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Bacterial diseases can be deadly and are caused by pathogenic bacteria. Tuberculosis is a common bacterial disease, while Salmonella and Shigella are transmitted through food. Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial diseases, but overuse can lead to antibiotic resistance. Proper cooking and cleaning can help prevent bacterial infections.
Bacterial diseases are infectious diseases affecting people, caused by human pathogenic bacteria. Most bacteria are harmless to people and some are actually quite beneficial. However, some can cause disease and some are quite deadly. Many bacterial diseases can be successfully treated with modern antibiotics, although overuse of these drugs is increasingly becoming a concern.
One of the most common bacterial diseases affecting humans is tuberculosis. Caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis, this disease is responsible for the death of almost 2 million people every year, mainly affecting the populations of the sub-Saharan region of the African continent. Pathogenic bacteria are the cause of infectious diseases including leprosy, tetanus, syphilis and typhoid fever. Diseases transmitted by bacteria through food consumption include Salmonella and Shigella.
Staphylococcus, whose primary pathogenic species is Staphylococcus aureus, is the cause of most nosocomial infections. Multidrug-resistant strains have become increasingly problematic due to the overuse of antibiotics. Streptococcus pyogenes is the bacterium that causes sore throats, although not all streptococcus are harmful. Some are beneficial, such as Streptococcus thermophilus, which is one of the bacteria that helps make yogurt from milk.
Pathogenic bacteria can be subclassified in relation to how they interact with an infected person. Conditionally pathogenic bacteria are part of the normal human flora and usually coexist peacefully without causing any disease. However, these same organisms can cause pneumonia and meningitis in some individuals.
Rickettsia is considered an intracellular pathogenic bacterium as it is only able to live within the cells of a host organism. Rocky mountain spotted fever and typhoid are both caused by a different species of rickettsia. A third class of pathogenic bacteria is called an opportunistic pathogen. These cause disease primarily in people with compromised immunosuppressive systems, such as people with AIDS and cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.
Antibiotics are used to treat people infected with bacterial diseases. There are two general types of antibiotics: bactericides kill bacteria and bacteriostatics simply prevent the growth of bacteria. Antibiotics, in addition to curing diseases in humans, are also used to promote the growth of farm animals. In recent years, it is the overuse of antibiotics in these two ways that many scientists believe has caused increasing antibiotic resistance in the general population.
There are many simple methods by which infections due to pathogenic bacterial diseases can be prevented. By cooking food to at least a temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees Celsius), most foodborne bacteria can be killed off. Proper cleaning of utensils and cooking surfaces, especially cutting boards, can also help minimize risks. Proper sterilization of medical equipment such as syringes, catheters, and surgical tools are important measures that can be taken to prevent bacterial infection.
