Bacteria are living things that are so small that you won’t be able to see them with your bare eyes. As seen under a microscope, these living things appear like balls or spirals. A common misconception is that bacteria can make people sick. In fact, less than one percent of bacteria types can hurt you.

The harmful bacteria that quickly reproduce in the human body can cause bacterial infections. Bacterial infections can be classified as mild and severe like deadly diseases such as cholera and tuberculosis. Most bacterial infections however can be prevented by maintenance of good sanitation and cured by antibiotics like Levaquin.

There are numerous types of bacterial infections such as:

• Bacterial Vaginosis– This is a disease of the vagina characterized by soreness or irritation in that part of the body. Women who have this disease may also notice a smell discharge that occurs during their menstrual period or after having sex. It occurs because of the presence of a certain bacteria that can alter the normal balance of bacteria in the genitals of a woman.

The symptoms of the disease usually go away. In extreme cases, antibiotics may be prescribed by a doctor to treat Bacterial Vaginosis.

• Cholera– This is a diarrheal disease that is due to the infection of the bacterium Vibrio Cholerae in the intestine. Cholera infection has symptoms such as mild diarrhea and vomiting. However there are cases when severe dehydration happens five days after exposure to the bacterium, leading to death within hours when the condition is left untreated.

Cholera infection is transmitted through food or water contaminated. People may also become infected with the bacteria if they eat raw seafood that came from Vibrio Cholerae-contaminated sea water. Like Bacterial Vaginosis, Cholera infection is easily treatable. The most commonly prescribed treatment for this disease is oral rehydration solution which is a combination of salt and sugar in water. For severely dehydrated patients, antibiotics like azithromycin and doxycycline may be given as well as intravenous fluids.

• Diphtheria — This is an infection cause by the bacteria called Corynebacterium Diptheria. It affects the throat and nose, causing difficulty in swallowing and breathing. In some cases, the bacteria may also affect the skin.

The symptoms of Diptheria include swollen neck glands and sore throat. The bacteria that cause this disease may also yield a toxin that can cause more serious complications like heart failure. The Diptheria bacterium is transmitted through droplets from the nose of an infected person. It may also be spread when a person comes in close contact with another person with infected skin sores. Treatment of the disease requires admission to a hospital for the right care and treatment. Antibiotics like erythromycin and penicillin are often prescribed, and patients are given antitoxins.

• Gastroenteritis- This is a disease that is caused by various bacteria like salmonella, shigella, and campylobacter. It may also be due to viruses and parasites. It affects the stomach and intestines, resulting to the patient having diarrhea and vomiting. The symptoms may arise one to three days after contact with the bacteria.

Gastroenteritis is a highly infectious disease, meaning the bacteria can be easily passed on from one patient to another person. Bacteria like salmonella are also found in water and food, making transmission very easy. Like Bacterial Vagonisis, the symptoms of gastroenteritis will go away after several days. In case the symptoms don’t improve, medications like anti-diarrheal medications like Loperamide may be given. However, Loperamide should not be given to children under 12 years of age. To control vomiting, anti-emetic medications like metoclopramide may be given. Metoclopramide comes in tablet form and intravenous form, helping the muscles relax during vomiting. It also speeds up the fluid and food absorption by the digestive system. Antibiotics like vancomycin and clindamycin are the first-line medication for severe cases of gastroenteritis. But most doctors don’t prescribe the use of antibiotics for this disease because more often than not, virus is the main cause of gastroenteritis.

• Gonorrhea– This is a sexually transmitted disease that is caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The said bacterium grows and multiplies quickly in warm and moist areas of the reproductive system like the cervix and fallopian tubes in women, and the urethra in men. It can also grow in the anus, throat, and mouth.

The disease is most commonly transmitted through sexual contact. It can also spread through transmission of infected bodily fluids. This a woman with the bacterium could pass on the infection to her newborn baby. Symptoms of gonorrhea include burning sensation when urinating, greenish yellow discharge from the vagina, spotting after sexual intercourse, and swollen glands in the throat because of oral sex. In men, symptoms are inflammation of the prostate gland and pain during urination.

Antibiotic treatment for gonorrhea include Levaquin, azithromycin, ceftriaxone and doxycycline.