A bacterial infection is a disease caused by bacteria entering the human body. It most commonly affects the skin, respiratory tract, and digestive tract. Antibiotics are usually used in the treatment of a bacterial infection.
What is a bacterial infection?
One speaks of a bacterial infection when potentially harmful bacteria enter the body in an active or passive manner, multiply there and thereby trigger a wide variety of reactions in the organism. These can range from harmless symptoms that heal on their own to life-threatening diseases. The routes of infection are also very diverse and include droplet and smear infections in addition to contamination of food and the exchange of body fluids. The type and course of bacterial infection depends on the bacteria involved and the physical constitution of the person affected by it.
Causes
Bacterial infection can occur whenever disease-causing bacteria enter the body. This can happen in a variety of ways:
Bacteria can enter the skin through wounds, enter the digestive organs with food, be absorbed by mucous membranes after droplet or smear infection, or be transmitted during sexual intercourse. The pathogens that can cause a bacterial infection primarily include streptococci, staphylococci, enterobacteria, mycobacteria, campylobacteria and chlamydia. In addition, there are a large number of other bacterial species that can be involved in infectious diseases. In many cases, poor hygiene is a major cause of the development of bacterial infection.
Symptoms, complaints, and signs
Depending on the causative pathogen, a bacterial infection can manifest itself through various symptoms, complaints, and signs. Generally, a bacterial infection is manifested by fever: An increased body temperature, sweating, gastrointestinal complaints and fatigue are among the typical signs. In addition, symptoms appear in the organs or tissues affected by the infection. For example, pneumonia can cause breathing difficulties and hoarseness, while a bacterial throat infection manifests itself through difficulty swallowing. In the case of cystitis, pain occurs during urination. In the skin area, there may be itching, burning, redness and secondary infections. Bacterial vaginosis can cause stabbing pain and problems with intercourse or urination. Other possible symptoms include discharge, swollen lymph nodes, swelling on the skin and neck, eyelid ulcers, facial edema, and external or internal bleeding. Symptoms always depend on the pathogen and the organs affected. In any case, there is a strong feeling of illness, which is associated with fatigue, dullness and lack of concentration. Physical and mental performance is greatly reduced during the period of the disease. Externally, bacterial infections can often be recognized by redness, pallor and an overall sickly appearance.
Diagnosis and course
The diagnosis of a bacterial infection is usually made on the basis of the symptoms that occur in connection with the disease. These cover a very broad spectrum, since a wide variety of body organs can be affected and a wide variety of bacteria can cause disease in humans. In some cases, the exact pathogen is determined with the help of laboratory diagnostics. For this purpose, a swab is taken from the sick person, a small amount of secretion is collected or blood is taken, depending on the particular disease. In the case of diffuse disease symptoms, increased inflammation values in the blood allow conclusions to be drawn about a possible bacterial infection. Depending on the organs affected and the pathogens involved, infectious diseases can take very different courses. While some are hardly noticeable and do not require any treatment, others have a high disease value or can even lead to death. The physical constitution of the respective person is also of great importance. In young and healthy people, even infections with comparatively aggressive bacteria can be harmless, whereas for a patient with a severely weakened immune system, even an otherwise harmless bacterial infection can be life-threatening.
Complications
Bacterial infection can lead to a variety of complications. First, there is a risk of secondary infection by other pathogens. This places additional stress on the immune system and exacerbates existing symptoms. The detailed effects of second infections depend on the state of health of the person affected. A bacterial infection also increases the risk of lung and heart disease. Common sequelae include pneumonia, middle ear infection and myocarditis, as well as abscesses, pulmonary edema or heart failure. Depending on the severity of the disease, a bacterial infection also increases the risk of circulatory shock. More rarely, the bacterial infection results in life-threatening encephalitis with severe complications. The typical flu symptoms themselves are often also complicating. For example, fatigue and listlessness can lead to depression. Bedriddenness during the infection can cause physical symptoms such as muscle cramps and weight loss, in addition to mental symptoms. Young children, the elderly and debilitated, as well as pregnant women and people with chronic respiratory conditions, are particularly susceptible to secondary symptoms after a bacterial infection. However, prompt treatment by a physician can prevent complications in most cases, or at least reduce them as much as possible.
When should you see a doctor?
Most bacterial infections remain harmless and also do not require medical clarification. This applies in particular to colds, which, in the case of a bacterial trigger, are noticeable by colored mucus and the familiar symptoms. Only if the symptoms do not pass within a few days or worsen, a visit to the doctor is advisable. The same applies if the tonsils or lungs are affected. Infections in this area usually require treatment with antibiotics, which are usually prescribed by the family doctor. If a bladder infection is suspected, a urologist should be consulted even if the symptoms subside. A urine test must be performed to determine whether the bacteria have migrated to the kidneys. In principle, a doctor should always be consulted if a (suspected) bacterial infection is present that causes severe symptoms or has not passed after a few days. A doctor should also be consulted in the event that another condition is already present. A weakened immune system increases the risk of a severe course of any bacterial infection. In the case of serious illnesses that have a known bacterial trigger, it is often not clear to those affected that bacteria are involved. Because the possible illnesses and severity of symptoms can vary so much in the case of a bacterial infection, going to the doctor is usually dictated by the condition.
Treatment and therapy
Many bacterial infections pass so easily that they do not require medical treatment. Even if the illness is clearly noticeable, it is often sufficient to relieve the symptoms in otherwise healthy people, since the body’s immune system can fight the pathogens itself. This is especially true for colds. In more severe cases, treatment with antibiotics is indicated. These are drugs developed to fight bacteria and other microorganisms. In addition to broad-spectrum antibiotics, which are effective against a wide range of pathogens, there are also agents that can be used specifically against a particular disease trigger. However, today there are more and more bacteria that have developed resistance to antibiotics. This often complicates the treatment of a bacterial infection, especially in the hospital setting.
Outlook and prognosis
Bacterial infections are decidedly multifaceted, and prognoses are correspondingly so. However, for all bacterial infections, early treatment improves prognosis. Local infections also have a better healing process than infections that spread. In addition, there are areas in the human body that are particularly often attacked by (harmless) bacteria. Most bacterial infections are harmless and can be controlled by medication. The prognosis still depends on the general state of health of the person affected. For example, secondary bacterial infections are something that worsens the prognosis with the disease already present.If the immune system of the affected person is restricted by his illness, medication or environmental influences, even an infection that is actually harmless can take a severe course. This is particularly true when the body’s own bacteria lead to an infection. A bacterial infection that systematically attacks the body (blood poisoning, spreading to several organs, etc.) can often be fatal or result in the loss of organ functions. Again, the prognosis depends on the administration of antibiotics. Bacterial infections leading to meningitis are also associated with a worse prognosis. Furthermore, it should be noted that despite antibiotic administration, the condition may worsen. This is possible if resistance develops in the affected bacteria and requires different treatment methods.
Prevention
Bacterial infection can be easily prevented in most cases by making an effort to maintain adequate hygiene. Thus, many pathogens with which one comes into contact in everyday life can be eliminated by regular personal hygiene and especially by thorough hand washing. Appropriate hygiene measures are also important when preparing food. During sexual intercourse, the transmission of bacterial and other pathogens can be prevented by using condoms. Vaccinations are now also available against some bacterial diseases. However, their effect is usually limited in time. Some of them are also effective against the toxins produced by the bacteria in question and not against the bacterial infection itself.
Follow-up care
Aftercare is important for a bacterial infection. It is very important for two reasons. One is to prevent the infection from flaring up again and then perhaps leading to complications. An example is heart involvement after an influenza infection. On the other hand, it is also to regenerate the body that has been weakened by a bacterial infection and in this way make it resilient again for the demands of everyday life. The bacterial infection can affect different areas such as respiratory tract and gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, the measures for aftercare are also always somewhat different. However, strengthening the immune system is an important factor in almost all cases as part of aftercare. Defending against renewed bacterial infections and strengthening the general condition is possible with a whole bundle of measures. These include a healthy diet with adequate drinking, plenty of sleep and sufficient exercise. When it comes to activities and sports, however, it is important that the patient no longer has a fever. It is not uncommon for antibiotics to be prescribed against a bacterial infection, which can have side effects such as gastrointestinal problems or fungal infections. Here, aftercare also means rebuilding the intestinal or vaginal flora in the case of such infections. Nicotine and alcohol weaken the immune system. It is good if the patient abstains from them during regeneration and aftercare.
This is what you can do yourself
In any case, a bacterial infection should first be clarified by a doctor. Medical treatment can then be accelerated by various home remedies and self-help tips. First, physical rest (bed rest) and a suitable diet are recommended. During an infection, the body needs above all light and vitamin-rich food such as vegetables, fresh fruit or chicken broth. Suitable drinks are juices containing vitamin C (e.g. orange or grapefruit juice), herbal tea such as lime blossom, chamomile or fennel and mineral water. Flatulent foods as well as alcohol and caffeine should be avoided as far as possible, as these put additional strain on the gastrointestinal tract and immune system. To strengthen the body’s defenses, warm baths (bath temperature approx. 37° C) with essential oils such as lavender or rosemary are recommended as bath additives. In general, the body should be kept warm, for example with warm clothing or blankets. In case of severe cough or throat pain, mentioned herbal remedies can also be inhaled or applied to the chest and back in the form of an ointment. In addition, the air in the room should be kept moist by using a humidifier. Lastly, contact with healthy people should be avoided for the time being to prevent further spread of the bacterial infection.
