The Short List of Pathogens, Diseases, and Treatments
Sorted by Pathogen
Type
Bacteria
Etiological Agent
Bacillus anthracis
Disease
Anthrax
Bacteria
Bordetella pertussis
Whooping cough
Bacteria
Borrelia burgdorferi
Lyme disease, relapsing fever
Bacteria
Campylobacter jejuni
Dysentery, Campylobacter
Bacteria
Chlamydophila
pneumoniae
Pneumonia (Chlamydial)
Bacteria
Chlamydia trachomatis Urethritis (nongonococcal), Pelvic
inflammatory disease (PID)
Bacteria
Clostridium botulinum Botulism; wound botulism
Bacteria
Clostridium difficile
Bacteria
Clostridium perfringens Gas gangrene, C. perfringens
gastroenteritis
Bacteria
Clostridium tetani
Tetanus
Bacteria
Corynebacterium
diptheriae
Diptheria
Bacteria
Coxiella burnetti
Q Fever
Tetracycline
Bacteria
Ehrlichia spp.
Ehrlichiosis
Doxycycline
Diarrhea, nosocomial
Treatment
Ciprofloxacin or doxycycline plus additional
agents; vaccine available but requires a
series of six injections over 18 months.
Erythromycin, clarithromycin better tolerated
A tetracycline (doxycycline) or semisynthetic
penicillin (amoxicillin), cephalosporin
(ceftriaxone or cefotaxime) for late
complications
Usually self-limiting; oral rehydration
Cephalosporin (Rocephin) +/- macrolide
(clarithromycin or azithromycin) or
fluroquinolone (ciprofloxacin) + tetracycline
(doxycycline)
Cephalosporin (Rocephin) +/- macrolide
(clarithromycin or azithromycin) or
fluroquinolone (ciprofloxacin) + tetracycline
(doxycycline)
Antitoxin, antibiotics of almost no use
because toxin is preformed
Metronidazole (Flagyl)
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
Bacteria
Enterobacter spp.
Bacteria
Enterococcus spp.
(faecalis, faecium)
Bacteria
Escherichia coli
Bacteria
Haemophilus
influenzae
Bacteria
Helicobacter pylori
Bacteria
Bacteria
Bacteria
Bacteria
Bacteria
Bacteria
Bacteria
Nosocomial pneumonia and wound
infections.
Most common cause of surgical
wound infections, nosocomial
sepsis
Gastroenteritis, enterotoxigenic,
enteroinvasive, and
enterohemorrhagic; Traveler’s
diarrhea/Montezuma’s revenge.
Nosocomial pneumonia and wound
infections.
Meningitis, bacteremia, epiglottitis,
or pneumonia.
*
Nafcillin + gentamicin or Nafcillin +
ciprofloxacin
Usually self-limiting; oral rehydration; if
drugs required see *
Hib vaccine available; Rifampin;
chloramphenicol or ampicillin, both in
serious infections; second generation
cephalosporins
Penicillin, broad spectrum antibiotics
Ulcer (Gastric and duodenal),
stomach cancer
Klebsiella pneumoniae Pneumonia, most common cause of *
surgical wound infections
Legionella
Legionellosis (pneumonia)
Erythromycin
pneumophila
Mycobacterium leprae Leprosy (Hansen's disease)
Dapsone, rifampin, and clofazimine in
combination; vaccine available as adjunct to
chemotherapy; BCG vaccine is also
somewhat protective
Mycobacterium
Tuberculosis
Isoniazid, rifampin, ethambutol
tuberculosis
Mycoplasma
Pneumonia (Mycoplasmal )
Cephalosporin (Rocephin) +/- macrolide
pneumonia
(clarithromycin or azithromycin) or
fluroquinolone (ciprofloxacin) + tetracycline
(doxycycline)
Neisseriae gonorrhoea Gonorrhea
Ceftriaxone (Rocephin, a cephalosporin)
(gonococcus)
Neisseriae meningitidis Meningitis (meningococcal)
Penicillin or semisynthetic penicillin
(meningococcus)
(Ampicillin), cephalosporin (ceftriaxone Rocephin), chloramphenicol for patients
allergic to penicillin
Bacteria
Pseudomonas
aeruginosa
Bacteria
Rickettsia rickettsii
Nosocomial pneumonia and wound *
infections, dermatitis, otitis externa,
urinary tract infections, burns; can
cause septicemia, abscesses, and
meningitis.
Rocky Mountain spotted fever
Tetracycline (doxycycline), chloramphenicol
Bacteria
Salmonella enterica
Food Poisoning (Salmonellosis)
Bacteria
Salmonella typhi
Typhoid fever
Bacteria
Shigella sonnei
Dysentery (Shigellosis)
Bacteria
Staphylococcus aureus Most common cause of
**
(coagulase +, beta
nosocomial pneumonia, MRSA
accounts for 52.3% of S. aureus
hemolytic)
nosocomial infections. Also
causes boils (furuncles), carbuncles
(abscesses), acute bacterial
endocarditis, folliculitis, food
poisoning, impetigo, otitis media,
pimples, scalded skin syndrome,
sties, and toxic shock syndrome.
Staphylococcus
Most important cause of nosocomial **
epidermidis (coagulase sepsis. May also cause acute
-, no beta hemolysis) bacterial endocarditis.
Streptococcus
Pneumonia (pneumococcal),
**
pneumoniae
Meningitis (pneumococcal), otitis
media; Nosocomial pneumonia and
wound infections.
Bacteria
Bacteria
Antibiotics not useful; oral rehdyration
therapy
Ceftriaxone (Rocephin) or other 3rd
generation cephalosporins
Usually self-limiting
Bacteria
Streptococcus
pyogenes (group A
beta-hemolytic
streptococci)
Bacteria
Treponema pallidum
Strep throat (may be accompanied **
by scarlet fever or rheumatic fever),
impetigo, otitis media, and
erysipelas.)
Also causes pneumonia, bacteremia
in association with cutaneous
infection, deep soft-tissue infection cellulitis, myositis, necrotizing
fascitis, meningitis, peritonitis,
osteomyelitis, septic arthritis,
puerperal fever, neonatal sepsis,
and nonfocal bacteremia
Syphilis
**
Bacteria
Vibrio cholerae
Gastroenteritis, Vibrio Non-O:1
Bacteria
Fungus
Yersinia pestis
Aspergillus flavus
Fungus
Blastomyces
dermatidis
Fungus
Candida albicans
Fungus
Coccidiodies immitis
Fungus
Cryptococcus
neoformans
Tetracycline (doxycycline); oral rehydration
more important
Bubonic Plague
Streptomycin
Aflatoxin poisoning may contribute Aflatoxin: feeding large quantities of an
to cirrhosis and liver cancer, also
adsorbent such as activated charcoal may
may cause serious respiratory
be used. Antioxidants and inducers of
infections.
cytochrome P450 may give a protective
effect. Respiratory infections: Amphotericin
B, ketoconazole or fluconazole (Diflucan).
Blastomycosis - respiratory infection Amphotericin B
resembles bacterial pneumonia,
may spread from lungs, causing
severe abscesses.
Opportunistic. Usually affects
Miconazole, clotrimazole, and nystatin
mucous membranes or moist areas (topically); ketoconazole or fluconazole
of skin. Thrush is infection of oral
(Diflucan) orally.
mucosae. Vaginitis is infection of
vaginal mucosae.
Coccidioidomycosis - progressive Amphotericin B
disease resembles T.B.
Cryptococcosis - severe meningitis Amphotericin B and flucytosine in
combination
Fungus
Histoplasma
capsulatum
Helminth
Helminth
Ascaris lumbricoides
Echinonococcus
granulosus
Necator americanus
Hookworms
Schistosoma sp.
Schistomiasis
Taenia saginata (beef) Tapeworm infection
Prion
Spongiform encephalitis
Cryptosporidium
Dysentery: Cryptosporidiosis
parvum
Entamoeba histoltica Dysentery: Amoebiasis
Helminth
Helminth
Helminth
Prion
Protozoa
Protozoa
Histoplasmosis - respiratory, usually Amphotericin B
subclinical, resembles T.B. if
progressive
Ascariasis
Mebendazole
Hydatid disease
Surgical removal, albendazole to kill cysts
Dysentery: Giardiasis
Protozoa
Giardia intestinalis
(lamblia)
Leshmania sp.
Protozoa
Naegleria fowleri
Meningoencephalitis
Protozoa
Plasmodium sp.
Malaria
(P.falciparum, P. vivax,
P. malariae, P. ovale)
Protozoa
Toxoplasma gondii
Protozoa
Trichomonas vaginalis Trichomoniasis (vaginitis)
Protozoa
Leshmaniasis
Toxoplasmosis
Mebendazole
Praziquantel and oxamniquine.
Praziquantel and albendazole
None
Oral rehydration
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)
Protozoa
Trypanosoma brucei
rhodesiense, T.b.
gambiense
Protozoa
Trypanosoma cruzi
Virus
African trypanosomiasis
Chagas’ disease, American
trypanosomiasis
Ebola virus (a filovirus) Hemorrhagic fever, viral
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 None
lymphoma, nasopharyngeal
carcinoma
Hepatitis, infectious
Vaccine avaliable
Virus
Hepatitis C virus
Hepatitis, serum
Virus
Herpes simplex 1
Cold Sores, may cause genital
Acyclovir, gangcyclovir may modify
herpes depending on transmission symptoms
Virus
AIDS
Anti-retrovirals (nucleoside/nucleotide
analogs - AZT) and protease inhibitors
Virus
Human
Immunodeficiency
virus (HIV)
Influenza virus
Neuraminidase inhibitors: Oseltamivir
phosphate(Tamiflu), Zanamivir(Relenza);
Uncoating inhibitors: Amantadine,
Zimantadine
Virus
Lassa fever virus
Virus
Marburg virus (a
filovirus)
Measles virus
Influenza: Types A, B, and C.
Segmented genome allows
extensive recombination leading to
antigenic changes. Transmitted by
inhalation, infects respiratory
mucosa, allows secondary bacterial
infections to occur after epithelial
denudation.
Hemorrhagic fever, viral; Lassa
Fever
Hemorrhagic fever, viral
Red measles (rubeola), Subacute
sclerosing panencephalitis
Vaccination provides effective long-term
immunity.
Virus
Virus
Papillomavirus spp.
Warts, including genital warts
Virus
Poliovirus
Poliomyelitis
Virus
Rabies
Virus
Virus
Rabies virus
(Lyssavirus)
Rhinovirus
Rotavirus
Virus
Rubivirus
Rubella (German Measles),
Congenital rubella syndrome
Virus
Varicella zoster (HHV- Chicken Pox (varicella), Shingles
3)
(herpes-zoster)
Virus
Variola major
Virus
Yellow Fever Virus
(Flavivirus, an
arbovirus)
Common cold
Gastroenteritis
Smallpox, (pox – vesicopustular
skin eruptions).
Hemorrhagic fever, viral; Yellow
Fever
May be removed by liquid nitrogen,
cryotherapy, electrodesiccation, acids, or
lasers.
**Vaccination
Vaccine available, treatment includes
injection with immune globulin and vaccine.
None
None
None, vaccine available.
Acyclovir for immunocompromised patients,
vaccine available.
None
Vaccine is now available.
*
Multi-drug
Piperacillin/tazobactam + tobramycin (penicillin + aminoglycoside) or
combinations for:
Clindamycin + ciprofloxacin (lincosamide - like a macrolide + fluoroquinolone)
Enterobacter, E.coli, or
Klebsiella pneumoniae, Ceftazidime or Imipenem +/- aminoglycoside (cephalosporin or penicillin +/Pseudomonas
aminoglycoside)
aeruginosa
**
Tx options for (drug
resistance) for:
Staphylococcus
aureus,
Polio vaccines
***
Penicillin or semisynthetic penicillin (nafcillin, oxycillin); cephalosporins
(Rocephin) or macrolides (Azithromycin, Clarithromycin [Biaxin], Telithromycin
[Ketek]); vancomycin for penicillin-resistant strains, synercid for vancomycin
resistant staphylococcus, zyvox for synercid resistance.
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.