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Community-acquired pneumonia: Epidemiology - Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a serious illness. It is the fourth most common cause of death in the UK, and sixth in the USA. 85% of cases of CAP are caused by the typical bacterial pathogens, namely, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Moraxella catarrhalis. The remaining 15% are caused by atypical pathogens, namely Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydia pneumoniae, and Legionella species. Unusual aerobic gram-negative bacilli (for example, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter, Enterobacter) rarely cause CAP. Clinical features - typical symptoms include cough, purulent sputum production, shortness of breath, pleuritic chest pain, fevers and chills. On examination, one notes rapid respiratory rate and heart rate and signs of pulmonary consolidation. Koch did not believe that bovine (cattle) and human tuberculosis were similar, which held back the recognition of infected milk as a source of infection. Later, this source was eliminated by pasteurization. Koch announced a glycerine extract of the tubercle bacilli as a 'remedy' for tuberculosis in 1890, calling it tuberculin. It was not effective, but was later adapted by von Pirquet for a test for pre-symptomatic tuberculosis. The first genuine success in immunizing against tuberculosis developed from attenuated bovine strain tuberculosis by Albert Calmette and Camille Guerin in 1906 was BCG (Bacillus of Calmette and Guerin). It was first used on humans on July 18, 1921 in France, although national arrogance prevented its widespread use in either the USA, Great Britain, or Germany until after World War II. Click on following items to see more information: Anaerobic bacterium, Antibiotic, Antibiotic treatment, Antibacterial, Bacilli, Bacilli, Bacterium, Bacterium, Phages, Bifidobacter, Burkholderia, Cell culture, Cephalosporin, Corynebacteria, Denitrification, E. coli, E. coli, E. coli, E. coli, E. coli O157, Enterococcus, Fermentation, Yeast, Growth medium, Klebsiella, Listeria, Bacterial, Bacterial, Multidrug resistance, Paracoccus, Prokaryote, P. aeruginosa, Rhodococcus, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Salmonella, Salmonella typhimurium, Shigella, S. aureus, Streptococcus, Streptococcus, Vibrio, Yeast Disease-causing salmonellae have recently been re-classified into a single species, Salmonella enterica, which has numerous strains or serovars. Salmonella typhi is a well known serovar that causes typhoid fever. Other salmonellae are frequent causes of foodborne illness, and can especially be caught from poultry and from more generally food that has been cooked or frozen, and not eat straight away. In the mid to late 20th century, Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis was a common contaminant of eggs. This is much less common now with the advent of hygiene measures in egg production and the vaccination of laying hens to prevent samonella colonisation. Many different salmonella serovars also cause severe diseases in animals other than human beings. Pseudomonas fluorescens is a common bacterium that secretes a soluble fluorescent pigment called fluorescein. It is a Gram-negative bacterium and is mobile by means of multiple flagella. Its metabolism is extremely versatile. It can be found in soil and water. It is an obligate aerobe but certain strains are capable of using nitrate instead of oxygen as a final electron acceptor.
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