce dental plaque; colonize catheters, prostheses, transcutaneous, and orthopedic devices; and infect contact lenses, open wounds, and burned tissue. Biofilms also produce foodborne diseases because they colonize the surfaces of food and food-processing equipment. Biofilms are resistant to most of the methods used to control microbial growth. The excessive use of antibiotics has resulted in a major global problem, since resistant forms of bacteria have been selected over time. A very dangerous strain, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), has wreaked havoc recently. Foodborne diseases result from the consumption of contaminated food, pathogenic bacteria, viruses, or parasites that contaminate food.

Glossary

antibiotic

biological substance that, in low concentration, is antagonistic to the growth of prokaryotes

Black Death

devastating pandemic that is believed to have been an outbreak of bubonic plague caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis

botulism

disease produced by the toxin of the anaerobic bacterium Clostridium botulinum

CA-MRSA

MRSA acquired in the community rather than in a hospital setting

emerging disease

disease making an initial appearance in a population or that is increasing in incidence or geographic range

endemic disease

disease that is constantly present, usually at low incidence, in a population

epidemic

disease that occurs in an unusually high number of individuals in a population at the same time

foodborne disease

any illness resulting from the consumption of contaminated food, or of the pathogenic bacteria, viruses, or other parasites that contaminate food

MRSA

(methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) very dangerous Staphylococcusaureus strain resistant to multiple antibiotics

pandemic

widespread, usually worldwide, epidemic disease

serotype

strain of bacteria that carries a set of similar antigens on its cell surface, often many in a bacterial species

zoonosis

disease that primarily infects animals that is transmitted to humans