Childhood diseases caused by bacteria | Bacteria

Childhood diseases caused by bacteria

Childhood diseases are contagious infectious diseases that occur in most people from an early age. These childhood diseases are triggered by bacteria or viruses. Childhood diseases can be severe and even life-threatening.

However, these severe courses have become much rarer due to vaccinations and the possibility of treatment with antibiotics. Transmission path Many childhood diseases are transmitted by droplet infection. Another possibility of transmission is the smear or contact infection.

Especially in groups with many children (kindergarten, school) the disease is then transmitted to other children. A transmission to adults is also possible in this way. The period in which sick children who transmit the disease, i.e. are contagious, are infected, depends on the disease and can vary greatly.

Often children are already contagious when they themselves do not yet feel ill and they are still contagious when the treatment of the childhood disease has already begun. Examples of typical childhood diseases caused by bacteria are scarlet fever, whooping cough and diphtheria. Symptoms Scarlet fever is characterized by a rash all over the body, the typical reddened tongue (strawberry tongue), as well as fever, headache and sore throat.

Pertussis can also cause headaches and sore throats. Characteristic of whooping cough, however, are the spasmodic, barking coughing attacks, mostly at night. In diphtheria, symptoms such as fever and difficulty swallowing occur.

A plaque forms on the mucous membrane of the throat, causing breathing difficulties and even suffocation attacks. This course can be fatal, but has become rare due to the introduced vaccination. Therapy and prognosis With antibiotics, such as penicillin or erythromycin, bacterial childhood diseases can usually be treated and cured well.

Prophylaxis In many children’s diseases, a single infection with the pathogen provides lifelong protection against this pathogen. However, since some childhood diseases, especially at an advanced age, can have severe courses with organ damage, the Standing Vaccination Commission (STIKO) recommends that the usual vaccinations be carried out.