Gaining Basic Information About Some Bacterial Diseases

Bacterial disease is very commonly found in one form or the other. To deal with some of the minor bacteria borne diseases require less knowledge than Doctor. Skin infections are the minor diseases caused by bacteria, whereas dangerous ones like tuberculosis and bubonic plague can claim around 2 out of 3 lives of infected persons within a period of 4 days. Bacteria are everywhere around us, but due to their single celled microscopic structure we can see them through a microscope only.

Surface of the skin, the intestinal walls and genitals are the home for millions of bacteria. Poor sanitary conditions accelerate the bacterial outbreak and cause really dangerous diseases like cholera.

There are basically two types of bacteria as per their role;

• The disease causing bacteria or the pathogens.
• The healthy bacteria or the probiotic like the Lactobacillus.

There is a variety of bacteria born diseases but some classifications are made to properly categorize the types of bacterial disease.

Pathogenic bacteria cause infections and diseases in a living body. These bacteria mainly attack the healthy bacteria by multiplying and reproducing at a fast pace. The harmful bacteria normally grow over vestigial organs. They discharge toxins that destroy the living cells and spread infections with disease.

Following are some major types of bacterial diseases that disrupt the normal living conditions;

1. Neisseria gonorrhea is responsible to a sexually transmitted disease called gonorrhea.
2. Salmonella and Escheria coli cause food poisoning overpowering the intestinal bacteria.
3. Neisseria meningitides is responsible to spread meningitis.
4. Helicobacter pylori cause ulcers with gastritis.
5. A streptococcal bacterium is responsible in spreading infections in the body mainly the ear infection and diseases like pneumonia, meningitis, strep throat are the other dangerous outbreaks.
6. Staphylococcus aureus cause multiple diseases ranging from boils, cellulitis, infections of wounds and pneumonia to toxic shock syndrome along with food poisoning in the body.

There are thousands of bacteria floating in the air and water, which can harm our immune system but due to the friendly bacteria present in our body we naturally resist most of them. Depending upon the health condition and age, resistance to bacteria borne diseases vary in humans. Elderly people and infants are very susceptible to bacterial and viral infections as their immune system is not fully functional to prevent the bad bacteria from entering their body.

The bacteria present on the skin help to prevent skin inflammations by eating up the harmful bacteria attracted by the sweat produced, whereas the intestinal bacteria digest the food and help the body absorb nutrients.

Bacterial diseases are born due to so many reasons and are very painful. Bacterial outbreaks occur usually under unhygienic health conditions and even the affected persons are responsible to spread it further. Diseases like cholera are water born bacterial substances that spread through the fecal materials of an infected person with the help of rodents and flies.

Diseases like meningitis are life threatening as the bacteria attacks the protective cover of the brain and spinal cord and can cause extensive problem to the patient.

Meningitis comprises so many symptoms like vomiting, light sensitivity, sound sensitivity that forces the patient to stay away from bright light and loud sound, fever, severe headache are some common signs. Here the blood pressure of the patient may fall rapidly and lead to adverse health conditions.

Food poisoning normally occurs due to a bacterium called Salmonella and Escheria coli, where the patient’s conditions deteriorate due to vomiting, fever and severe stomachache. Without proper treatment it can severe the condition of a patient in a short span of time.

Bacterial diseases and its treatment should be taken very seriously as these diseases can prove lethal if the diagnosis is not done at an early stage.

Treatment of bacterial diseases is prescribed by the medical practitioners according to the age and health condition of the person. Antibiotics are the common medication for most minor bacteria that cause infections.  Antibiotics kill the disease causing bacteria or reduce the reproduction to stop them spreading further.

Normally antibiotics are taken orally but as per the severity of the case can be injected to the muscular tissues or through intravenous method. Although antibiotics are the most common options, they kill some of the good bacteria like the gut flora present in our intestine.

For the best treatment in bacteria born diseases a medical expert recommends;

• Complete hygiene
• Proper rest
• Good nutrition
• Complications need direct medical attention by admitting the patient for intensive care.
• Fluid intakes must be increased to prevent dehydration.

Some people have a natural resistance to antibiotics, which makes bacterial disease treatment a far complicated process.  The patient may die with the disease or slip into coma. A serious condition called sepsis even infects the blood and affects all the body parts.

All the bacteria don’t respond to the antibiotics so at critical situations bacteriophages are used for treatments. This therapy is known as Phage therapy which is approved only in Georgia.

In this bacteriophage therapy the phages inject their genome to the targeted bacteria and kill it, preventing the good bacteria get killed in the process. The phage therapy can target only a certain kind of bacteria, using various patches of bacteriophase can help to combat multiple types of bacteria.

Phages can be taken in the form of freeze dried pills, in liquid form orally or can even be applied over the affected part of body through the gauges covering it.

Treating any bacteria borne disease needs proper knowledge of the way it spreads. It can stop the disease from spreading to the people in direct contact with the patient. They too need to have a diagnosis to make sure the disease has not invaded another body.

The patient should be kept under a clean and hygienic environment with proper medication and complete rest. Adequate amount of liquid must be included in the diet plan with a healthy nutrition. Immediate medical attention has to be administered to prevent further damage in case of fatal diseases like meningitis and cholera that can claim the patient’s life.

Prevention is better than cure, so every individual must learn physical hygiene and keep their environment healthy. Food and beverages   are to be consumed from well known sources to avoid any infections or outbreaks of disease.