Gonorrhea Also called the "clap" or "drip," gonorrhea is a contagious disease transmitted most often through sexual contact with an infected person. Gonorrhea may also be spread by contact with infected bodily fluids, so that a mother could pass on the infection to her newborn during childbirth. Both men and women can get gonorrhea. The infection is easily spread and occurs most often in people who have many sex partners.
What Causes Gonorrhea?
Gonorrhea is caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae, a bacterium that can grow and multiply easily in mucus membranes of the body. Gonorrhea bacteria can grow in the warm, moist areas of the reproductive tract, including the cervix (opening to the womb), uterus (womb), and fallopian tubes (egg canals) in women, and in the urethra (the tube that carries urine from the bladder to outside the body) in women and men. The bacteria can also grow in the mouth, throat, and anus. Gonorrhea symptoms in women
● Greenish yellow or whitish discharge from the vagina ● Lower abdominal or pelvic pain ● Burning when urinating ● Conjunctivitis (red, itchy eyes) ● Bleeding between periods ● Spotting after intercourse ● Swelling of the vulva (vulvitis) Gonorrhea symptoms in men
● Greenish yellow or whitish discharge from the penis ● Burning when urinating ● Burning in the throat (due to oral sex) ● Painful or swollen testicles ● Swollen glands in the throat (due to oral sex) In men, symptoms usually appear two to 14 days after infection.
How Is Gonorrhea Treated?
To cure a gonorrhea infection, your doctor will give you either an oral or injectable antibiotic. Your partner should also be treated at the same time to prevent reinfection and further spread of the disease.
It is important to take all of your antibiotics even if you feel better. Also, never take someone else's medication to treat your illness. By doing so, you may make the infection more difficult to treat. In addition,
● Tell anyone you have had sex with recently that you are infected. This is important because gonorrhea may have no symptoms. Women, especially, may not have symptoms and may not seek testing or treatment unless alerted by their sex partners. ● Don't have sex until you have completed taking all of your medicine. ● Always use condoms when having sex.
What Happens if I Don't Treat Gonorrhea?
Untreated gonorrhea can cause serious and permanent problems in both women and men.
In women, if left untreated, the infection can cause pelvic inflammatory disease, which may damage the fallopian tubes (the tubes connecting the ovaries to the uterus) or even lead to infertility. And untreated gonorrhea infection could increase the risk of ectopic pregnancy, a condition in which the fertilized egg develops outside the uterus. This is a dangerous condition for both mother and baby.
In men, gonorrhea can cause epididymitis, a painful condition of the testicles that can sometimes lead to infertility if left untreated. Without prompt treatment, gonorrhea can also affect the prostate and can lead to scarring inside the urethra, making urination difficult.
Gonorrhea can spread to the blood or joints. This condition can be life-threatening. Also, people with gonorrhea can more easily contract HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. People with HIV infection and gonorrhea are more likely than people with HIV infection alone to transmit HIV to someone else.
EHEC (E. coli)
E. coli is a bacterium that lives in the digestive tracts of people and animals. Some types of E. coli can cause bloody diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea and vomiting. In some people, this type of E. coli may also cause severe anemia or kidney failure, which can lead to death. Other strains of E. coli can cause urinary tract infections or other infections. You get an E. coli infection by coming into contact with the feces of humans or animals, directly or through tainted, undercooked food. Symptoms usually start 3 or 4 days after contact with the E. coli.
Lyme disease What Is Lyme Disease?
Lyme disease is an infection that is transmitted through the bite of a tick infected with a bacterium called Borrelia burgdorferi. Ticks typically get the bacterium by biting infected animals, like deer and mice. Most people who get tick bites do not get Lyme disease. Not all ticks are infected, and the risk for contracting the disease increases the longer the tick is attached to the body.
Symptoms: Early Stage
Within one to four weeks of being bitten by an infected tick, most people will experience some symptoms of Lyme disease. A circular, expanding (bulls-eye shaped) rash (called erythema migrans) at the site of the bite develops in about 70%-80% of cases. Some people report flu-like symptoms at this stage, including fever, chills, headaches, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, joint pain, and muscle aches.
Symptoms: As the Infection Spreads
If the disease is not detected and treated in its early stages, it can extend to more areas of the body, affecting the joints, heart, and nervous system (after several weeks to months after the initial bite). Additional rashes may occur, and there may be intermittent periods of pain and weakness in the arms or legs. Facial-muscle paralysis (Bell's palsy), headaches, and poor memory are other symptoms at this stage, along with a rapid heartbeat and some loss of control of facial muscles.
Symptoms: Late-Stage Disease
This is the most serious stage of the disease, when treatment was either not successful or never started (usually occurring many months after the initial bite). Joint inflammation (arthritis), typically in the knees, becomes apparent, and may become chronic. The nervous system can develop abnormal sensation because of disease of peripheral nerves (peripheral neuropathy), and confusion. Heart problems are less common, but can include inflammation of the heart muscle and an irregular beat.
Do All Ticks Transmit Lyme Disease?
No. In the northeastern and north-central U.S., the black-legged tick (or deer tick) transmits Lyme disease. In the Pacific coastal U.S., the disease is spread by the western black-legged tick. Other major tick species found in the U.S., including the lone star tick and the dog tick, have NOT been shown to transmit the Lyme disease bacterium. But beware: Lyme disease has been reported in all 50 states, as well as in Canada, Europe, Asia, Australia, and South America.
Staph infection (MRSA) What is MRSA?
This tiny cluster of bacteria is methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), seen under a microscope. This strain of the common "staph" bacteria causes infections in different parts of the body -- including the skin, lungs, and other areas. MRSA is sometimes called a "superbug" because it doesn’t respond to many antibiotics. Though most MRSA infections are minor, some can be life-threatening.
MRSA Skin Infection: Signs & Symptoms MRSA infections can appear as a small red bump, pimple, or boil. The area may be tender, swollen, or warm to the touch. Most of these infections are mild, but they can change, becoming deeper and more serious.
MRSA Skin Infection: Abscess
Without proper, timely care, the bacteria can cause a minor infection site to become an abscess -- a painful lump under the skin that’s filled with pus. Treatment may require surgical drainage and antibiotics.
MRSA: How Do People Catch It?
MRSA is spread by touching an infected person or exposed item when you have an open cut or scrape. Poor hygiene -- sharing razors, towels, or athletic gear can also be to blame. Two in 100 people carry the bacteria on their bodies, but usually don't get sick.
Typhoid Fever
What is typhoid fever?
Typhoid fever is an acute illness associated with fever caused by the Salmonella typhi bacteria. It can also be caused by Salmonella paratyphi, a related bacterium that usually causes a less severe illness. The bacteria are deposited in water or food by a human carrier and are then spread to other people in the area.
The incidence of typhoid fever in the United States has markedly decreased since the early 1900s, when tens of thousands of cases were reported in the U.S. Today, less than 400 cases are reported annually in the United States, mostly in people who have recently traveled to Mexico and South America. This improvement is the result of better environmental sanitation. India, Pakistan, and Egypt are also known as high-risk areas for developing this disease. Worldwide, typhoid fever affects more than 21 million people annually, with about 200,000 people dying from the disease. How Do People Get Typhoid Fever?
Typhoid fever is contracted by drinking or eating the bacteria in contaminated food or water. People with acute illness can contaminate the surrounding water supply through stool, which contains a high concentration of the bacteria. Contamination of the water supply can, in turn, taint the food supply. The bacteria can survive for weeks in water or dried sewage. Typhoid fever can also be passed to other by failing to wash your hands after using the restroom and handling items belonging to others.
About 3%-5% of people become carriers of the bacteria after the acute illness. Others suffer a very mild illness that goes unrecognized. These people may become long-term carriers of the bacteria -- even though they have no symptoms -- and be the source of new outbreaks of typhoid fever for many years. Tetanus
What is tetanus?
Tetanus is a disease caused by a bacterial infection. The bacteria make a toxin, or poison, that causes severe muscle spasms. Tetanus can be very dangerous, but you can get a shot to prevent it. Tetanus is also called "lockjaw" because muscle spasms in your jaw make it hard to open your mouth. Tetanus also causes seizures and makes it hard for you to swallow or breathe.
In the United States, most people have had shots to prevent tetanus, so the disease is relatively rare. People who have never been immunized or haven't had a booster in the last 10 years are more likely to get tetanus. This includes people who recently moved to the U.S. from countries where tetanus shots are rare.
How can you prevent tetanus?
You can prevent tetanus by getting all of your recommended immunizations (shots). There are three different combination immunizations that include a vaccine for tetanus. ● DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis): DTaP is given in a series of 5 shots beginning at age 2 months and ending at ages 4 to 6 years. ● Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis): Tdap is the first booster shot for tetanus and is recommended at age 11 or 12. It's also recommended for all teens and adults who never had the Tdap shot. And all pregnant women need a Tdap shot during each pregnancy. ● Td (tetanus and diphtheria): Td is given as a booster shot every 10 years. If you never had tetanus shots as a child, or if you're not sure if you had them, you'll need to get 3 tetanus shots in about a 1-year time span. After that, 1 booster shot every 10 years will work for you.
Get a tetanus shot as soon as possible if you have a dirty cut or wound and 5 or more years have passed since your last tetanus shot. Some people may need tetanus immunoglobulin (TIG) for a wound that is at high risk for tetanus. The immunoglobulin is usually only needed if you have not (or do not know whether you have) completed the tetanus shot series.
What are the symptoms?
Tetanus symptoms appear slowly and get worse over time. The time it takes for symptoms to appear after a cut or injury ranges from days to months. In most cases, symptoms of tetanus appear within 14 days.
Tetanus symptoms often begin with a headache and trouble opening your mouth (lockjaw). You also may have trouble swallowing and/or a stiff neck, back, or shoulders. As the toxin spreads, it can be deadly. It can cause problems with your blood pressure and heart rate. It can cause severe and painful muscle spasms in your neck, arms, legs, and belly. If spasms continue and get worse, they can break bones, including the spine.
Botulism
What is food-born botulism?
Food-born botulism is a rare but serious type of food poisoning that can result in paralysis. It is caused by the Clostridium botulinum (C. botulinum) bacterium. The bacteria produce a nerve toxin that can cause paralysis. Food-borne botulism can be fatal and is considered a medical emergency. What causes food-borne botulism? Food-borne botulism can be caused by eating contaminated home-canned foods that have a low acid content, such as asparagus, green beans, beets, and corn. But there have been cases of botulism from more unusual sources, such as chopped garlic in oil, chile peppers, tomatoes, improperly handled baked potatoes wrapped in aluminum foil, and home-canned or fermented fish.
In infants, botulism can result if a baby eats honey or corn syrup contaminated by C. botulinum spores. The spores multiply in the infant's intestine and produce toxins.
What are the symptoms?
The symptoms of food-born botulism may include double vision, blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth, and muscle weakness. Infants with botulism appear to have little energy (lethargic), eat poorly, are constipated, and have a weak cry and poor muscle tone. These are all symptoms of the muscle paralysis caused by the nerve toxin. If botulism is not treated, advanced symptoms may cause paralysis of the arms, legs, and trunk and the muscles that help you breathe. In food-born botulism, symptoms generally begin 18 to 36 hours after eating a contaminated food. But they can occur as early as 4 hours or as late as 10 days after eating the food.
Anthrax
Anthrax is an infectious disease that’s caused by bacteria. It’s very rare in the United States, but it can be very serious.
It usually only affects farm animals like cows and sheep. But it’s possible to become infected if you’re in contact with infected animals or products that come from them. You wouldn’t be at risk otherwise, unless you work with anthrax in a lab or are exposed to it because of terrorism.
Anthrax isn’t contagious, so you can’t spread it to other people.
You should see a doctor right away if you think you might have been exposed to it.
What Causes It? Anthrax is caused by a type of bacteria called Bacillus anthracis. Again, it’s rare in the United States, but it can live in the soil.
The bacteria make spores, which are a form of the bacteria that live in a protective shell. These spores can survive for a long time, even years, in soil. You can get anthrax if spores get into your body, break open and release the bacteria, which make toxins (poison) that harm you.
How Would I Get It?
There are different ways. You could be exposed if you:
● Breathe in the spores ● Eat or drink something that’s tainted with the anthrax spores ● Touch something that has the spores on it and they get into your body through cuts in your skin. ● Inject tainted heroin (known as “injection anthrax,” it has happened only in northern Europe so far) Most people who get anthrax work with infected animals, or with animal products like wool or hide.
What Are the Symptoms?
If you get anthrax through a cut or sore on your skin, you might have:
● A group of small, itchy blisters or a bump that looks like a bug bite (can be blackened) ● A sore on your skin that shows up after the blisters (usually painless and appearing on the face, neck, arms, or hands) ● Swelling around the sore If you eat or drink something that contains the spores, such as the undercooked meat of an infected animal, your symptoms could include:
● Fever, chills ● Swelling in your neck or glands and pain when you swallow ● Nausea, loss of appetite, and vomiting, which may be bloody ● Diarrhea that may be bloody ● Headache ● Stomachache ● Redness in your eyes and face ● Fainting ● Pain and swelling in your abdomen Cholera Cholera is an infectious disease that causes severe watery diarrhea, which can lead to dehydration and even death if untreated. It is caused by eating food or drinking water contaminated with a bacterium called Vibrio cholerae.
Cholera was prevalent in the U.S. in the 1800s, before modern water and sewage treatment systems eliminated its spread by contaminated water. Only about 10 cases of cholera are reported each year in the U.S. and half of these are acquired abroad. Rarely, contaminated seafood has caused cholera outbreaks in the U.S. However, cholera outbreaks are still a serious problem in other parts of the world. At least 150,000 cases are reported to the World Health Organization each year.
The disease is most common in places with poor sanitation, crowding, war, and famine. Common locations include parts of Africa, south Asia, and Latin America. If you are traveling to one of those areas, knowing the following cholera facts can help protect you and your family.
Cholera Causes
Vibrio cholerae, the bacterium that causes cholera, is usually found in food or water contaminated by feces from a person with the infection. Common sources include:
● Municipal water supplies ● Ice made from municipal water ● Foods and drinks sold by street vendors ● Vegetables grown with water containing human wastes ● Raw or undercooked fish and seafood caught in waters polluted with sewage When a person consumes the contaminated food or water, the bacteria release a toxin in the intestines that produces severe diarrhea.
It is not likely you will catch cholera just from casual contact with an infected person. Cholera Symptoms
Symptoms of cholera can begin as soon as a few hours or as long as five days after infection. Often, symptoms are mild. But sometimes they are very serious. About one in 20 people infected have severe watery diarrhea accompanied by vomiting, which can quickly lead to dehydration. Although many infected people may have minimal or no symptoms, they can still contribute to spread of the infection.
Signs and symptoms of dehydration include:
● Rapid heart rate ● Loss of skin elasticity (the ability to return to original position quickly if pinched) ● Dry mucous membranes, including the inside of the mouth, throat, nose, and eyelids ● Low blood pressure ● Thirst ● Muscle cramps If not treated, dehydration can lead to shock and death in a matter of hours because you lose water in up to 50 lbs of diarrhea!