Bacterial Classification Based on Shapes As already mentioned, before the advent of DNA sequencing, bacteria were classified based

on their shapes and biochemical properties. Most of the bacteria belong to three main shapes: Rod-shaped bacteria are called bacilli - e.g. E.Coli and Salmonella Spherical-shaped bacteria are called cocci - e.g. Staphylococcus and Streptococcus Spiral-shaped bacteria are called spirilla - e.g. Treponema and Borellia

2. Meningitis Meningitis can be caused either by a virus or bacteria. Many different types of bacteria can cause meningitis but the majority of cases of bacterial meningitis are the meningococcal or the pneumococcal. The bacteria cannot live outside the human body. It thrives on the back of the nose and throat, or in the upper respiratory tract. As such, this disease is spread through coughing or sneezing or kissing. 3. Tetanus Tetanus is caused by a toxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium tetani. This disease cannot be spread from person to person but the bacterium is present in the soil, in the intestines and feces of household and farm animals as well as human excretion. It is a dangerous disease as it attacks the nervous system and causes paralysis which can lead to death but this disease can be easily prevented through vaccination. 4. Tuberculosis Tuberculosis is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis which is spread through the air. This is a highly infectious disease which causes difficulty in breathing as the bacteria infect the lungs. 5. Whoopping cough (pertussis) Whooping cough is caused by the bacterium Bordatella pertusis which is spread through the air. It can cause severe coughing caused by an infection of the windpipe (trachea). The above infectious diseases are now not as fatal as they used to be with new treatments found and many advances in the health field. However, if proper treatment and vaccination are not given, these infectious diseases can cause death.

There are three basic classifications for colony morphology. And each classification has different ones. Here they are: Shape of the Colony- this is broken up into *round *irregular *filamentous *rhizoid The type of Edge on the colony*undulate *lobate *rounded The elevation of the colony*raised *flat *convex *umbonate Here is a list of 5 infectious diseases that are caused by bacteria. 1. Cholera Cholera is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae which contaminates water and food usually seafood. It can cause diarrhea and water loss.