A lot of people have heard about such a problem as dysentery. What is shigellosis, the features of this disease, the causes and ways of getting rid of it - I would like to tell you in detail about all this now.
Terminology
Initially, you need to understand the basic terms that are used in the presented article. So what is shigellosis? Speaking in a more familiar language, this is dysentery, i.e. bacterial intestinal infection. Caused by bacteria that belong to the Shigella family (which is where the name of the disease itself comes from).
Also, doctors say that this problem most often occurs in the hot season, i.e. mostly in summer, not winter. People suffer from it equally regardless of gender. However, children between the ages of 2 and 4 are most often affected.
About the pathogen
The causative agent of shigellosis is bacteria of the Shigella family. Sonne shigella are especially tenacious. They can maintain their functionality for a very long time and even several months (in especially hot weather). The most favorable conditions for the reproduction of these microorganisms arefood products (minced meat, boiled meat and boiled fish, milk and dairy products, as well as kissels and compotes). The transmission mechanism of bacteria is fecal-oral. It is transmitted by contact-household, water and food. It is important to note that it is possible to become infected even if less than 100 Shigella cells enter the human body.
Medics also say that the susceptibility of different people to this disease is different, for example, depending on the blood type. The most sensitive are those who have blood groups: A (II), Hp (2), Rh (-).
Pathogenicity factors
Let's consider further what shigellosis is. It must be said that these bacteria themselves have a number of properties that are pathogenic for humans:
- Invasives. These are special proteins that help a harmful microorganism penetrate the intestinal mucosa. Most often, the lower part of this organ is affected.
- Endotoxin. It is thanks to these trace elements that a person develops symptoms of intoxication of the body.
- Exotoxin. This is a harmful substance that the bacterium releases into the blood of the patient. This is what causes the problem of diarrhea.
Symptomatics
If we talk about such a problem as shigellosis, the symptoms - that's what you definitely need to talk about. Initially, it should be noted that the onset of the disease is mostly acute. What does a person feel with this disease?
- First of all, diarrhea occurs, the so-called "bloody diarrhea".
- Abdominal cramps. Initially paindull, then it becomes sharp, has a cramping character. Localization: lower parts of the abdomen, mostly on the left. Pain may increase before a bowel movement, and false urges often occur.
- Fever.
- Symptoms of intoxication of the body: increased body temperature, pain in the joints and muscles, weakness.
All these indicators appear already about the next day after infection. Thus, the incubation period of the disease is approximately 1-7 days (in some cases it can be shortened to 5-10 hours).
Acute dysentery
This disease can be both acute and chronic. What is acute shigellosis? It is worth noting that this type of disease is manifested very actively. Symptoms are bright. Doctors note that in this case, it is the large intestine that is primarily affected. Symptoms of this type of disease:
- Fever. The temperature rises. If we are talking about children, then the indicators can reach 40 ° C.
- Diarrhea. At first, the bowel movements are short-term, have a watery consistency. However, with the development of the disease, the number of trips to the toilet increases, sometimes reaching 30 times per day. Mucus, blood and even pus can be found in the waste. It should be noted that it is the admixture of blood in the feces that “says” that a person has dysentery, and not another intestinal disorder.
- Pain in the stomach. They have a gripping nature. Gradually build up.
- Tenesmus. Those. the patient may have a false urge to defecate. There is also pain in the anus after going totoilet.
- Less, but sometimes nausea and vomiting occur.
If you start treatment on time, the problem can be de alt with in a week. Otherwise, there is a risk of complications. Moreover, death is also possible.
Chronic dysentery
Chronic shigellosis can only be diagnosed if the illness has been present for more than three months. The course of the disease here can be completely different.
So, the problem can proceed on an ongoing basis, relapses can occur. This type of disease is also characterized by periods of exacerbations. Symptoms are manifested to a much lesser extent than in the acute form. Signs of the disease are smoothed out, not so pronounced. Most often, there is no blood in the stool, and body temperature does not exceed 37.5 ° C.
A few words about children
Shigellosis in children most often occurs in preschool age. A huge problem is the fact that the baby often puts dirty hands and toys in his mouth, and it is in this way that he becomes infected. Doctors' statistics say that approximately 70% of all patients are children.
It should be noted that shigellosis in children proceeds somewhat differently than in adults. What will be typical for the smallest patients:
- Stool profuse, fetid, green. In it, you can find mucus, as well as lumps of undigested food. Blood streaks are rare.
- Children's tummy is not retracted, but inflated.
- Primary toxicosismanifests itself weakly, but the secondary - strongly. Metabolic processes, water-s alt balance are disturbed.
- It is not uncommon to develop otitis media or pneumonia - secondary bacterial infections.
- The disease has an undulating character. Also, young children have a tendency to chronic disease.
Diagnosis
What else do you need to know about such a disease as shigellosis? Diagnostics (primary) can be carried out even at home. As mentioned above, the main indicator of the presence of this disease is the admixture of blood in the stool. If this symptom appears, you should immediately seek medical help. What will the specialist do?
- Bacteriological method. It consists in sowing feces, which will make it possible to identify pathogenic microorganisms.
- Serological method. In this case, they look for antibodies to Shigella in the blood. But it should be noted that this method is practically not used. After all, all information can be obtained thanks to an easier and more reliable bacteriological method.
- PCR. This method is also used extremely rarely, as it is very expensive. Essence: determination of Shigella genes in feces.
Treatment
We further consider such a disease as shigellosis. Treatment and ways to get rid of the problem - this also needs to be told. What drugs can a doctor prescribe?
- Rehydron drug. It helps to regulate the water-s alt balance, which is definitely disturbed if the patient has diarrhea.
- Sorbents. These are drugs such as"Smekta", "Enterosgel". Their main goal is to minimize the toxic effects on the body, as well as the fight against diarrhea.
- Antibiotics. If the disease is mild, their use is not required. However, in most cases, if there is an admixture of blood in the feces, doctors most often prescribe a drug such as Ciprofloxacin. You can also use such means as "Tetracycline", "Ampicillin". The duration of the appointment may vary, but the average is 5 days.
Attention! Taking antidiarrheal drugs such as Loperamide, Imodium is strictly prohibited. They slow down the release of the pathogen from the intestinal lumen. And this significantly lengthens the process of recovery and removal of harmful bacteria from the body.
Food, diet
From this article it is clear that shigellosis is dysentery, i.e. problem related to the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. That is why, along with the treatment, the patient is prescribed a certain diet. If the patient has diarrhea, table number 4 is shown to him. Its essence: reduced content of fats and carbohydrates with a normal amount of protein consumed. It is important in this case to exclude foods that cause increased gas formation and flatulence.
Recommended Foods:
- Wheat crackers.
- Soups on a light broth with the addition of cereals.
- Soft poultry and fish boiled.
- Fresh low-fat cottage cheese.
- Porridges on the water: oatmeal, rice, buckwheat.
- Eggs: steamed or soft-boiled, notmore than 2 pcs. per day.
- Boiled vegetables.
Taboo foods:
- Flour and bakery products.
- Fatty broths and soups based on them.
- Fatty meat, fish.
- Milk and its products.
- Pasta.
- Porridge: wheat, barley, barley.
- Beans.
- Fresh vegetables and fruits.
- Cocoa, coffee, carbonated drinks.
If the stool is back to normal, you can switch to diet number 2. It is much softer than the previous one. In this case, the following foods can already be included in the diet:
- Stale bread.
- Meat and fish.
- Dairy products.
- Ripe fruits and grated berries.
- Sweets: marmalade, marshmallow, caramel.
Prevention
To avoid a problem like shigellosis, prevention is what matters. After all, observing certain measures, it is easy to prevent the development of this disease.
- You need to wash your hands as often as possible. It is especially important to do this after going to the toilet.
- Young children should be taught personal hygiene from an early age.
- It is important to properly store and prepare a variety of foods.
- After contact with the sick, be sure to wash your hands. The patient's linen must be disinfected.
- Patients should not visit crowded places, groups (go to work, school, kindergarten). After all, they are carriers of infection. This can be done only after negative results of bakposev.
SpecialAll of the above precautions should be taken seriously by food service workers.
Complications
What is shigellosis - figured it out. At the very end, it must be recalled that this disease, with improper treatment, can acquire various complications. What, then, should be feared?
Prolapse of the rectum. This can happen due to tenesmus and frequent trips to the toilet.
Dehydration. Occurs with copious watery stools. It is fraught with negative consequences that can affect all organs and systems of the body.
Sometimes there is also intestinal bleeding. In this case, the patient is shown immediate hospitalization.
Severe intoxication (in medicine, this condition is called toxic megacolon). Here there is a stretching of the lower part of the large intestine, its walls thicken. As a result, a lot of toxin is absorbed into the blood. This condition can even be fatal.
The normal functioning of the kidneys may be disturbed, there is severe renal failure. The first manifestation of this problem is oliguria, i.e. a sharp decrease in the amount of urine excreted by patients.
Hemolysis of erythrocytes. In this case, the patient may develop severe anemia, the number of platelets in the blood is significantly reduced.
Bacteremia. In this case, bacteria enter the patient's blood. This condition most often occurs in malnourished patients. It proceeds very hard and often ends in death.
Secondary infection. Occurs due to depletion of the body. In this case, diseases such as urinary tract infections or pneumonia often occur.
After recovery, stool disorders may persist for some time. All this may be due to the fact that during shigellosis the intestinal mucosa is affected, which leads to serious lesions.
In young children, after a severe illness, for another couple of months, weakness of the body, exhaustion, and rapid fatigue may remain. Also often there is such a problem as dysbacteriosis.
