Bacterial Infections Treatment Specialist Questions and Answers

Bacterial infections are caused by bacteria coming into contact with the body and causing disease. They can be found in many different environments including water, soil and inside and outside our bodies. Infections caused by bacteria are generally easier to treat than those caused by viruses due to the number of antimicrobial products on the market. That being said, bacterial resistance to these agents is becoming more widespread and presents a significant threat to public health.

The severity of bacterial infections can vary greatly, from relatively minor illnesses such as strep throat and ear infections to potentially life-threatening conditions like bacterial meningitis and encephalitis.

Some other examples of bacterial infections are:

• Urinary tract infections, often caused by coliform bacteria
• Bacterial food poisoning, often caused by E. coli, Salmonella, or Shigella
• Gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis
• Clostridium difficile (C. diff)
• Tuberculosis
• Whooping cough
• Pneumococcal pneumonia
• Lyme disease
• Cholera
• Folliculitis 
• Impetigo 
• Boils 
• Botulism
• Tetanus
• Anthrax

Bacterial infections occur when harmful bacteria come into contact with the body from either the environment, other people or by eating or drinking contaminated food or water. Once there the microbes multiply rapidly, causing sickness and disease. Bacterial infections can occur externally on the skin (for example cellulitis, impetigo and boils), or internally such as food poisoning or tuberculosis. The bacteria need a way into, or onto, the body to cause an infection and is usually by way of an opening in the skin such as a bug bite, cut or surgical wound, or via the airway in the case of airborne pathogens.

As with any medical condition, bacterial infections should be treated promptly in order to avoid potential complications, the most serious of which is sepsis, which can lead to severe sepsis and septic shock. These are emergency medical conditions and can be life-threatening. Sepsis is caused when the body’s immune system overacts to infection and, for reasons not understood, starts attacking the body instead of the invading bacteria. Sepsis can quickly progress to severe sepsis which in most cases will require treatment in an intensive care unit (ICU) due to the failure of one or more organs such as the heart, lungs, kidneys, liver and/or brain. Septic shock is the third and most severe level of sepsis and occurs when blood pressure falls to dangerously low levels together with a rapid pulse, dizziness or light-headedness, low body temperature, or rapid breathing.

At Florida MedCare Clinic and Urgent Care, we provide treatment for bacterial infections of the skin as well as respiratory infections, sinus infections, bladder infections, and sexually transmitted infections. If you are experiencing symptoms that are affecting your daily life and negatively impacting your overall health and well-being, contact us today! Don’t suffer in silence – our caring and experienced team of professionals is here to help! We serve patients from Celebration FL, Campbell FL, Four Corners FL, Bay Lake FL, Williamsburg FL, Hunters Creek FL, and Loughman FL.