Bacterial Diseases

Animals Involved
Mammals

Known Distributions
Worldwide; very rare in people

Probable Means of Spreading
Probably contact; actinomycosis usually disseminates from endogenous human flora

Clinical Manifestations in People
Granulomas, abscesses, skin lesions; chronic bronchopneumonia; abdominal mass that may mimic a tumor; endocarditis; sepsis

Animals Involved
Mainly in cattle, sheep, goats, horses, wild herbivorous animals; virtually all mammals and some birds are susceptible to high dose

Known Distributions
Worldwide but distribution is focal; common in Africa, Asia, South America, Middle East, parts of Europe

Probable Means of Spreading
Occupational contact exposure (abraded skin, mechanical transmission by biting flies, other routes); ingestion/foodborne, rarely airborne

Clinical Manifestations in People
Early signs vary with route of inoculation; papule to ulcerative skin lesions; mild to severe gastroenteritis ± hematemesis, bloody diarrhea, ascites (abdominal GI form); sore throat, dysphagia, fever, neck swelling, mouth lesions (oropharyngeal GI form); pneumonia; all may progress to sepsis, meningitis; untreated cases fatal in 5%–20% (cutaneous) to 100% (inhalation)

Animals Involved
Dogs, rabbits, cats, pigs, guinea pigs, other mammals

Known Distributions
Worldwide; uncommon in people

Probable Means of Spreading
Exposure to saliva or sputum, aerosols

Clinical Manifestations in People
Sinusitis, bronchitis, pertussis­like illness; pneumonia and disseminated disease (eg, endocarditis, peritonitis, meningitis), usually in immunocompromised; wound infection

Animals Involved
Dogs; evidence of infection in wild canids including coyotes, foxes

Known Distributions
Worldwide; rare in people

Probable Means of Spreading
Probably via ingestion or contact with mucous membranes, broken skin; close contact, especially with animals that recently aborted or gave birth

Clinical Manifestations in People
See Brucellosis in Large Animals and Brucellosis in Goats, Sheep & Camels

Animals Involved
Goats, sheep, camels; other mammalian spillover hosts

Known Distributions
Asia, Africa, Middle East, Mexico, Central and South America, some parts of Europe

Probable Means of Spreading
Ingestion (including unpasteurized dairy products or undercooked meat), contact with mucous membranes and broken skin; Rev 1 vaccine

Clinical Manifestations in People
See Brucellosis in Large Animals; this species highly pathogenic for people

Animals Involved
Cattle, bison, water buffalo, African buffalo, elk, deer, sheep, goats, camels, South American camelids; other mammalian spillover hosts

Known Distributions
Once worldwide, now eradicated from domestic animals in some countries or regions; reservoirs in wildlife in some disease ­free areas

Probable Means of Spreading
Ingestion (especially unpasteurized dairy products or undercooked meat), contact with mucous membranes and broken skin; strain 19 vaccine

Clinical Manifestations in People
Extremely variable, subacute and undulant to sepsis; often nonspecific febrile illness with drenching sweats early; arthritis, spondylitis, epididymo­orchitis, endocarditis, neurologic, other syndromes if chronic; case fatality 5% in untreated

Animals Involved
"Swine and wild pigs (biovars 1, 2, 3), European hares (biovar 2), reindeer and caribou (biovar 4); B suis also in some other mammals"

Known Distributions
Biovars 1 and 3 worldwide in swine­raising regions except eradicated or nearly eradicated from domestic pigs in some countries; biovar 2 in wild boar in Europe; biovar 4 in Arctic

Probable Means of Spreading
Ingestion, direct contact with mucous membranes and broken skin

Clinical Manifestations in People
See Brucellosis in Large Animals and Brucellosis in Goats, Sheep & Camels

Animals Involved
Poultry, cattle, swine, dogs, cats, rodents, other mammals, wild birds

Known Distributions
Worldwide

Probable Means of Spreading
Foodborne (especially poultry and other meats, unpasteurized dairy products); waterborne; contact with infected animals (fecal/oral)

Clinical Manifestations in People
Gastroenteritis from mild cases to fulminating or relapsing colitis; occasional sequelae such as reactive arthritis; occasionally, other syndromes, including sepsis

Animals Involved
Ribotypes from some calves, pigs, dogs are identical to some ribotypes found in people

Known Distributions
Worldwide

Probable Means of Spreading
Possible zoonosis; from contact or ingestion in contaminated meat; also from environment and contact with infected people

Clinical Manifestations in People
Gastroenteritis, varying in severity from diarrhea to fulminant colitis, usually in conjunction with antibiotic use

Animals Involved
Domestic and wild animals, people

Known Distributions
Worldwide

Probable Means of Spreading
Foodborne (usually type A); nonfood­associated intestinal infection; wound contaminant, usually environmental; may be endogenous in debilitated from GI or urogenital tract

Clinical Manifestations in People
Foodborne gastroenteritis, usually brief, self­ limited except in debilitated; nonfood­related intestinal infection with prolonged diarrhea, sometimes bloody, mainly in elderly after antibiotics; life­threatening necrotic enteritis, often in debilitated; gas gangrene, sepsis; necrotic enteritis, gas gangrene, sepsis are fatal if not treated

Animals Involved
Cattle, horses, deer, sheep, goats, other mammals

Known Distributions
Worldwide, especially in warmer regions

Probable Means of Spreading
Usually direct contact with lesions; mechanical transmission on arthropod vectors, fomites possible

Clinical Manifestations in People
Pustular desquamative dermatitis, other skin lesions

Animals Involved
Swine, sheep, cattle, rodents, marine mammals; many other domestic and wild mammals and marsupials, birds (including poultry), reptiles, fish, mollusks, crustaceans

Known Distributions
Worldwide

Probable Means of Spreading
Contact with animal products; via skin, usually after scratch or puncture wound; contaminated soil (survives for weeks to months)

Clinical Manifestations in People
Localized cellulitis, usually self­limiting, often on hands; generalized skin lesions (uncommon); arthritis, often in finger joints near skin lesion; endocarditis (with high mortality, 38%); generalization with sepsis, other syndromes uncommon and often in immunocompromised

Animals Involved
Equids are reservoirs; felids, many other domesticated and wild mammals also susceptible

Known Distributions
Middle East, Asia, Africa and South America

Probable Means of Spreading
Contact with infected animals, tissues through broken skin, mucous membrane; ingestion; inhalation

Clinical Manifestations in People
Mucous membrane or skin lesions; pneumonia and pulmonary abscess; sepsis; chronic abscesses, nodules, ulcers in many organs, weight loss, lymphadenopathy; case fatality rate varies with form, but >95% in untreated septicemia

Animals Involved
Armadillos; nonhuman primates (rare)

Known Distributions
Armadillos in parts of southern USA, Mexico, South America; nonhuman primates in Africa, possibly other locations; only human reservoirs in other areas

Probable Means of Spreading
Transmission of animal leprosy to people likely

Clinical Manifestations in People
Various skin lesions, sensory nerve lesions and deficits, nasal mucosal lesions; mild, self­ limiting to progressive destruction

Animals Involved
Domestic and wild animals; reservoir hosts include rodents, dogs, cattle, pigs, farmed red deer, others

Known Distributions
Worldwide

Probable Means of Spreading
Occupational and recreational exposure, or exposure to rodent­ contaminated material in urban locations; especially skin, mucous membrane contact with contaminated urine, infected fetuses, or reproductive fluids; water­ and foodborne

Clinical Manifestations in People
Asymptomatic to severe, sometimes biphasic; nonspecific febrile illness followed by aseptic meningitis or icteric form (especially liver, kidney, CNS involvement, hemorrhages possible); pulmonary hemorrhage and edema, other syndromes; uveitis can be sequela; case fatality rate varies with syndrome (uncommon in aseptic meningitis, 5%–15% in icteric form, 30%–60% in severe pulmonary form)

Animals Involved
Numerous mammals, birds, fish, crustaceans

Known Distributions
Worldwide

Probable Means of Spreading
Foodborne, especially unpasteurized dairy products, raw meat and fish, vegetables, processed foods contaminated after processing; ingestion of contaminated water, soil; direct contact with infected animals; nosocomial in hospitals, institutions

Clinical Manifestations in People
Acute, self­limited febrile gastroenteritis or mild, flu­like illness; ocular disease, conjunctivitis; abortion, premature or septicemic newborn if infected during pregnancy; meningitis, meningoencephalitis, septicemia in elderly, immunosuppressed, and infants; papular or pustular rash ± fever, chills in healthy adults after handling infected fetuses

Animals Involved
Sheep, goats, swine; occasional cases in many other terrestrial and aquatic mammals; also reptiles, some birds including parrots, tropical fish

Known Distributions
Asia, Africa, Australia, South America, Middle East, Caribbean

Probable Means of Spreading
Wound infection, inhalation, and ingestion; organisms live in soil and surface water; most cases are acquired from environment, but direct transmission from animals is possible

Clinical Manifestations in People
Mimics many other diseases; acute localized infections, including skin lesions, cellulitis, abscesses, corneal ulcers; pulmonary disease, septicemia, internal organ abscesses; often occurs in immunocompromised; case fatality rate varies with form, >90% in untreated septicemia

Animals Involved
Many species of mammals, some birds

Known Distributions
Worldwide

Probable Means of Spreading
Environmental, mainly from water, and/or soil; infection common to people and animals

Clinical Manifestations in People
Soft­ tissue and bone infections; cervical lymphadenitis; pulmonary disease, often in immunocompromised or those with preexisting lung conditions; disseminated in immunocompromised, especially AIDS patients with uncontrolled disease

Animals Involved
Livestock, nonhuman primates, marine mammals, cats, dogs, rodents, other mammals

Known Distributions
Worldwide; zoonotic infections rare

Probable Means of Spreading
Direct contact; bites; wound contamination, including accidental inoculation

Clinical Manifestations in People
Asymptomatic carriage; cellulitis; other syndromes, including respiratory disease, septic arthritis, septicemia have been reported, especially in immunocompromised

Animals Involved
Many species of domestic and wild animals, including dogs, cats, livestock, rabbits, birds

Known Distributions
Worldwide

Probable Means of Spreading
Wounds, scratches, bites, close contact with mucus membranes

Clinical Manifestations in People
Wound infections, cellulitis most common; other syndromes possible, including osteomyelitis, septic arthritis, sepsis, meningitis, respiratory disease; systemic conditions more common in immunocompromised

Animals Involved
Rodents (eg, squirrels, prairie dogs, rats) and lagomorphs (pikas in Asia) are main reservoir; many mammals can be incidental hosts; cats and wild felids especially susceptible

Known Distributions
Foci in North and South America, Asia, Middle East, and Africa

Probable Means of Spreading
Flea bites, aerosols, handling infected animals or tissues (contact with broken skin or mucous membranes), bites or scratches, eating uncooked infected tissues

Clinical Manifestations in People
Febrile flu­like syndrome with swollen, very painful draining lymph node(s) (buboes); pneumonia; sepsis can occur in either bubonic or pneumonic form; case fatality rate in untreated 40%–70% (bubonic) to 100% (pneumonic); < 5% mortality if bubonic form treated early

Animals Involved
Psittacine birds (especially parakeets, cockatiels), pigeons, turkeys, ducks, geese, and other domestic or wild birds; mammalian strains of C psittaci also exist (zoonotic potential still undetermined)

Known Distributions
Worldwide

Probable Means of Spreading
Inhalation of respiratory secretions or dried guano

Clinical Manifestations in People
Influenza­like febrile illness with nonproductive cough that may progress to pneumonia; complications, including endocarditis, myocarditis, meningoencephalitis, hepatitis, glomerulonephritis, and other organ dysfunction; sepsis; some cases fatal if untreated, <1% with treatment

Animals Involved
Widespread in mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, including domestic species; also in crustaceans; higher­ risk pets for human exposure may include reptiles, amphibians, young poultry, some exotic mammals

Known Distributions
Worldwide

Probable Means of Spreading
Foodborne infection or fecal­oral; some cases of occupational and recreational exposure

Clinical Manifestations in People
Gastroenteritis to sepsis; focal infections possible; especially severe in the elderly, young children, or immunocompromised

Animals Involved
Cattle, bison, African buffalo, cervids, brushtail opossums, badgers, kudu can be reservoirs; swine and many other mammals can be spillover hosts

Known Distributions
Once worldwide, now eradicated or rare in some countries

Probable Means of Spreading
Ingestion (unpasteurized dairy products, undercooked meat including bushmeat), inhalation, contamination of breaks in the skin

Clinical Manifestations in People
Skin lesions, cervical lymphadenitis (scrofula), pulmonary disease; genitourinary disease; can affect bones and joints, meninges; gastroenteritis

Animals Involved
Rabbits, rodents, cats, sheep, other mammals, birds, reptiles, fish; often in wild animals

Known Distributions
F tularensis subsp tularensis almost exclusively in North America; F tularensis subsp holarctica in North America, Europe, Asia; F tularensis subsp mediasiatica in Central Asia; F tularensis subsp novicida reported in North America, Australia, Spain

Probable Means of Spreading
Contact with mucous membranes, broken skin; insect bites (tabanids, mosquitoes, hard ticks); fomites; ingestion in food or water; inhalation

Clinical Manifestations in People
Nonspecific febrile illness, lymphadenitis; ulcerative skin lesions, exudative pharyngitis and stomatitis, conjunctivitis, gastroenteritis, respiratory signs or pneumonia, sepsis; case fatality rate 5% (localized disease, untreated) to >50% (untreated typhoidal form or severe respiratory disease)