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COVID-19
- Causative Organism: SARS-CoV-2.
- Mode of Transmission: Droplet and airborne.
- Virulence Factors: Attachment to ACE-2 host cell protein; induction of autoimmunity.
- Culture/Diagnosis: RT-PCR, antibody (Ab), and antigen (Ag) tests.
- Prevention: Vaccination and mitigation efforts (masks, social distancing).
- Treatment: Antivirals such as Paxlovid™.
- Signs and Symptoms: Respiratory symptoms, "cytokine storm" leading to hyperinflammation, skin rashes, muscle/joint pain, heart damage, and loss of taste and smell
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Acute Endocarditis
- Causative Organism: Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, S. pneumoniae, Enterococcus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and others.
- Mode of Transmission: Parenteral (e.g., via injections).
- Virulence Factors: Not explicitly listed in the source table.
- Culture/Diagnosis: Blood culture.
- Prevention: Aseptic surgery and sterile injections.
- Treatment: Vancomycin or surgery.
- Signs and Symptoms: Fever, anemia, abnormal heartbeat, symptoms of heart attack, shortness of breath, chills, Janeway lesions, and Osler’s nodes
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Subacute Endocarditis
- Causative Organism: Alpha-hemolytic streptococci and others.
- Mode of Transmission: Endogenous transfer of normal biota to the bloodstream.
- Virulence Factors: Not explicitly listed.
- Culture/Diagnosis: Blood culture.
- Prevention: Prophylactic antibiotics before invasive procedures.
- Treatment: Broad-spectrum antibiotics or surgery.
- Signs and Symptoms: Similar to acute endocarditis but with a slower onset; includes enlarged spleen and clubbed fingers/toes
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Sepsis (Septicemia)
- Causative Organism: Various bacteria or fungi.
- Mode of Transmission: Parenteral or endogenous transfer.
- Virulence Factors: Cell wall or membrane components (e.g., endotoxin).
- Culture/Diagnosis: Blood culture and deep sequencing.
- Prevention: No specific prevention listed.
- Treatment: Broad-spectrum antibiotics until susceptibility is tested.
- Signs and Symptoms: Fever, altered mental state, shaking chills, gastrointestinal symptoms, increased breathing rate, and low blood pressure leading to septic shock
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Plague (Bubonic, Pneumonic, and Septicemic)
- Causative Organism: Yersinia pestis.
- Mode of Transmission: Biological vector (flea), droplet contact (pneumonic), and direct contact with body fluids.
- Virulence Factors: Capsule and plasminogen activator.
- Culture/Diagnosis: Rapid genomic methods.
- Prevention: Flea and animal control; vaccines for high-risk individuals.
- Treatment: Streptomycin or ciprofloxacin.
- Signs and Symptoms: Inflammation and necrosis of lymph nodes (buboes), respiratory distress (pneumonic), and purpura/necrosis (septicemic).
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Tularemia
- Causative Organism: Francisella tularensis.
- Mode of Transmission: Biological vector (tick), direct contact with infected animal fluids, or airborne.
- Virulence Factors: Intracellular growth.
- Culture/Diagnosis: Serology (culture is dangerous to lab workers).
- Prevention: No specific prevention listed.
- Treatment: Gentamicin or streptomycin.
- Signs and Symptoms: Headache, backache, fever, chills, malaise, ulcerative skin lesions, and swollen lymph glands
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Lyme Disease
- Causative Organism: Borrelia burgdorferi and related species.
- Mode of Transmission: Biological vector (tick).
- Virulence Factors: Antigenic shifting and adhesins.
- Culture/Diagnosis: Acute and convalescent sera testing.
- Prevention: Tick avoidance.
- Treatment: Doxycycline and/or amoxicillin.
- Signs and Symptoms: Characteristic bull’s eye rash, fever, headache, stiff neck, and dizziness; progresses to cardiac, neurological, and polyarthritis symptoms
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Infectious Mononucleosis
- Causative Organism: Epstein–Barr virus (EBV).
- Mode of Transmission: Direct or indirect contact; parenteral.
- Virulence Factors: Latency and the ability to incorporate into host DNA.
- Culture/Diagnosis: Differential blood count, Monospot test for heterophile antibody, and ELISA.
- Prevention: No specific prevention listed.
- Treatment: Supportive care.
- Signs and Symptoms: (Common symptoms mentioned in context: fatigue, sore throat, and night sweats
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Anthrax
- Causative Organism: Bacillus anthracis.
- Mode of Transmission: Vehicle (air, soil, food) or indirect contact (animal hides).
- Virulence Factors: Triple exotoxin (edema factor, protective antigen, and lethal factor).
- Culture/Diagnosis: Culture and direct fluorescent antibody tests.
- Prevention: Vaccination for high-risk populations and post-exposure antibiotics.
- Treatment: Consultation with the CDC.
- Signs and Symptoms: Varies by site (cutaneous lesions, pulmonary involvement, or GI symptoms)
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Yellow Fever (Hemorrhagic)
- Causative Organism: Yellow fever virus.
- Mode of Transmission: Biological vector (the Aedes mosquito).
- Virulence Factors: Disruption of clotting factors.
- Culture/Diagnosis: ELISA or PCR.
- Prevention: Live attenuated vaccine.
- Treatment: Supportive care.
- Signs and Symptoms: Fever, internal hemorrhaging, and jaundice
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Dengue Fever (Hemorrhagic)
- Causative Organism: Dengue fever virus.
- Mode of Transmission: Biological vector (Aedes mosquito).
- Virulence Factors: Disruption of clotting factors.
- Culture/Diagnosis: A rise in IgM titers.
- Prevention: A vaccine is approved for children (ages 9–16) with previous infections living in endemic areas.
- Treatment: Supportive care.
- Signs and Symptoms: Fever and severe pain, leading to the name “breakbone fever”
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Chikungunya (Hemorrhagic)
- Causative Organism: Chikungunya virus.
- Mode of Transmission: Biological vector (Aedes mosquito).
- Virulence Factors: Disruption of clotting factors.
- Culture/Diagnosis: PCR.
- Prevention: Not available.
- Treatment: Supportive care.
- Signs and Symptoms: Fever, internal hemorrhaging, and arthritic symptoms
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Ebola and/ or Marburg (Hemorrhagic)
- Causative Organism: Ebola virus or Marburg virus.
- Mode of Transmission: Direct contact with body fluids.
- Virulence Factors: Disruption of clotting factors.
- Culture/Diagnosis: PCR or viral culture (conducted at the CDC).
- Prevention: A new Ebola vaccine is used for epidemic situations.
- Treatment: New drugs have been developed for ongoing outbreaks.
- Signs and Symptoms: Massive hemorrhage; patients may bleed from orifices and mucous membranes
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Lassa Fever (Hemorrhagic)
- Causative Organism: Lassa fever virus.
- Mode of Transmission: Droplet contact (aerosolized rodent excretions) or direct contact with infected fluids.
- Virulence Factors: Disruption of clotting factors.
- Culture/Diagnosis: ELISA.
- Prevention: Avoiding rats and maintaining safe food storage.
- Treatment: Ribavirin.
- Signs and Symptoms: Chest pain and long-term deafness
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Brucellosis (Non-hemorrhagic)
- Causative Organism: Brucella melitensis, B. abortus, or B. suis.
- Mode of Transmission: Direct contact, airborne, or parenteral (needlesticks).
- Virulence Factors: Intracellular growth and the ability to avoid destruction by phagocytes.
- Culture/Diagnosis: Gram stain of biopsy material or PCR.
- Prevention: Animal control and pasteurization of milk.
- Treatment: Doxycycline plus gentamicin or streptomycin.
- Signs and Symptoms: An undulating fever pattern and muscle aches
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Q Fever (Non-hemorrhagic)
- Causative Organism: Coxiella burnetii.
- Mode of Transmission: Airborne, direct contact, or food-borne.
- Virulence Factors: Endospore-like structure.
- Culture/Diagnosis: PCR or serological tests for antibodies.
- Prevention: Vaccine available for high-risk populations.
- Treatment: Tetracycline or TMP/SMZ.
- Signs and Symptoms: Fever and variable disease presentation
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Cat-scratch Disease (Non-hemorrhagic)
- Causative Organism: Bartonella henselae.
- Mode of Transmission: Parenteral (cat scratch or bite).
- Virulence Factors: Endotoxin.
- Culture/Diagnosis: ELISA or biopsy of lymph nodes plus Gram staining.
- Prevention: Thoroughly cleaning wound sites.
- Treatment: Azithromycin or rifampin.
- Signs and Symptoms: Small papules at the inoculation site and swollen, pus-filled lymph nodes
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Trench Fever (Non-hemorrhagic)
- Causative Organism: Bartonella quintana.
- Mode of Transmission: Biological vector (lice).
- Virulence Factors: Endotoxin.
- Culture/Diagnosis: ELISA.
- Prevention: Avoiding lice.
- Treatment: Azithromycin plus or minus doxycycline.
- Signs and Symptoms: 5-day fever, leg pains, and a macular rash; endocarditis is common
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Ehrlichiosis and Anaplasmosis (Non-hemorrhagic)
- Causative Organism: Ehrlichia or Anaplasma species.
- Mode of Transmission: Biological vector (tick).
- Virulence Factors: Not applicable.
- Culture/Diagnosis: PCR or indirect antibody test.
- Prevention: Avoiding ticks.
- Treatment: Doxycycline.
- Signs and Symptoms: Acute febrile state, headache, and muscle pain
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Babesiosis (Non-hemorrhagic)
- Causative Organism: Babesia species.
- Mode of Transmission: Biological vector (tick).
- Virulence Factors: Not applicable.
- Culture/Diagnosis: Blood smear.
- Prevention: Avoiding ticks.
- Treatment: Combination therapy with antibacterial and antiprotozoal drugs.
- Signs and Symptoms: Fever, headache, and muscle pain
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Spotted Fever Rickettsiosis (Non-hemorrhagic)
- Causative Organism: Rickettsia species (specifically R. rickettsii for Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever).
- Mode of Transmission: Biological vector (tick).
- Virulence Factors: Induces apoptosis in cells lining blood vessels.
- Culture/Diagnosis: PCR or fluorescent antibody tests.
- Prevention: Avoiding ticks.
- Treatment: Doxycycline.
- Signs and Symptoms: Fever, chills, and a distinctive spotted rash that appears 2 to 4 days after the prodrome
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Chagas Disease
- Causative Organism: Trypanosoma cruzi.
- Mode of Transmission: Biological vector (triatomine bug) or vertical transmission.
- Virulence Factors: Antioxidant enzymes and induction of autoimmunity.
- Culture/Diagnosis: Blood smear (acute phase) or serological methods.
- Prevention: Insect control.
- Treatment: Consultation with the CDC.
- Signs and Symptoms: Acute fever, nausea, and "chagoma" at the bite site; chronic disruption of the heart, brain, and GI tract
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Malaria
- Causative Organism: Plasmodium species (P. falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale, P. malariae, P. knowlesi).
- Mode of Transmission: Biological vector (mosquito) or vertical transmission.
- Virulence Factors: Multiple life stages/antigenic types, glucose scavenging, and cytoadherence.
- Culture/Diagnosis: Blood smear or serological methods.
- Prevention: Mosquito control, bed nets, and prophylactic antiprotozoal agents; vaccine for children.
- Treatment: Artemisinin and combination therapy.
- Signs and Symptoms: Cyclic chills, fever, and sweating; anemia and organ enlargement
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HIV Infection and AIDS
- Causative Organism: Human immunodeficiency virus 1 or 2.
- Mode of Transmission: Direct sexual contact, parenteral, or vertical transmission.
- Virulence Factors: Attachment, syncytia formation, reverse transcriptase, and a high mutation rate.
- Culture/Diagnosis: Immunoassay to detect antibodies and antigens.
- Prevention: Avoidance of contact with infected fluids; PreP for high-risk individuals.
- Treatment: Early antiretroviral regimen.
- Signs and Symptoms: Initial fatigue and weight loss; progresses to severe immune deregulation and opportunistic infections
