Tip: Download the complete list of common infection-causing bacteria visually sorted by body system!
What are the most common bacterial infections?
Bacterial infections are common in various parts of the body. Examples of common bacterial infections include:
- Strep throat (Staphylococcus pyogenes)
- Tuberculosis (Mycobacterium tuberculosis)
- UTIs
- Bacterial pneumonia
- Bacterial meningitis
- Cellulitis
- Lyme disease
- STIs (syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia)
Causes of common skin infections
The most common skin infections are caused by:
- Staphylococcus aureus (skin, soft tissues)
- Streptococcus pyogenes (impetigo)
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa (blood, lungs)
Causes of the most common sexually transmitted diseases
The most common bacteria causing STIs are:
- Chlamydia trachomatis
- Neisseria gonorrhoeae
- Treponema pallidum
- Ureaplasma urealyticum
- Haemophilus ducreyi
Otitis media causes
Otitis media is most often caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae.
Causes of upper respiratory tract infections
Infections of the upper respiratory tract are often caused by:
- Streptococcus pyogenes
- Haemophilus influenzae
Gastritis causes
Gastritis is most often caused by Helicobacter pylori.
Common causes of urinary tract infections
UTIs are often caused by:
- Escherichia coli
- Other Enterobacteriaceae
- Staphylococcus saprophyticus
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Causes of bacterial meningitis
Bacterial meningitis is often caused by:
- Streptococcus pneumoniae
- Neisseria meningitidis
- Haemophilus influenzae
- Streptococcus agalactiae
- Listeria monocytogenes
Pneumonia causes
Causes of community-acquired pneumonia:
- Streptococcus pneumoniae
- Haemophilus influenzae
- Staphylococcus aureus
Causes of atypical pneumonia:
- Mycoplasma pneumoniae
- Chlamydia pneumoniae
- Legionella pneumophila
Tuberculosis causes
Tuberculosis is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
Common causes of eye infections
Eye infections are commonly caused by:
- Staphylococcus aureus
- Neisseria gonorrhoeae
- Chlamydia trachomatis
Sinusitis causes
Sinusitis is commonly caused by:
- Streptococcus pneumoniae
- Haemophilus influenzae
Common causes of food poisoning
Common bacterial causes of food poisoning include:
- Campylobacter jejuni
- Salmonella
- Shigella
- Clostridium
- Staphylococcus aureus
- Escherichia coli
