Common Bacterial Infections

Illness is an unavoidable hazard of living. At some point, every one suffers some sickness or the other. While the human immune system is well equipped to fight off any illness, tackling bacterial infections is very difficult. In case of bacterial infection, it has to be understood clearly that prevention is better than cure.

The major cause of death from common bacterial infections is tuberculosis or TB. It kills 2 million people every year in the world. It spreads easily through sneezing, saliva, coughing etc. and people living close to an infected person are at very high risk of contracting it. Sexually transmitted bacterial infections include Chlamydia and Gonorrhea. There are many skin infections that are also caused by bacteria and if left untreated can cause permanent markings and scars on the skin.

It is very difficult to determine a bacterial infection from symptoms because bacterial infection symptoms are not distinct but are easily confused with other infections/ illnesses. Medicos are trained to analyze symptoms and apply a process of elimination to spot bacterial infections; a confirmation however can be had only by a blood test. An obvious pointer for bacterial infection could be a continuing illness like a sore throat or a cough that never goes away. These infections usually attack the sinuses, ear and throat and present localized pain in the affected area. Painful boils on the skin can also be a symptom. The bacteria strain has to be identified and treated with antibiotics for the infection to be cured.