Hepatitis A and E Hepatitis B Hepatitis C Hepatitis D

Causative Agent Hepatitis A or E Virus Hepatitis B Virus Hepatitis C Virus Hepatitis D Virus
Most Common Mode of Fecal-oral, vehicle Parental (blood contact), direct Parental (blood contact), vehicle Parental; requires coinfection with
Transmission contact (especially sexual), vertical hepatitis B

Virulence Factors - Latency Core protein suppresses immune

function
Culture/Diagnosis IgM serology Serology (ELISA, radioimmunoassay) Serology IgM antibodies

Prevention Hepatitis A vaccine or combined HBV recombinant vaccine - HBV vaccine is protected
HAV/HBV vaccine
Treatment Hep A: hepatitis A vaccine or Interferon, nucleoside analogs (Pegylated) interferon, with or -
immune globulin; Hep E: immune without ribavirin
globulin
Distinctive Features 2-7 weeks 1-6 months 2-8 weeks

Typhoid fever Cholera Amoebic dysentery Shigellosis Parasitic Shellfish

Causative Agent Salmonella typhi
Most Common Mode of Fecal-
Transmission oral transmission route
Virulence Factors endotoxin typical of Gram-
negative organisms, as well
as the Vi antigen. It also
produces and excretes
“invasin” that allows non-
phagocytic cells to take up
Vibrio cholera 0:1 and 0:139
ingestion of contaminated
water or food
Entamoeba histolytica
faecal-oral route including
ingestion of faecal
contaminated food or water,
person-to-person contact
such as diaper-changing
and oral-anal sex
Cysteine proteinases
Shigella spp. Aeromonas salmonicida
fecal-oral fish-to-fish contact by
route, ingestion of the skin or by ingestion.
contaminated foods or
water
Invasiveness, attachment
and internalization with
complex genetic control,
large multi- gene
virulence plasmid
regulated by multiple
chromosomal genes,

Culture/Diagnosis
the bacterium, where it
can live intracellularly.
inhibit the oxidative burst
of leukocytes, making
innate immune response
ineffective.
Isolation of bacteria on
selective media, serotyping
Isolation of bacteria on
selective media
Microscopy; serology
exotoxin (shiga toxin),
intracellular survival and
multiplication
Isolation of bacteria on
selective media

Prevention proper hygiene, waste
management, water
purification, and treatment
of the sick
Drink and use safe frequent hand Safe water, personal
water, Wash your hands washing, Avoid raw hygiene (hands), sewage
often with soap and safe vegetables when in disposal, food hygiene,
endemic areas, drink safe insect control (flies),
water, Cook food well,
water vaccine (oral)- 6 months
Clean up safely—in the
kitchen and in places
where the family bathes
and washes clothes

Treatment Quinolones; cephalosporins Rehydration; doxycycline Metronidazole Quinolones

Distinctive Features

Dengue Leptospirosis
Causative Agent Flavivirus Leptospira interrogans
Most Common Mode of Transmission bites of infective female Aedes mosquitoes Adhesins, motility, chemotais toward haemoglobin, ability to
evade actions of antibodies and complement.
Virulence Factors
Culture/Diagnosis based only on clinical symptoms, isolation in Serological test
cell culture, by detection of viral RNA by nucleic acid
amplification tests (NAAT), or by detection of viral
antigens by ELISA or rapid tests.
Prevention Mosquito control Use rodent controls and avoid water contaminated with
animal urine. A vaccine is available for pets and livestock
Treatment no specific medicine; pain relievers Oral doxycycline, chloramphenicol, erythromycin, or
with acetaminophenand avoid medicines with aspirin, intravenous ampicillin for more severe cases
which could worsenbleeding
Distinctive Features

Rabies Tetanus
Causative Agent Rhabdo virus (Lyssavirus, enveloped, -ssRNA virus) Clostridium tetani (anaerobic, endospore-forming, Gram
positive rod)

Most Common Mode of Transmission
Virulence Factors
bite and virus-containing saliva of an infected host
Glycoprotein spikes on envelope serve as attachment
proteins; triggers its own endocytosis by body cells;
intracellular replication cycle
not directlytransmitted from person to person. Spores
may be introduced through contaminated puncture
wounds, lacerations or burns, or contaminated injected
'street drugs'
Endospores allow bacterium to survive harsh conditions and
resist antimicrobial drugs; neurotoxin tetanospasmin blocks
action of inhibitory neurons

Culture/Diagnosis direct fluorescent antibody (DFA) test, Bacterial culture; clinical based
Prevention Immunization of dogs and cats. Animal handlers may also be Tetanus toxoid contained in DTaP, DTP, and Td vaccines.
vaccinated.
Treatment Immediately wash the wound with soap and water and begin Cleansing of wound, administration of human tetanus
postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) via administration of one dose immunoglobulin (HTIG) and penicillin, and active
of human rabies immune globulin (HRIG) and four doses of immunization
rabies vaccine (HDCV) over the course of one month. In cases
where PEP was not administered and symptoms develop,
treatment is supportive therapy.

Distinctive Features