Bacillophobia is a fear or phobia of bacteria and germs. Individuals who suffer from bacillophobia often experience significant anxiety and fear around anything that may contain bacteria, including surfaces, food, and people. However, there are several synonyms for bacillophobia that capture the same fear of contamination and infection. Some of these words include germophobia, mysophobia, and verminophobia. Although these words are often used interchangeably, they each have a slightly different focus. Germophobia is a fear of germs in general, while mysophobia is a fear of contamination and dirtiness. Verminophobia, on the other hand, is a fear of insects and other pests that may be carriers of disease.