* = most common; please note this is not an exhaustive list
and does not include all possible etiologies for a particular disease.
Central Nervous
System Infections
Acute Bacterial meningitis
Neonates
(0-2 weeks old)
Streptococcus agalactiae (Group b
streptococcus)
Escherichia coli
Listeria monocytogenes
Neonates (0-3 months)
Streptococcus agalactiae
Escherichia coli
Listeria monocytogenes
Streptococcus pneumoniae
Haemophilus influenzae
3 months to 50 years of age
Streptococcus pneumoniae
Neisseria meningitidis
Haemophilus influenzae
Over 50 years of age
Streptococcus pneumoniae
Listeria monocytogenes
As the population ages, Haemophilus influenzae will become more prevalent in this age group
Nosocomial (hospital acquired) and immunocompromised patients
Escherichia coli
Klebsiella spp.
Staphylococcus aureus
Streptococcus pneumoniae
Viral (aseptic) meningitis
and encephalitis (90% of cases in patients
under 30 years old)
Enteroviruses (70%; late summer and early fall)
Arboviral meningoencephalitis (summer via tick or
mosquito; West Nile virus, Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus, Western Equine
Encephalitis virus, St. Louis Encephalitis virus, California group
Encephalitis viruses, Powassan Encephalitis virus)- are the most common
cause of episodic encephalitis in the US.
Mumps (late winter and early spring)
Herpes simplex virus (sporadic)
HIV (sporadic)
Rabies virus (rare)
Granulomatous Meningitis
(Chronic meningitis)
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Cryptococcus neoformans
Spinal cord
Clostridium tetanus*
Polio virus
Skin (Integument) Infections
There are a huge number of infectious diseases of this the largest organ of the
human anatomy. Therefore, only the more common bacterial, viral and fungal
microbes are mentioned here.
Gram positive bacteria (Streptococcus
pneumoniae, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus pyogenes,
Streptococcus viridans, enterococci and Peptostreptococcus) are most
frequently obtained with the most common of them being Staphylococcus
aureus.
Gram positive bacilli that cause keratitis include
Corynebacterium diphtheriae,Bacillus and Clostridium
Gram negative bacilli that cause keratitis include
Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis, Klebsiella pneumoniae,
Serratia marcescens, Escherichia coli and Aeromonas hydrophila.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the most destructive of the
bacterial causes of keratitis.
Gram negative cocci or coccobacilli that cause
keratitis include Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Neisseria meningitidis,
Moraxella, Pasteurella multocida and Acinetobacter.
Ocular lymphogranuloma venereumis more
serious than simple chlamydial conjunctivitis because corneal scars,
conjunctival scars, and micropannus formation can occur (serotypes L1-L3
of Chlamydia trachomatis).
Viruses
Herpes Simplex 1 and 2*- most common of viruses
Adenoviruses- epidemic keratoconjunctivitis
Varicella Zoster virus
Respiratory Tract Infections
Acute
Rhinosinusitis
Usually caused by various
respiratory viruses.
Acute Bacterial
Rhinosinusitis
Streptococcus pneumoniae
Haemophilus influenzae (nontypable)
Common cold (Rhinitis)
Rhinoviruses*
Coronaviruses
Pharyngitis
Adenovirus
Herpes Simplex virus
Epstein Barr Virus
Coxsackie viruses
Remember Streptococcus pyogenes (group A
streptococcus is important because of the complications that can result
(rheumatic fever).
Viral Croup
Parainfluenza virus
Influenza virus
Respiratory syncytial virus (most common cause of
bronchiolitis in children under 1 year of age).
Bacterial
tracheitis
Staphylococcus aureus
Epiglottitis
Haemophilus influenzae type b(very rare
now due to the Hib vaccine)
Bronchitis
Respiratory viruses that infect the upper respiratory
tract: influenza viruses A and B, parainfluenza viruses,
adenovirus, respiratory syncytial virus, herpes
simplex virus, rhinovirus, coxsackievirus A and B, and echovirus.
Mycoplasma pneumoniae
Chlamydophila pneumoniae (TWAR agent)- 5% of
cases
Streptococcus pyogenes
Bronchiolitis
Respiratory Syncytial virus (RSV)
Pneumonia
Neonatal (0-1 month)
Escherichia coli
Streptococcus agalactiae (group B
streptococcus)
Infants (1-6 month)
Chlamydia trachomatis (afebrile pneumonia with
staccato cough)
Gingivitis-
The more dental plaque that accumulates on the teeth the more likely a patient will develop gingivitis. The plaque leading to gingivitis contains higher numbers of Gram negative anaerobic bacilli and spirochetes.
Necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis (NUG: trench mouth)- the dental biofilm/plague usually contains a lot of Fusobacterium spp., Prevotella intermedia, and especially spirochetes (Treponema denticola).
Chronic periodontitis- is a polymicrobial
process; biofilms (plaque) containing higher numbers of Gram negative anaerobic bacilli and spirochetes. Certain organisms, when present in plaque will increase the risk of chronic periodontitis developing.
Red complex organisms (high risk): Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, and Treponema denticola.
Orange complex organisms (moderate risk): Fusobacterium nucleatum, Prevotella intermedia, Prevotella nigrescens, Parviomonas micra, Eubacterium nodatum, and various Camplylobacter species (e.g., C. rectus).
Aggressive periodontitis-
The plaque microflora in aggressive periodontitis is similar to chronic periodontitis. However, the presence of certain bacteria in the plaque increases the risk for this disease to develop (Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans or Eikenella corrodensin concert with Fusobacterium nucleatum). Sparse amounts of biofilm/plaque are generally found relative to degree of periodontal destruction.
Intestinal Infections- Bacterial (can be inflammatory [blood
and mucus small volume; fecal wbc's present] or noninflammatory [large volume
watery stools; fecal wbc's NOT present]
Inflammatory ones
Campylobacter jejuni
Escherichia coli (EIEC)
Escherichia coli (EHEC)
Salmonella typhimurium
Salmonella typhi (get also fever and headache;
sometimes no diarrhea)
Shigella dysenteriae type 1 (lots of PMN's)
Shigella sonnei/flexneri
Yersinia enterocolitica
Clostridium difficile (can be both inflammatory
and non-inflammatory)
Non-inflammatory ones
Escherichia coli (EPEC)
Escherichia coli (ETEC)
Escherichia coli (EAEC)
Vibrio cholerae
Clostridium difficile (can be both inflammatory
and non-inflammatory)
Parasitic
infections of the intestine
Giardia lamblia*
Entamoeba histolytica
Cryptosporidium parvum
Cyclospora cayetanensis
Enterobius vermicularis
Taenia saginata
Taenia solium
Hymenolepis nana
Ascaris lumbricoides
Necator americanus
Strongyloides stercoralis
Viral
Gastroenteritis
Noroviruses* (winter vomiting disease- most common in
industrialized countries for all age groups)
Rotavirus (winter infant diarrhea- next most common in infants and children; after Norovirus)
Adenoviruses
Astroviruses
Food poisoning-
intoxications
Staphylococcus aureus*
Bacillus cereus
Clostridium perfringens
Clostridium botulinum
Viral Hepatitis- Infections
of the Liver
Hepatitis A virus
Hepatitis C virus
Hepatitis B virus
Hepatitis D virus
Hepatitis E virus
Infections of the
Bones and Joints
Osteomyelitis
Staphylococcus aureus*
Streptococcus sp.
Members of the Enterobacteriaceae
Septic arthritis
Neisseria gonorrhoeae (most common in sexually
active young adults)
Staphylococcus aureus*
Infections of the
Heart
Pericarditis
Viral pericarditis*- Enteroviruses [Coxsackieviruses
(A and B) and Echovirus (type 8)]
Purulent pericarditis- rare- Staphylococcus aureus,
Streptococcus pneumoniae and other streptococci
Chronic pericarditis- rare- Mycobacterium
tuberculosis and various fungi (Candida sp.)
Myocarditis
Enteroviruses (Coxsackievirus B is the most common)*
Endocarditis
·Native
valve- Streptococcus sp. (60-80%, viridans streptococci (30-40%),
Streptococcus bovis (10%), Enterococci (S. faecalis and S.
faecium; 5-18%) and Staphylococci (20-35%, usually Staphylococcus
aureus)
·Intravenous
drug users- Staphylococcus aureus (50%) and gram-negative bacilli
(15%; Pseudomonas aeruginosa is most the common gram-negative).
·Prosthetic
valve infections
Early (within 2 months of surgery) -
Staphylococcus (50%; coagulase positive and coagulase negative),
gram-negative aerobic bacilli (20%) and fungi (5%).
Late (more than 2 months post surgery) -
viridans Streptococcus sp. (35%), coagulase negative
staphylococci (20%), and Staphylococcus aureus (10%).
Most are due to bacterial infections. 50% due to Gram
negative bacteria; 50% due to Gram positive bacteria. It depends on the
location of the site of the initial infection. Most common sites of
infection leading to sepsis are lungs, abdomen, and urinary tract (ex.
urinary tract think Escherichia coli; community acquired pneumonia
think Streptococcus pneumoniae).
Infections of the
Genitourinary Tract
Cystitis and Pyelonephritis
Escherichia coli*
Acute bacterial Prostatitis
Escherichia coli*
Vaginitis
Bacterial Vaginosis* (BV) due to Gardnerella
vaginalis, Atopobium vaginae, Mycoplasma hominis andvarious anaerobic bacteria
including Mobiluncus sp., and Prevotella sp.
Candida albicans
Trichomonas vaginalis
Sexually Transmitted
Infections (STI’s) of the Genitourinary Tract
Human Papilloma virus (HPV types 6 and 11 most common
for wart-like lesions; HPV types 16 and 18 most common for with cervical
dysplasia and carcinoma.)
Epididymitis
Sexually active
men aged <35 years- Chlamydia trachomatis or Neisseria
gonorrhoeae
Men >35 years of
age- gram-negative enteric bacteria
Ectoparasitic
Infections
Scabies
Sarcoptes
scabiei var
hominis
Pediculosis
Pediculus humanus capitis
(head louse)
Pediculus humanus corporis
(body louse)
Pthirus pubis (pubic louse)
* = Most common; please note this is not an exhaustive
list and does not include all possible etiologies for a particular disease.