Types of Bacteria that are Harmful to Human Beings

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Types of Bacteria that are Harmful to Human Beings
Introduction
Bacteria are small single-celled organisms, which are found in various shapes and sizes. They are microscopic, and are classified based on their morphology, shape or appearance. There are three main shapes of bacteria. These include spiral, rod-shaped and spherical. Further classification of spiral shaped bacteria is done based on the extent of spiraling that the bacteria depicts. Although not all bacteria cause diseases, each morphology-based group contains representatives that cause diseases. In human beings, there are a number of bacteria that are harmful and life threatening.
Types of Bacteria
The spirochete is a member of the phylum Spirochaetes. They have a flexible corkscrew-shape, and they are long and thin. Their movement is in a unique rotating manner, which enables them to move in the viscous or mucus-lined environments. In humans, there are two well-known spirochetes, Borrelia burgdorferi and Treponema palladium. Treponema pallidum causes syphilis, which is a sexually transmitted disease. The infection starts with a single sore followed by rashes or lesions that develop on other parts of the body. Borrelia burgdorferi causes Lyme disease through the bite of an infected deer tick (Barton 18).
Coccus bacteria are ovoid, round or generally spherical shaped. Depending on the environmental conditions and bacterium, they may occur as single, in pairs, clusters or chains. Staphylococcus aureus that appear as a cocci cluster are the most common cocci. Although they grow harmlessly on the skin and in the nose, they are capable of causing boils, pneumonia, meningitis an...