Common Bacteria and Associated Disease


Section
Microorganism | Morphology and Stain | Disease | Description and Symptoms |
---|---|---|---|
Actinomyces israelii | Mycelial/Filamentous, Gram Positive | Actinomyces keratitis | Corneal inflammation, discharge, loss of vision, and corneal scarring |
Bacillus anthracis | Bacillus, Gram Positive | Anthrax | Cutaneous: Lesions and edema. Pulmonary: Flu-like symptoms, hypotension, and septic shock. Intestinal: Anorexia, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and hemorrhagic diarrhea. |
Bacillus cereus | Bacillus, Gram Positive | Food Poisoning (gastroenteritis) | Watery diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and nausea. Usually lasts 23 hours. |
Bacillus subtilis | Bacillus, Gram Positive | Food Poisoning (gastroenteritis) | Non-pathogenic. Occasionally causes food poisoning. |
Bacteroides fragilis | Bacillus, Gram Negative | Opportunistic Food Poisoning (gastroenteritis) | Diarrhea |
Bartonella henselae | Bacillus, Gram Negative | Peliosis hepatis | Blood filled cavities form in liver |
Bartonella quintana | Bacillus, Gram Negative | Trench Fever | Vector: Head lice Five day fever, severe headache, eye pain, severe shin pain, and muscle soreness. |
Bordetella pertussis | Bacillus, Gram Negative | Pertussis (whooping cough) | Escalating cough that develops high-pitch whoop in young children, rarely causes vomiting. |
Borellia burgdorferi | Spirochete, Gram Negative | Lyme borreliosis (lyme disease) | Vector: Tick Bulls-eye rash, flu-like symptoms, meningitis, nerve and brain inflammation, and arthritis. |
Borellia recurrentis | Spirochete, Gram Negative | Typhinia (Relapsing Fever) | Vector: Human body louse Recurring fever, headache, muscle pain, and nausea. |
Brucella abortus | Bacillus, Gram Negative | Brucellosis (Malta fever) | Vector: Cattle. Acute: Fever, chills, muscle pain, weakness, and weight loss. Chronic: Recurring joint pain, fatigue, and headaches. |
Campylobacter jejuni | Bacillus (curved), Gram Negative | Opportunistic Food Poisoning (gastroenteritis) | Abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea, fever, aches, and muscle pain. |
Chlamydia pneumoniae | Bacillus, Gram Negative | Pneumonia | Dry cough, fatigue, chest pain, fever, loss of appetite, and aches |
chlamydia trachomatis | Bacillus, Gram Negative | Chlamydia (STI) | Women: Vaginal bleeding, low back pain, and infertility. Men: Penile itching. Both sexes: Discharge, burning, increased risk of HIV infection |
chlamydia psittaci | Bacillus, Gram Negative | Psittacosis | Vector: Parrots or other birds. Fever, cough, epitaxis, severe headache, and pneumonia. |
chromobacterium violaceum | Bacillus, Gram Negative | Chromobacterium violaceum infection | Infection is rare, tissue inflammation, skin lesions, organ abscesses, and septic shock. |
Clostridium botulinum | Bacillus, Gram Positive | Botulism | Impaired vision, widespread muscular weakness, and eventual asphyxiation |
Clostridium difficile | Bacillus, Gram Positive | Clostridium difficile infrection | Antibiotic-associated diarrhea: three or more watery stools per day. Psuedomembraneous colitis: 10-15 watery stools per day, intestinal inflammation, fever, abdominal pain, blood or pus in stools. |
Clostridium perfringens | Bacillus, Gram Positive | Clostridium perfringens infection | Food poisoning: Abdominal cramping and diarrhea. Gas gangrene: Gas production in tissues, sepsis, necrosis, and shock. |
Clostridium tetani | Bacillus, Gram Positive | Tetanus | Spastic paralysis, lockjaw, sardonic smile, sweating, hyperthermia, and blood pressure changes |
Corynebacterium diphtheriae | Bacillus, Gram Positive | Diphtheria | Cutaneous: Shallow ulcers. Respiratory: Sore throat, fever, neck inflammation, and asphyxiation. |
Coxiella burnetii | Pleomorphic, Gram Negative | Q fever | Vectors: Pets or livestock. Endocarditis, pneumonia, hepatitis, and heart inflammation. |
Enterococcus faecium | Coccus, Gram Positive | Enterococcus faecium infection | Urinary tract infection: Painful urination. Meningitis: Headache, neck stiffness, high fever, and confusion. |
Enterococcus faecalis | Coccus, Gram Positive | Enterococcus faecalis infection | Urinary tract infection: Painful urination. Endocarditis: Fever, decreased immunity, and heart valve damage. |
Enterbacter aerogenes | Bacillus, Gram Negative | Enterobacter aerogenes infection | Urinary tract infection: Painful urination. Endocarditis: Fever, decreased immunity, and heart valve damage. |
Ehrlichia chaffeensis | Bacillus, Gram Negative | Human monocytotrophic ehrlichiosis | Vector: Tick Fever, headache, and rash. |
Escherichia coli | Bacillus, Gram Negative | Food Poisoning (gastroenteritis) | Acute diarrhea, stomach cramping, vomiting, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, fever. |
Francisella tularensis | Bacillus, Gram Negative | Tularemia (Rabbit Fever) | Ulcer formation at infection site, fever, weight loss, fatigue, and pneumonia. |
Gardnerella vaginalis | Bacillus, Variable | Bacterial vaginosis, Vaginal Bacteriosis | Vaginal discharge, itching, pain or burning upon urination (dysuria), and painful sexual intercourse |
Haemophilus ducreyi | Bacillus, Gram Negative | Chancroid (STI) | Ulcer formation at infection site; single or multiple necrotic ulcers that bleed on contact. |
Haemophilus infuenzae | Bacillus, Gram Negative | Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) | Affects young children, pneumonia, inflammation of throat, and meningitis. |
Helicobacter pylori | Bacillus (curved), Gram Negative | Peptic (gastric) ulcers | Abdominal pain, bloating, indigestion, and mild nausea. |
Klebsiella pneumoniae | Bacillus, Gram Negative | Klebsiella pneumonia | Lung necrosis and inflammation, production of thick bloody sputum (currant jelly sputum) |
Kocuria rosea | Coccus, Gram Positive | Acute cholecystitis (gallbladder inflammation) | Gnawing pain in upper right abdomen, nausea, sweating, loss of appetite, fever, chills, and bloating. |
Lactobacillus acidophilus | Bacillus, Gram Positive | Nonpathogenic | Normal gastrointestinal, oral and vaginal flora. |
Lactococcus lactis | Coccus, Gram Positive | Nonpathogenic | Cheese production. |
Legionella pneumophila | Bacillus, Gram Negative | Legionellosis | Legionnaires’ disease: pneumonia, fever, myalgia, cough, with progression to coma and death. Pontiac fever: Flu-like illness with myalgia, headache, fever, pain |
Leptospira interrogans | Spirochete, Gram Negative | Leptospirosis | Fever, headaches, chills, sore, muscles, vomiting, jaundice, red eyes, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and rashes. |
Listeria monocytogenes | Bacillus, Gram Positive | Listeriosis | Flu-like symptoms, vomiting, and diarrhea. |
Micrococcus luteus | Coccus, Gram Positive | Micrococcus infection | Occurs in immunocompromised patients, papule skin lesions |
Moraxella catarrhalis | Coccus, Gram Negative | Otitis media | Otalgia (ear ache), fever, and hearing loss. |
Mycobacterium aviumintracellulare | Bacillus, Gram Positive/Acid Fast | Paratuberculosis (Johne's disease) in cattle only | Peyer’s patches formation in ileum, malabsorption of nutrients, diarrhea, and weight loss. |
Mycobacterium bovis | Bacillus, Gram Positive/Acid Fast | Tuberculosis | Weight loss, fatigue, fever, night sweats, chills, painful cough, bloody sputum and chest pain. |
Mycobacterium leprae | Bacillus, Gram Positive/Acid Fast | Hansen's Disease (leprosy) | Numbness, maiming skin lesions, joint pain, and weakness. |
Mycobacterium tuberculosis | Bacillus, Gram Positive/Acid Fast | Tuberculosis *primary etiological agent of this disease | Weight loss, fatigue, fever, night sweats, chills, painful cough, bloody sputum and chest pain. |
Mycoplasma genitalium | Pleomorphic | Non-gonococcal urethritis | Women: Vaginal itching, inflamed cervix, and painful intercourse. Men: Urethritis. Both: Discharge and burning urination |
Mycoplasma hominis | Pleomorphic | Urinary tract infection | Dysuria, pelvic pain, urgency, and frequency. |
Mycoplasma pneumoniae | Pleomorphic | Pneumonia | Cough, sore throat, low-grade fever, headache and ear pain. |
Neisseria gonorrhoeae | Coccus, Gram Negative | Gonorrhea (STI) | Men: Discharge and dysuria. Women: Often asymptomatic, vaginal discharge, dysuria, and abdominal pain. |
Neisseria meningitidis | Coccus, Gram Negative | Meningococcal meningitis | Severe headache, neck stiffness, high fever. |
Nocardia asteroides | Mycelial/Filamentous, Gram Positive/Acid Fast | Opportunistic Nocardia Infection | Pneumonia and encephalitis |
Nocardia brasiliensis | Mycelial/FIlamentous, Gram Positive/Acid Fast | Nocardiosis (Pulmonary nocardiosis) | Chest pain, bloody cough, fever, night sweat, and weight loss. |
Pasteurella multocida | Bacillus, Gram Negative | Pasteurellosis | Swelling, fever, vomiting, headache, diarrhea. |
Porphyromonas gingivalis | Bacillus, Gram Negative | Gingivitis periodontitis | Bleeding gums, tooth ligament lesions and tooth loss |
Propionibacterium acnes | Bacillus, Gram Negative | Acne vulgaris | Formations of skin cysts, papules and nodules. |
Proteus mirabilis | Bacillus, Gram Negative | Urinary tract infection | High urease production, urgency, and burning upon urination |
Providencia stuartii | Bacillus, Gram Negative | Urinary tract infection | High urease production, urgency, and burning upon urination |
Pseudomonas aeruginosa | Bacillus, Gram Negative | Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection | Occurs in immunocomprimised patients, burn and blood stream infection. |
Rickettsia rickettsii | Bacillus, Gram Negative | Rocky mountain spotted fever | Vector: Tick. Chills, fever, headache, confusion, and rash. |
Salmonella typhi | Bacillus, Gram Negative | Typhoid; Typhoid fever | High fever, headache, fatigue, sore throat, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and rash |
Salmonella typhimurium | Bacillus, Gram Negative | Gasteroenteritis | Severe diarrhea |
Serratia marcescens | Bacillus, Gram Negative | Urinary tract infection | High urease production, urgency, and burning urination. |
Shigella dysenteriae | Bacillus, Gram Negative | Shigellosis | Acute abdominal cramping, fever, bloody stool, tenesmus (rectal pain), and nausea. |
Shigella flexneria | Bacillus, Gram Negative | Shigellosis | Acute abdominal cramping, fever, bloody stool, tenesmus (rectal pain), and nausea. |
Shigella sonnei | Bacillus, Gram Negative | Shigellosis | Acute abdominal cramping, fever, bloody stool, tenesmus (rectal pain), and nausea. |
Sprillum minor | Spirillum, Gram Negative | Rat bite fever | Vector: Rat. Inflammation and pus formation at infection site, recurrent fever, and enlarged lymph nodes. |
Staphylococcus aureus | Coccus, Gram Positive | Staphylococcus infection | Toxic shock syndrome: High fever, low blood pressure, confusion, and coma. MRSA: Pus, fever, skin abscess formation, and painful swelling |
Staphylococcus epidermidis | Coccus, Gram Positive | Mostly nonpathogenic | Normal skin flora |
Staphylococcus saprophyticus | Coccus, Gram Positive | Urinary tract infection | Dysuria, pelvic pain, urgency, and frequency. |
Streptococcus mutans | Coccus, Gram Positive | Dental Caries | Tooth pain and permanent damage to tooth. |
Streptococcus pneumoniae | Coccus, Gram Positive | Pneumonia | Dry cough, fatigue, chest pain, fever, loss of appetite, and aches. |
Streptococcus pyogenes | Coccus, Gram Positive | Pharyngitis (strep throat) | Fever, red sore throat with white patches, headache, nausea, swollen neck lymph nodes, and difficulty swallowing. |
Streptomyces coelicolor | Mycelial/Filamentous, Gram Negative | Non-pathogenic | Soil microorganisms |
Streptomyces griseus | Mycelial/Filamentous, Gram Negative | Non-pathogenic | Soil microorganisms; Used in antibiotic production |
Treponema pallidum | Spirochete, Gram Negative | Syphilis (STI) | Primary: Skin lesion at infection site. Secondary: Mucous membrane lesions, skin rash, fever, and weight loss. Latent: Asymptomatic. Tertiary: Formation of gummas (Soft infiltrative tumors) |
Ureaplasma urealyticum | Pleomorphic, Gram Negative | Ureaplasma urealyticum infection | Infertility, recurrent pregnancy loss, pelvic pain, and menstrual disruption. |
Vibrio cholerae | Vibrio, Gram Negative | Cholera | Severe and watery diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, muscle cramps, dehydration, and shock. |
Vibrio parahaemolyticus | Vibrio, Gram Negative | Food poisoning (gastroenteritis) | Watery diarrhea, abdominal cramping, nausea, vomiting, fever, and chills. |
Yersinia enterocolitica | Bacillus, Gram Negative | Yersiniosis | Fever, abdominal pain, and bloody diarrhea. |
Yersinia pestis | Bacillus, Negative | Plague (Black death) | Vector: Flea. Bubonic plague (rare): High fever chills, malaise, nausea, myalgia, severe, seizures, and bubo (smooth painful lymph swelling) formation. Complications can lead to death. Pneumonic plague (rare): Cough with bloody sputum, difficulty breathing, high fever, nausea and vomiting, weakness. Respiratory complications can be fatal. |
Yersinia pseudotuberculosis | Bacillus, Negative | Pseudotuberculosis | Fever, abdominal pain, and rash |
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