ronment, they are harmful to human health, and
the IMMUNE SYSTEMestablishes mechanisms to stop,
contain, or attack them should they enter the
body. Bacteria can cause infection and illness by
destroying the cells they invade or by releasing
toxins. ANTIBIOTIC MEDICATIONStreat bacterial infec-
tions.
Traditional classification systems view bacteria
according to their physical (morphologic) charac-
teristics because these are the traits perceptible
with the use of a microscope, the first tool avail-
able for viewing microbes. These characteristics
provide basic information about the particular
bacterial family that is important to doctors when
choosing antibiotic medications to treat bacterial
infections. Methods made available through
advances in molecular medicine during the latter
years of the 20th century, such as ribosomal
analysis and DNA sequencing, allow improved
understanding of how bacteria function both to
support health and to cause illness.
ILLNESSES CAUSED BY BACTERIAL INFECTION
ABSCESS ANTHRAX
APPENDICITIS bacterialMENINGITIS
BOTULISM CAMPYLOBACTERIOSIS
CHLAMYDIA CHOLERA
COLD SORE CONJUNCTIVITIS
DIPHTHERIA EPIGLOTTITIS
FOLLICULITIS FURUNCLE
GONORRHEA HERPES ZOSTER
INFECTIOUS ARTHRITIS LEGIONNAIRES’ DISEASE
LISTERIOSIS LYME DISEASE
MASTOIDITIS NECROTIZING FASCIITIS
ORBITAL CELLULITIS OSTEOMYELITIS
PERICARDITIS PERITONSILLAR ABSCESS
PNEUMOCOCCAL PNEUMONIA RHEUMATIC HEART DISEASE
ROCKYMOUNTAIN SPOTTED FEVER SCARLET FEVER
SEPTICEMIA STAPHYLOCOCCAL SCALDED
STREP THROAT SKIN SYNDROME
SYPHILIS TUBERCULOSIS
TYPHOID FEVER
See also CELL STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION; CHILDHOOD
DISEASES; ESCHERICHIA COLI INFECTION; NUTRITIONAL
THERAPY; PATHOGEN.
botulism A potentially life-threatening illness
resulting from INFECTIONwith the anaerobic bac-
terium Clostridium botulinum. The BACTERIAare nat-
urally present in soil, where they encase them-
selves in spores. In the body, the bacteria release a
toxin that blocks the release of acetylcholine, a
NEUROTRANSMITTERthat facilitates NERVE impulses
from neurons to MUSCLEcells, causing PARALYSIS
that may range in severity from mild to life-
threatening. There are three types of botulism:- Foodborne botulism results from eating
improperly canned or cooked foods contami-
nated with C. botulinum spores. Because the
bacteria are anaerobic, they thrive in the rela-
tively oxygen-free environment of canned, bot-
tled, or otherwise contained foods. Foodborne
botulism most commonly causes gastrointesti-
nal symptoms such as abdominal cramping and
DIARRHEA, though can cause systemic symptoms
that may include paralysis of the chest muscles. - Wound botulism develops in traumatic injury
wounds that close over after the injury, trap-
ping bacteria within them. Usually the injury
involves some sort of contact with soil. This
type of botulism can result in the infection
commonly called gas GANGRENE. Often treat-
ment requires surgery to open and clean the
wound, removing damaged and dead tissue,
along with administration of intravenous
ANTIBIOTIC MEDICATIONS. - Infant botulism occurs in children under age
one year whose gastrointestinal tracts are not
fully developed. The most common source of C.
botulinumthat causes infant botulism is unpas-
teurized honey. In an older child or adult the
NORMAL FLORAand environment of the gastroin-
testinal tract would neutralize the few C. botu-
linumspores honey typically contains, but the
infant’s system lacks the maturity to do this.
Symptoms and Diagnostic Path
Symptoms begin 2 to 10 days after exposure. Early
neurologic symptoms include vision disturbances,
difficulty swallowing and speaking, and drooping
eyelids (PTOSIS). As the infection progresses, paraly-
sis may develop throughout the body. In foodborne
botulism symptoms also include NAUSEA, VOMITING,
and diarrhea. In wound botulism, there may also
be PAINand swelling at the wound site though usu-
ally the wound appears normal.312 Infectious Diseases