Step 1

Select one of the following bacterial agents for your assignment.

• Salmonella enteritidis, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus pyogenes, Chlamydia trachomatis, Clostridium difficile, Neisseria meningitidis

Step 2

Research the chosen bacterial agent to examine the anatomical structures and diseases associated with it.   Some suggested resources:  

• Microbiology Online
• Microbiology Society Resources
• National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine

Step 3

Use the template below and answer the following questions:

1. Where the organism is normally found and how is it spread?
2. What are the virulence factors of the organism? 
3. What are the symptoms and incubation period of the infection caused by the organism? 
4. How would you diagnose an infection caused by the organism?
5. Describe how the organism infects different organs and how the immune system responds to infection.
6. What is the current treatment plan for the infections caused by the organism and the treatment success rate?
7. What populations are most at risk for infection?
8. What environments and sources are associated with the organism? 
9. What are some public health implications of the infection caused by this agent? 
10. What precautions can the public take to prevent infections?

Estimated time to complete: 3 hours

Assignment File(s)

• Bacteria_Template [Word document]