Harmful & Helpful Bacteria

When you eat a piece of candy, do you notice a coating developing on your teeth?(mossy). This slime is produced by Streptococcus mutans when sugar is present in your mouth. Sticks to other bacteria in your mouth & this is how plaque begins.

Harmful Bacteria-SyphilisSTD’s(-sexually transmitted diseases) caused by bacteria

Treponema pallidum

Primary: Chancres-painless sores (2 to 3 weeks after exposure)– sometimes do not see b/c in rectum or cervix

Secondary: left untreated; bacteria spreads to bloodstream; skin rash on palms & soles; fever; lesions in mouth, etc.

Tertiary : left untreated; brain or CNS

*very high in Georgia- marriage blood test not required any more

Harmful Bacteria- Gonorrhea• STD’s(-sexually transmitted

diseases) caused by bacteria• (Neisseria gonnorrhoeae)• Can affect genital tract, mouth &

rectum (women-uterus/cervix)• 75% cases- 15 to 29 year olds• Symptoms 2 to 10 days after

infection(some can go months w/o symptoms)

a. Women: vaginal bleeding or discharge, painful urinationb. Men- *symptoms seen quicker; pus form penis & burning urination

Untreated: affects reproduction, brain, heart

*increases risk of getting HIV*usually get another STD, ChlamydiaSome reports say 1 in 130 :

Harmful Bacteria-Chlamydia• STD’s(-sexually transmitted diseases) caused by bacteria• Chlamydia trachomatis

• *Most common STD in the U.S.• May be acquired jointly with syphilis and/or

gonorrhea(screened for all these if you have one)

• Untreated: infertility & pelvic infection• Male symptoms: pus from penis/rectum, burning urine• 25% of infected men (1 in 4)- have no symptoms• Female symptoms: only 30% will have symptoms;

painful urination , abdominal pain, & discharge

• Prevention for all 3 STD’s??

Harmful Bacteria- Respiratory

• Strep Throat- infection of pharynx with Streptococcus. Spread-nasal or saliva

• Sinusitis- inflammation of sinuses(hollow spaces within the bones around your nose)

• Pertussis- Whooping Cough-like cold except coughing spells. Bordetella pertussis

Harmful Bacteria- • Pneumonia-inflammation of lungs(can be from

a bacteria, virus, or fungus).

• Conjunctivitis “Pink Eye ”

• Infects outermost layer of eye(Conjunctiva)• can be viral(cold) or bacterial(staph or strep), or

allergies

• Contagious

Harmful Bacteria- Digestive• Stomach Virus (24 hour)- most of time it is not a virus but a bacteria

from food poisoning.

• Botulism- Food poisoning- Clostridium botulinum; endospore,

a. infants- don’t give homemade honey ; canning (boil at high temp)

b. Pasteurization- heating process to prevent contamination of milk.

3. Salmonella enterocolitis- infection in small intestine by Salmonella

bacteria. Any food can have it.

Harmful Bacteria-Skin• Diaper Rash- bacteria from feces

• Scarlet Fever- skin rash- group A streptococci

3. Acne- oil blocks & bacteria grow

Harmful Bacteria- Toxic Shock Syndrome

• Caused by a toxin made by Staphylococcus aureus.

• 50% deal with women using super-absorbent tampons (leaving them in long)

• Men & children can get- surgery\

• Go into shock; organ failure

Harmful Bacteria-(TB)Tuberculosis• Attacks lungs

• Spread through air

• Close contact needed• You can be exposed to it but not get the

disease

• Skin Test

Harmful Bacteria- The Plague

• Yersinia pestis- in wild rodents/ flea bites

• Spread by bites or infected person coughing

• Pneumonia or Bubonic

Harmful Bacteria- Anthrax• Bacillus anthracis

• Spore-forming

• Occurs in cattle, sheep, humans• Inhale it or handle contaminated animal

products

• Symptoms show within 7 days

Lyme Disease-Harmful Bacteria

• Borrelia burgdorferi- transferred by a deer tick

• Skin rash, inflammation, flu-like symptoms

Harmful Bacteria- Leprosy

• Skin lesions , nerve damage

• Mycobacterium

• Difficult to transmit; Leper colonies not neccessary

• 100 cases a year in U.S.(south, Ca, Hawaii)

• Have medicine now

Helpful Bacteria• NITROGEN FIXATION:• Some bacteria convert nitrogen

gas into nitrates in the soil which is necessary for plant growth

• SAPROBES:• Break down dead organic matter

Helpful Bacteria- “Probiotics”

• FOOD FLAVORINGS:• Food flavors are produced

by fermentation, bacterial wastes, etc.

• Vinegar, yogurt, butter, cheese, pickles, buttermilk, sauerkraut

• ANTIBIOTIC PRODUCTION:

• Some bacteria produce antibiotics that will kill other forms of bacteria

• Antibiotics kill bacteria only

Helpful Bacteria

Bioremediation –• help clean-up oil

spills• Works in Landfills to

break down wastes(including some hazardous wastes)

• Waste- water treatment plants

•

Helpful Bacteria- Our body

1. Provide Vitamin K (E coli)- clots blood & keeps bones strong

2. Keeps invading bacteria, viruses, & yeast in check. Antibiotics can destroy friendly bacteria (women/ yeast infections after taking antibiotics)

3. Makes Lactase-enzyme needed to break down dairy products