Our infectious disease providers care for patients at St. Bernards Medical Center and the St. Bernards Infectious Disease Clinic, an outpatient department of St. Bernards Medical Center located at 300 Carson Street, Suite A, in Jonesboro, AR.
An infection is the invasion of an organism's body tissues by disease-causing agents, their multiplication and the reaction of host tissues to the infection and toxins they produce. An infectious disease is also known as a transmissible disease or communicable disease, which is an illness resulting from an infection.
Infections are caused by:
Viruses
Not all viral diseases are contagious. This means they aren't always spread from person to person, but many of them are.
Common examples include:
- flu
- covid-19
- common cold (often the rhinovirus)
- measles and/or rubella
- chickenpox
- norovirus (stomach bug)
- herpes simplex virus (HSV)
- human papillomavirus (HPV)
- human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
- viral hepatitis
- viral meningitis
- rabies
- ebola
Bacteria
Bacteria are found in all sorts of environments, including soil, water and in or on our bodies. Good bacteria live inside our bodies, and they often don't cause disease. However, bacteria can enter our bodies and cause an infection.
Common examples include:
- strep throat (streptococcal pharyngitis)
- urinary tract infections (UTI)
- food poisoning, often caused by E. coli, Salmonella or Shigella
- tuberculosis
- STDs
- lyme disease
- pneumococcal pneumonia
- whooping cough
Fungi
Fungi are a diverse group of organisms that include yeasts and molds. They can be found throughout the environment, including soil, indoors in moist areas and on or in our bodies.
Not all fungi can make you ill, but some common examples of fungal infections include:
- vaginal yeast infections
- ringworm
- athlete's foot
- thrush
- fungal meningitis
Parasites
Parasites live on or in a host organism and get food or other nutrients at the host's expense.
Common examples include:
- malaria
- tapeworm infection
- roundworm infection
- toxoplasmosis
- scabies
- head lice