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Microbiology

Major pathogens

This section provides details for key viruses, their transmission routes, and associated disease states across different body systems and host conditions

Respiratory Viruses

  • Key Pathogens
    • Influenza Virus (A, B, C, D): Respiratory droplets, contact
    • RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus): Respiratory droplets, contact
    • Parainfluenza Virus (PIV 1-4): Respiratory droplets, contact
    • SARS-CoV-2: Respiratory droplets and aerosols, contact
  • Key Disease States
    • Influenza (Flu): Fever, cough, sore throat, muscle aches
    • Bronchiolitis (RSV): Lower respiratory infection in infants
    • Croup (PIV): Barking cough, stridor
    • COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2): Wide range of symptoms, pneumonia, ARDS

Vesicles and Lesions

  • Key Pathogens
    • Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV-1, HSV-2): Direct contact, sexual contact
    • Varicella-Zoster Virus (VZV): Airborne droplets (chickenpox), direct contact (shingles)
  • Key Disease States
    • Oral Herpes (HSV-1): Cold sores
    • Genital Herpes (HSV-2): Genital lesions
    • Chickenpox (VZV): Widespread vesicular rash
    • Shingles (VZV): Painful, localized vesicular rash

Cervical Cancer Screening

  • Key Pathogen
    • Human Papillomavirus (HPV): Sexual contact, skin-to-skin contact
  • Key Disease States
    • Genital Warts (Low-Risk HPV): Benign growths
    • Cervical Dysplasia (High-Risk HPV): Precancerous changes
    • Cervical Cancer (High-Risk HPV): Invasive cancer of the cervix

Meningitis

  • Key Pathogens
    • Enteroviruses: Fecal-oral route, respiratory droplets
    • Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV): Direct contact, sexual contact
  • Key Disease States
    • Viral Meningitis: Fever, headache, stiff neck
    • Encephalitis (HSV): Inflammation of the brain

Gastroenteritis

  • Key Pathogens
    • Norovirus: Fecal-oral route, person-to-person
    • Rotavirus: Fecal-oral route
    • Adenovirus: Fecal-oral route, respiratory droplets
  • Key Disease States
    • Viral Gastroenteritis: Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea

Immunocompromised Host

  • Key Pathogens
    • Cytomegalovirus (CMV): Various routes, reactivation
    • Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV): Direct contact, reactivation
    • Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV): Saliva, reactivation
    • BK Virus (BKV): Respiratory, fecal-oral, reactivation
    • JC Virus (JCV): Respiratory, fecal-oral, reactivation
  • Key Disease States
    • Pneumonitis (CMV, HSV): Lung inflammation
    • Retinitis (CMV): Inflammation of the retina
    • PTLD (EBV): Lymphoproliferative disorder
    • BKVAN (BKV): Nephropathy in transplant recipients
    • PML (JCV): Demyelinating brain disease

Hepatitis

  • Key Pathogens
    • Hepatitis A Virus (HAV): Fecal-oral route
    • Hepatitis B Virus (HBV): Bloodborne, sexual contact, mother to child
    • Hepatitis C Virus (HCV): Bloodborne
  • Key Disease States
    • Acute Hepatitis: Fever, fatigue, jaundice
    • Chronic Hepatitis (HBV, HCV): Cirrhosis, liver cancer

HIV

  • Key Pathogen
    • Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV): Sexual contact, bloodborne, mother to child
  • Key Disease States
    • Acute HIV Infection: Flu-like symptoms
    • Clinical Latency: Asymptomatic or mild symptoms
    • AIDS: Opportunistic infections, cancers

Other Viruses

  • Key Pathogens
    • Human T-lymphotropic Virus (HTLV): Sexual contact, bloodborne, mother to child
    • West Nile Virus (WNV): Mosquito bites
    • Zika Virus: Mosquito bites, sexual contact, mother to child
    • MERS-CoV: Animal-to-human, human-to-human
    • Dengue Virus: Mosquito bites
    • Ebola Virus: Animal-to-human, direct contact with infected fluids
  • Key Disease States
    • ATL/HAM-TSP (HTLV): Leukemia/lymphoma, neurological disorder
    • West Nile Fever/Neuroinvasive Disease (WNV): Fever, encephalitis, meningitis
    • Zika Fever/Congenital Zika Syndrome: Fever, rash, microcephaly
    • MERS: Respiratory illness, pneumonia
    • Dengue Fever/Severe Dengue: Fever, bleeding
    • Ebola Virus Disease (EVD): Hemorrhagic fever