Dr. Germs, Defender of Health - Learn all about which bacteria classify as germs, how they are transmittedd, and which diseases and symptoms they can cause

Bacteria live in almost any warm, moist environment, and there are thousands of different kinds. They are single-cell organisms that can reproduce very quickly, in as little as 15 minutes. Bacteria can be spread through food, the air or blood.

Bacteria	Transmission	Disease and Symptoms
Bacillus anthracis	Air, food, and skin: Anthrax bacteria spores, which rest dormant in soil after killing their ruminant host (cattle, sheep, goat, etc.), enter the human body through the intestines (ingestion), lungs (inhalation), or skin (cutaneous). Anthrax is non-contagious and is unlikely to spread from person to person.	Inhalation Anthrax (aka Woolsorters' disease or Ragpickers' disease) Cold or flu systems followed by severe (often fatal) respiratory failure. Gastrointestinal Anthrax Severe diarrhea, acute inflammation of the intestinal tract, and bloody vomit. Often fatal. Cutaneous Anthrax Large, painless skin ulcers that begin as itchy lesions, blisters, or black dots.
Borrelia burgdorferi	Blood-borne, insect-to-human: Transmitted by the bite of infected ticks.	Lyme disease Fever, headache, fatigue, skin rash in a "bullseye" pattern. Untreated, infection can spread to joints, the heart, and the nervous system.
Campylobacter jejuni	Food-borne, water-borne: Contaminated water, raw milk, and raw or undercooked meat, poultry, or shellfish.	Campylobacteriosis: Fever, headache, muscle pain, diarrhea (can be bloody), abdominal pain, nausea
Clostridium botulinum	Food-borne: Improperly canned foods or stored foods can foster bacteria that produce a poisonous toxin.	Botulism: Affects the nervous system to cause double vision, droopy eyelids, trouble speaking, swallowing and breathing. Fatal if not treated.
Clostridium perfringens	Food-borne: Often called the “cafeteria germ”; many outbreaks occur when food is left out in steam tables or at room temperature	Perfringens food poisoning: Intense abdominal cramps and diarrhea.
Clostridium tetani neurotoxin (tetanospasmin)	Wound contamination: A cut or deep puncture wound allows entry of bacteria and produce a powerful toxin in the human body.	Tetanus (aka Lockjaw) Muscle spasms in the jaw, difficulty swallowing, also muscle stiffness, spasms, and seizures in other parts of the body.
Coliform, Fecal (Enterobacter, Klebsiella, Citrobacter)	Water-borne, food-borne: Lives in soil, vegetation, and the intestinal tract of warm-blooded animals.	Cystitis (urinary tract infection, most commonly): Frequent urge to urinate; pain or burning sensation in the urethra; pus or blood in urine; cloudy and foul-smelling urine; mild fever.
Corynebacterium diphtheriae	Airborne: Highly contagious through direct contact with or breathing of the aerosolized secretions of infected individuals.	Diphtheria Sore throat, low-grade fever, and a leathery membrane that grows on the tonsil(s), throat and in the nose (eradicated in developing countries through vaccination)
Escherichia coli O157:H7 (the most common fecal coliform)	Food-borne, person-to-person: Ingestion of contaminated water, raw milk, raw or rare ground beef, unpasteurized apple juice or cider, uncooked fruits and vegetables.	E. coli infection: Diarrhea (may be bloody), abdominal cramps, nausea, and malaise; the very young and the elderly are especially at risk for kidney failure.
Listeria monocytogenes	Food-borne: Ingestion of contaminated food such as raw meat, dairy products, vegetables, and seafood.	Listeriosis Fever, muscle aches, nausea, diarrhea, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, convulsions
Salmonella (over 1,500 types)	Food-borne: Ingestion of raw or undercooked eggs, poultry, and meat; raw milk and seafood.	Salmonellosis: Stomach pain, diarrhea, nausea, chills, fever, and headache
Staphylococcus (many species, some harmful)	Person-to-person: Living on the skin and mucous membranes of warm-blooded animals, these bacteria can be transmitted through skin-to-skin contact. Food-borne: Improperly stored food can foster bacteria whose toxin resists heat, increasing the chance of infection. Nosocomial: Staph bacteria attach easily to smooth metal and plastic, and therefore can infect those treated with urinary catheters, cardiac shunts, and orthopedic devices.	Staph infection: Depending on transmission, various parts of the body can become infected, including the digestive system, urinary tract, central nervous system, circulatory system, bones, and abdominal cavity.
Staphylococcus aureus	Person-to-person: Through contact with pus from an infected wound, skin-to-skin contact with an infected person, and contact with clothing, linens, and other objects used by an infected person. Bacteria survives on dry surfaces, increasing the chance of transmission.	Staph Infection (aka S. aureus or Staph aureus): Causes illnesses ranging from minor skin infections (pimples, boils, cellulitis) and abscesses to life-threatening diseases such as pneumonia, meningitis, endocarditis, Toxic shock syndrome (TSS), and septicemia. MRSA is an increasingly common cause of dangerous hospital-acquired infections.
Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA or "Super Staph")
Streptococcus A	Food-borne, person-to-person: People with poor hygiene can transfer Strep from their hands onto food and to others.	Strep Throat: Sore throat, painful swallowing, tonsillitis, high fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, malaise
Streptococcus or Staphylococcus	Person-to-person: Direct contact, especially by broken skin, with lesions or nasal aerosol of infected people.	Impetigo Itchy, pimple-like skin sores that fill with pus then break down to form a thick crust. Most common among young children.
This sample list of bacteria and the diseases they cause is far from all-inclusive. For complete information about any disease, we encourage you to visit the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (http://www.cdc.gov/). This content is intended for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or to replace the advice or diagnosis of your physician or health care provider.