Book of Medical Disorders in Pregnancy - Tintash

Chapter No: 11
Introduction:
INFECTIONS IN PREGNANCY
All infections occurring in pregnancy can
not be discussed in this chapter Specific
bacterial infections will be discussed in the
chapters on different organs or tissues
affected but the viral and worm infestations
will be discussed separately in the preceding
chapters. General Principals of bacterial
infections are discussed here in this chapter
with brief account of viral and worms
affecting human beings. Bacteria, viruses
and other infectious organisms —
germs — live everywhere. You can find
them in the air, on food, plants and
animals, in the soil, in the water, and on
just about every other surface —
including your own body. These
microbes range in size from microscopic
single-celled organisms to parasitic
worms that can grow to several feet in
length.
Most of these organisms won't harm
you. Your immune system protects you
against a multitude of infectious agents.
However, some bacteria and viruses are
formidable adversaries because they're
constantly mutating to breach your
immune system's defenses.
Fig11.1: Shows bacteria under the
microscope.
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E. coli O157:H7 is a bacterium responsible
for food borne infections often
linked to eating undercooked ground
beef or improperly washed vegetables.
Bacteria:
Bacteria are one-celled organisms visible
only with a microscope. They're so small
that if you lined up a thousand of them
end to end, they could fit across the end
of a pencil eraser. They're shaped like
short rods, spheres or spirals. Bacteria
are self sufficient they don't need a host
to reproduce and they multiply by
subdivision.
Among the earliest forms of life on
earth, bacteria have evolved to thrive in
a variety of environments. Some can
withstand searing heat or frigid cold, and
others can survive radiation levels that
would be lethal to humans. Many
bacteria, however, prefer the mild
environment of a healthy body.
Not all bacteria are harmful. In fact, less
than 1 percent cause disease, and some
bacteria that live in your body are
actually good for you. For instance,
Lactobacillus acidophilus — a harmless
bacterium that resides in your intestines
— helps you digest food, destroys some
disease causing organisms and provides
nutrients to your body.
But when infectious bacteria enter your
body, they can cause illness. They
rapidly reproduce, and many produce
toxins — powerful chemicals that