Name of

Organism
Type of
organism Special characteristics Diseases caused Treatment
Candida
albicans
Fungus Normally present on the skin and
mucous membranes e.g. vagina,
mouth, rectum.

Candida albicans becomes an
infectious agent when there is some
change in the body environment
that allows it to grow out of control.

Most of the time, candida infections of the mouth, skin, or
vagina occur. Candidiasis.

Mouth: Thrush (white patches)
Skin: Diaper Rash (red, scaly)
Vagina: Yeast Infection (white/yellow discharge)
Antifungal
medication
Topical - e.g.
clotrimazole
Oral - e.g.
Doflucan
IV meds

Diaper rash -
barrier cream.
Bacillus cereus Bacteria
(Gram
positive)
Rod shaped
Forms endospores
Found in soil and is adaptive to a
variety of environments
Food poisoning occurs when food is left without refrigeration
for several hours before it is served. Remaining spores of
contaminated food from heat treatment grow well after
cooling and are the source of food poisoning. Symptoms are
diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting, and abdominal cramps

Immunocompromised patients are susceptible to bacteremia,
endocarditis, meningitis, pneumonia.
Illness usually
lasts 24 hours
no
pharmacologic
treatment
necessary.

Drink fluids and
get plenty of
rest
Cryptococcus
neoformans
Fungus
(Encap-
sulated)
The organism is transmitted via the
respiratory route, but not directly
from human to human.
Following inhalation, the yeast
spores are deposited into the
pulmonary alveoli, are phagocytised
by alveolar macrophages.
Unencapsulated yeast is readily
phagocytised and destroyed,
whereas encapsulated organisms
are more resistant to phagocytosis.


Causes an infection called Cryptococcosis.

C neoformans can cause an asymptomatic pulmonary
infection followed later by the development of meningitis,
which is often the first indication of disease. If limited to the
lungs, C neoformans infection may cause pneumonia, poorly
defined mass lesions, pulmonary nodules, and, rarely, pleural
effusion.

The most serious infections usually develop in patients with
defective cell-mediated immunity. For example, patients with
AIDS, patients undergoing organ transplantation, patients
undergoing corticosteroid treatment.
Antifungal
medications for
at least 6
months e.g.
Fluconazole




Name of
Organism
Type of
organism Special characteristics Diseases caused Treatment
Listeria
Monocytogenes
Bacteria
(Gram
positive)
Found in soil and water and some
animals. Can grow in cold of fridge
and is killed by cooking and
pasteurization.

Affects older adults, pregnant
women, newborns, and adults with
weakened immune systems.
Persons without these risk factors
are rarely affected.
Causes an infections called Listeriosis (Food borne diseases
food poisoning)

Can cause abortion, neonatal death, septicaemia, and
meningitis. Symptoms: fever, stiff neck, confusion, weakness,
vomiting and diarrhoea

Even with prompt treatment, some listeriosis cases result in
death.
Antibiotics
Francisella
tularensis
Bacteria
(Gram
negative)
Rod-shaped
Has four strains
Highly contagious bacteria that can
be spread from animals to humans
People become infected through
the bite of infected insects (most
commonly, ticks and deerflies), by
handling infected sick or dead
animals, by eating or drinking
contaminated food or water, or by
inhaling airborne bacteria.
The bacterium infects humans
through skin, mucous membranes,
lungs, and the gastrointestinal tract.

Causes Tularaemia also called Rabbit fever

Symptoms: skin ulcers, swollen and painful lymph glands,
inflamed eyes, sore throat, mouth sores, diarrhea or
pneumonia. People infected with tularaemia through
inhalation also develop hemorrhagic inflammation of the
airways early in the disease, and it might develop into
bronchopneumonia.

If the bacteria are inhaled, symptoms can include abrupt onset
of fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, joint pain, dry cough,
and progressive weakness. People with pneumonia can
develop chest pain, difficulty breathing, bloody sputum, and
respiratory failure. Tularaemia can be fatal if the person is not
treated with appropriate antibiotics.
Antibiotics for
10-14 days.
IV -
streptomycin,
gentomycin

Oral
tetracyclines
(e.g.
doxycycline),
flouroquinolon
es (e.g. cipro)
Streptococcus
Agalactiae
Bacteria
(Gram
positive)
Beta-Hemolytic complete rupture
of blood cells
Diplicoccal pair of cocci
Non-acid fast bacterium
Does not form spores, Non-motile
Colonizes the vagina, GI tract, and
the upper respiratory tract of
healthy humans.
Cause of postpartum infection and as the most common cause
of neonatal sepsis.
One of the leading causes of invasive infections in non-
pregnant immunocompromised individuals and also causes
bacteremia, septicaemia, meningitis, and pneumonia.
Skin and soft-tissue infection, decubitus ulcers, osteomyelitis,
arthritis, necrotizing fasciitis, epidural and pelvic abscesses

Antibiotics
(Penicillin G,
Ampicillin,
Clindamycin,
Gentamicin)
Surgical
management
Tricophyton
tonsurans