The Short List of Organisms, Diseases, and Treatments
Sorted by Organism
Type Etiological Agent
Bacteria Bacillus anthracis
Anthrax
Disease
Treatment
Ciprofloxacin or doxycycline plus
additional agents; vaccine
available but requires a series of
six injections over 18 months.
Bacteria Bordetella pertussis Whooping cough
Erythromycin, clarithromycin better
tolerated
Bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi Lyme disease, relapsing fever A tetracycline (doxycycline) or
semisynthetic penicillin
(amoxicillin), cephalosporin
(ceftriaxone or cefotaxime) for late
complications
Bacteria Campylobacter
Dysentery, Campylobacter
Usually self-limiting; oral
jejuni
rehydration
Bacteria Chlamydophila
Pneumonia (Chlamydial)
Cephalosporin (Rocephin) +/pneumoniae
macrolide (clarithromycin or
azithromycin) or fluroquinolone
(ciprofloxacin) + tetracycline
(doxycycline)
Bacteria Chlamydia
Urethritis (nongonococcal),
Cephalosporin (Rocephin) +/trachomatis
Pelvic inflammatory disease macrolide (clarithromycin or
(PID)
azithromycin) or fluroquinolone
(ciprofloxacin) + tetracycline
(doxycycline)
Bacteria Clostridium
Botulism; wound botulism
Antitoxin, antibiotics of almost no
botulinum
use because toxin is preformed
Bacteria Clostridium difficile Diarrhea, nosocomial
Metronidazole (Flagyl)
Bacteria Clostridium
perfringens
Gas gangrene
Bacteria Clostridium tetani
Tetanus
Bacteria Corynebacterium
diptheriae
Diptheria
Bacteria Escherichia coli
Gastroenteritis,
enterotoxigenic; Traveler’s
diarrhea/Montezuma’s
revenge
Ulcer (Gastric and duodenal),
stomach cancer
Legionellosis (pneumonia)
Bacteria Helicobacter pylori
Bacteria Legionella
pneumophila
Penicillin with antitoxin; surgical
removal of necrotic tissue and
amputation; may treat with
hyperbaric oxygen.
Antitoxin, (Tetanus Immune
Globulin, TIG) penicillin
Pencillin and erythromycin in
conjunction with antitoxin
Usually self-limiting; oral
rehydration
Penicillin, broad spectrum
antibiotics
Erythromycin
Bacteria Mycobacterium
leprae
Leprosy (Hansen's disease)
Bacteria Mycobacterium
tuberculosis
Bacteria Mycoplasma
pneumonia
Tuberculosis
Bacteria Neisseriae
gonorrhoea
(gonococcus)
Bacteria Neisseriae
meningitidis
(meningococcus)
Gonorrhea
Pneumonia (Mycoplasmal )
Dapsone, rifampin, and clofazimine
in combination; vaccine available
as adjunct to chemotherapy; BCG
vaccine is also somewhat
protective
Isoniazid, rifampin, ethambutol
Cephalosporin (Rocephin) +/macrolide (clarithromycin or
azithromycin) or fluroquinolone
(ciprofloxacin) + tetracycline
(doxycycline)
Ceftriaxone (Rocephin, a
cephalosporin)
Penicillin or semisynthetic penicillin
(Ampicillin), cephalosporin
(ceftriaxone - Rocephin),
chloramphenicol for patients
allergic to penicillin
Bacteria Rickettsia rickettsii Rocky Mountain spotted fever Tetracycline (doxycycline),
chloramphenicol
Bacteria Salmonella enterica Food Poisoning
Antibiotics not useful; oral
(Salmonellosis)
rehdyration therapy
Bacteria Salmonella typhi
Typhoid fever
Ceftriaxone (Rocephin) or other
3rd generation cephalosporins
Bacteria Shigella sonnei
Dysentery (Shigellosis)
Usually self-limiting
Bacteria Staphylococcus
aureus
Meningitis (meningococcal)
Food Poisoning, Pneumonia, Penicillin or semisynthetic penicillin
nosocomial, Toxic shock
(nafcillin, oxycillin); cephalosporins
syndrome
(Rocephin) or macrolides
(Azithromycin, Clarithromycin
[Biaxin], Telithromycin [Ketek]);
vancomycin for penicillin-resistant
strains
Bacteria Streptococcus
Pneumonia (Pneumococcal), Penicillin or semisynthetic penicillin
pneumoniae
Meningitis (Pneumococcal) (ampicillin), cephalosporin
(Rocephin), chloramphenicol for
patients allergic to penicillin;
vancomycin for penicillin-resistant
strains
Bacteria Streptococcus
Strep throat (may be
Penicillin or semisynthetic penicillin
pyogenes (group A accompanied by scarlet fever) (ampicillin), cephalosporin
beta-hemolytic
(Rocephin), chloramphenicol for
streptococci)
patients allergic to penicillin;
vancomycin for penicillin-resistant
strains
Bacteria Treponema pallidum Syphilis
Bacteria Vibrio cholerae
Bacteria Yersinia pestis
Protozoa Cryptosporidium
parvum
Protozoa Entamoeba
histoltica
Protozoa Giardia intestinalis
(lamblia)
Protozoa Leshmania sp.
Penicillin or semisynthetic penicillin
(ampicillin), cephalosporin
(Rocephin), chloramphenicol for
patients allergic to penicillin;
vancomycin for penicillin-resistant
strains
Gastroenteritis, Vibrio Non- Tetracycline (doxycycline); oral
O:1
rehydration more important
Bubonic Plague
Streptomycin
Dysentery: Cryptosporidiosis Oral rehydration
Dysentery: Amoebiasis
Dysentery: Giardiasis
Leshmaniasis
Protozoa Naegleria fowleri
Meningocephalitis
Protozoa Plasmodium sp.
(P.falciparum, P.
vivax, P. malariae,
P. ovale)
Malaria
Protozoa Toxoplasma gondii Toxoplasmosis
Protozoa Trichomonas
Trichomoniasis (vaginitis)
vaginalis
Protozoa Trypanosoma brucei African trypanosomiasis
rhodesiense, T.b.
gambiense
Protozoa Trypanosoma cruzi Chagas’ disease, American
trypanosomiasis
Virus
Ebola virus (a
Hemorrhagic fever, viral
filovirus)
Metronidazole (Flagyl) plus
iodoquinol
Metronidazole (Flagyl) or
quinacrine hydrochloride
Drugs containing the toxic metal
antimony, amphotericin B, recently
miltefosine.
Fatality rate is nearly 100%;
Diagnosis is typically made at
autopsy.
Quinine and derivatives
chloroquine, primaquine, and
mefloquine. Malarone is a new
combination drug, as effective as
mefloquine and less toxic.
Increasing use of artemisinin.
Pyrimethamine with
sulfadimiazine. Doesn’t affect the
chronic bradyzoite statge and is
toxic.
Tinidazole or metronidazole
(Flagyl)
Suramin and pentamidine
moderately effective, don’t alter
disease’s course. Melarsoprol
alters course of disease but is very
toxic. Eflornithine, introduced in
1992, is so effective even late that
it is referred to as the resurrection
drug; more effective against T. b.
gambiense, melarsoprol still
recommended for T.b. rhodesiense
Difficult to treat due to low efficacy
and toxicity of drugs available.
None
Virus
Epstein-Barr virus
(HHV-4)
Virus
Hepatitis A virus
Infectious mononucleosis,
Burkitt’s lymphoma,
nasopharyngeal carcinoma
Hepatitis, infectious
Virus
Hepatitis C virus
Hepatitis, serum
Virus
Herpes simplex 1
Virus
Virus
Human
Immunodeficiency
virus (HIV)
Influenza virus
Virus
Lassa fever virus
Virus
Marburg virus (a
filovirus)
Measles virus
Cold Sores, may cause
Acyclovir, gangcyclovir may modify
genital herpes depending on symptoms
transmission
AIDS
Anti-retrovirals
(nucleoside/nucleotide analogs AZT) and protease inhibitors
Influenza: Types A, B, and C. Neuraminidase inhibitors:
Segmented genome allows Oseltamivir phosphate(Tamiflu),
extensive recombination
Zanamivir(Relenza); Uncoating
leading to antigenic changes. inhibitors: Amantadine,
Transmitted by inhalation,
Zimantadine
infects respiratory mucosa,
allows secondary bacterial
infections to occur after
epithelial denudation.
Hemorrhagic fever, viral;
Lassa Fever
Hemorrhagic fever, viral
Virus
Virus
Virus
Virus
Virus
Virus
None
Vaccine avaliable
Red measles (rubeola),
Vaccination provides effective
Subacute sclerosing
long-term immunity.
panencephalitis
Papillomavirus spp. Warts, including genital warts May be removed by liquid nitrogen,
cryotherapy, electrodesiccation,
acids, or lasers.
Poliovirus
Poliomyelitis
Vaccination – Salk vaccine
developed in 1954 is a formalin
inactivated vaccine (IPV –
inactivated polio vaccine), requires
repeated injection, may be as high
as 90% effective. Sabin vaccine
introduced in 1963 contains 3 living
attenuated strains of the virus,
taken orally (OPV – oral polio
vaccine); immunity resembles
natural immunity but attenuated
strains may revert to virulence.
Rabies virus
Rabies
Vaccine available, treatment
(Lyssavirus)
includes injection with immune
globulin and vaccine.
Rhinovirus
Common cold
None
Rotavirus
Gastroenteritis
Virus
Rubivirus
Rubella (German Measles),
Congenital rubella syndrome
Virus
Varicella zoster
(HHV-3)
Chicken Pox (varicella),
Shingles (herpes-zoster)
Acyclovir for immunocompromised
patients, vaccine available.
Virus
Variola major
None
Virus
Yellow Fever Virus
(Flavivirus, an
arbovirus)
Smallpox, (pox –
vesicopustular skin
eruptions).
Hemorrhagic fever, viral;
Yellow Fever
Vaccine is now available.