Some new strains of fungal infections are proving to be especially dangerous , such as Candida aurus , and have prompted more research into fungal infections. Parasites are organisms that behave like tiny animals, living in or on a host and feeding from or at the expense of the host. Though parasitic infections are more common in tropical and subtropical regions, they can occur anywhere.
They can be spread several ways, including through contaminated soil, water, food, and blood, as well as through sexual contact and via insect bites. Viruses can cause a number of infections, many of which are contagious. Examples of viral diseases include:. Pathogens have the ability to make us sick, but when healthy, our bodies can defend against pathogens and the illnesses they cause. Treatments are available for many of the illnesses caused by the different types of pathogens.
Bacterial meningitis is a serious disease that can lead to paralysis, stroke, and even death. Read more on how to treat and prevent it. Airborne diseases spread easily and are difficult to prevent. Learn more about the types of airborne diseases and how to protect yourself.
The 5-second rule gives you permission to eat something that fell on the floor, as long as it's picked up within five seconds. But is it safe? Boils are caused by bacteria building up in a hair follicle and pushing up to the surface of the skin. Recurring boils happen for a number of reasons…. Certain E. Learn about other bacteria and parasites like pinworms and how to prevent…. Shigellosis is a bacterial infection that affects the digestive system.
The Shigella bacterium is spread through contact with contaminated feces. As a boil on the skin matures, it typically develops a visible core of pus. Learn when to see a doctor, how to get the core out of a boil at home, and…. Q fever, also called query fever, is a bacterial infection caused by bacteria commonly found in cattle, sheep, and goats. Some microorganisms live with us and inside our bodies.
Bacteria represent the majority of the microorganisms living in the body. Did you know that you have more bacteria in your body than you have human cells? Do you have any idea why these bacteria live in your body? We carry these neighbors with us every day and usually they do not make us sick. Are they friendly?
Or can they make us ill? How do they get in? What is their role in the body? Bacteria are tiny living microorganisms that are too small to be seen by the naked eye.
They are a 1, times smaller than a pencil tip. We have to use an instrument called a microscope, which makes the image of the bacteria big enough to be seen. There are many different kinds of bacteria with diverse shapes and sizes. Some look like a baseball bat, others are round like a basketball but millions of times smaller Figure 1. Bacteria live on the skin, inside the nose, in the throat, in the mouth, in the vagina, and in the gut.
The majority of the bacteria found in the body live in the human gut. There are billions of bacteria living there Figure 2. We call the group of all the microbes found in the body the human microbiota [ 1 ].
These microorganisms colonize the body, which means that they usually do not cause any harm. When a microorganism causes sickness, that is called an infection. We begin to be colonized by bacteria during birth. During the birth process and immediately after birth, we get our first microorganisms. All babies also acquire bacteria from the skin of the nurses and medical doctors and the environment they live in. After babies begin to eat, they get microbes from their diet.
In the first days of life, the type of the microorganisms that colonize their intestines will be different, depending whether the baby is breast feeding or drinking formula.
As babies grow, they get microorganisms from the solid food they eat, from crawling on the floor, from putting their hands in their mouths, from licking toys, and from many other sources! The microbes that live in the human body change during our growth, until we are 3 years old. At that point, the microbiota becomes more or less stable until adult life.
Each individual has his or her own microbiota, which depends in part, but not only, on the types of food eaten, the environment where the person lives, and the other people and animals that the person interacts with Figure 3 [ 2 , 3 ]. When we mention bacteria in the human body, you might immediately think of a disease, called a bacterial infection.
At some point in your life, you have probably had an infection that was treated by antibiotics prescribed by your doctor. Antibiotics are medicines that kill or prevent the growth of bacteria. However, the majority of the microbes are harmless and actually help to maintain our health. The microbes of the skin, mouth, and nose fight against bad bacteria that want to enter the body to cause disease. These good bacteria act like guards that keep away the harmful bacteria that make us sick.
The bacteria that colonize the vagina are another example of good bacteria. They maintain an acidic environment in the vagina that prevents the growth of other microorganisms that might cause disease. Disease-causing microorganisms are called pathogens. Even though most of the time they are harmless or even helpful, in certain conditions some of the bacteria that are part of the human microbiota can harm us.
Droplets spread by sneezes, coughs, or simply talking can transmit disease if they come in contact with mucous membranes of the eye, mouth, or nose of another person. Contact: Some diseases spread via direct contact with infected skin, mucous membranes , or body fluids. Diseases transmitted this way include cold sores herpes simplex virus type 1 and sexually transmitted diseases such as AIDS. Pathogens can also be spread by indirect contact when an infected person touches a surface such as a doorknob, countertop, or faucet handle, leaving behind microbes that are then transferred to another person who touches that surface and then touches his or her eye s , mouth, or nose.
Droplets spread by sneezes, coughs, or simply talking can transmit infection if one person comes in contact with the mucous membranes of the eye s , mouth, or nose of another person. Influenza is spread by airborne droplet transmission but more commonly by indirect contact on surfaces. Common vehicles: Contaminated food, water, blood, or other vehicles may spread pathogens. Microorganisms like E.
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