List of Major Epidemic Bacteria

Epidemics occur when an infectious disease "spreads beyond a local population, lasting longer and reaching people in a wider geographical area," according to the American Museum of Natural History.

You have "friendly bacteria" that help your immune system develop properly and aid in the absorption of nutrients from food. However, when disease-causing bacteria breach the human body they multiply, causing an infection. When they overcome the host's immune system, a disease is born.

Chlamydia

• It often occurs with few, if any, symptoms. The infection can irreversibly damage a woman's reproductive organs and render her infertile. Chlamydia is a common sexually transmitted disease and can be cured with antibiotics. If diagnosed with chlamydia, women should notify all sexual partners for testing and treatment purposes.

  In 2008, the CDC indicated that "1,210,523 chlamydial infections were reported to CDC from 50 states and the District of Columbia. Under-reporting is substantial because most people with chlamydia are not aware of their infections and do not seek testing."

Tuberculosis

• Mycobacterium tuberculosis, also known as "TB," was once the leading cause of death in the United States. It can attack any part of the body but generally attacks the lungs. Active tuberculosis is treated by taking multiple medications for a period of six to 12 months. If not treated properly, TB can be fatal.

  TB is more prevalent among African-Americans and international travelers.

  International travelers are at a greater risk of TB infection if unpasteurized dairy products are consumed in countries where bovine TB in cattle is common, such as Mexico, a common place of infection for travelers from the U.S.

  Contributing to the higher prevalence of TB in African-Americans is the unequal distribution of TB risk factors, such as HIV infection.

Cholera

• Cholera is contracted by eating food or drinking fluids contaminated with the cholera bacterium. While prevalent in the U.S. in the 1800s, it has been virtually eradicated due to modern water treatment systems. As of mid-2010, there is a cholera epidemic in Africa that has lasted for 30 years.

  Symptoms of severe cholera infection include diarrhea and vomiting. Treatment involves replacing fluids with a mixture of salt and sugar, which should be consumed in large quantities, and in very severe cases, the administering of IV fluids.