What is shigellosis and how to treat it?

About a problem like dysentery, heard quite a lot of people. What is shigellosis, the features of this disease, the causes of the onset and the way to get rid of - all this and want now to tell in detail.

Terminology

Initially, we need to understand the basic terms used in the article presented. So, what is shigellosis? If to speak more habitually language is a dysentery, i.e. Viral intestinal infection. It is caused by bacteria that belong to the Shigella family (it is from here that the name of the disease itself originated).

Also, doctors say that this problem most often occurs in the hot season, i.e. Mainly in summer, but not in winter. People suffer from it equally regardless of sex. However, most often affected are children aged 2 to 4 years.

About the pathogen

The causative agent of shigellosis is the bacteria of the family Shigella. Especially viable are Shigella Sonne. Their functionality they can save for a very long time and even a few months (in a particularly hot time). The most favorable conditions for reproduction of these microorganisms are food stuffs (forcemeat, boiled meat and boiled fish, milk and dairy products, as well as kissels and compotes). The mechanism of transmission of bacteria is fecal-oral. Dispatched the same contact-household, water and food. It is important to note that you can get infected even if less than 100 Shigella cells enter the human body.

Physicians also say that the susceptibility of different people to this disease is different, for example, depending on the blood group. The most sensitive are those who have blood groups: A (II), Hp (2), Rh (-).

Pathogenicity factors

We further consider what shigellosis is. It should be said that these bacteria in themselves have a number of properties that are pathogenic to humans:

• Invasins. These are special proteins that help the harmful microorganism penetrate the mucosa of the intestine. Most often, the lower part of this organ is affected.
• Endotoxin. It is thanks to these microelements that a person develops symptoms of intoxication of the body.
• Exotoxin. This is a harmful substance that throws the bacteria into the patient's blood. This is what causes the problem, such as diarrhea.

Symptomatics

If we talk about a problem like shigellosis, the symptoms - that's something that must be told. Initially, it should be noted that the onset of the disease is mostly acute. What does this person feel?

1. First of all, there is diarrhea, the so-called "bloody diarrhea".
2. Spasms in the abdomen. Initially, the pain is blunt, then it becomes acute, has a cramping character. Localization: lower abdomen, mostly on the left. Pain can intensify before defecation, and often there are false desires.
3. Fever.
4. Symptoms of an organism intoxication: increase of indicators of body temperature, pain in joints and muscles, weakness.

All these indicators are already apparent about the next day after infection. Thus, the incubation period of the disease is about 1-7 days (in some cases it can be shortened to 5-10 hours).

Dysentery acute

This disease can have both acute and chronic form. What is acute shigellosis? It is worth noting that this type of disease is very active. Symptomatic is bright. Doctors say that in this case, it is primarily the large intestine that is affected. Symptoms for this disease:

• Fever. The temperature rises. If it is a question of children, indicators can reach a mark in 40 ° С.
• Diarrhea. At first, stools are short-lived, have a watery consistency. However, with the development of the disease, the number of trips to the toilet increases, sometimes up to 30 times a day. In the waste you can find mucus, blood and even pus. It should be noted that the admixture of blood in the feces "says" that the person has dysentery, and not another intestinal disorder.
• Stomach ache. They have a cramping character. Gradually grow.
• Tenesmus. Those. The patient may have false desires for defecation. There is also pain in the anus after going to the toilet.
• Less often, but sometimes there is nausea and vomiting.

If you start treatment on time, you can handle the problem in a week. Otherwise, there is a risk of complications. Moreover, a lethal outcome is also possible.

Dysentery chronic

Chronic shigellosis can be diagnosed if the disease occurs for more than three months. The course of the disease here can be completely different.

So, the problem can proceed on an ongoing basis, there may be relapses. This type of disease is also characterized by periods of exacerbation. Symptomatics manifests itself to a much lesser degree than in acute form. Symptoms of the disease are more flattened, not so pronounced. Most often there is no blood in the stool, and body temperature does not exceed the 37.5 ° C mark.

A few words about children

Shigellosis in children often occurs in preschool years. A huge problem is the fact that the kid often pulls dirty hands and toys into his mouth, that's how he gets infected. The statistics of doctors says that approximately 70% of all patients are children.

It should be noted that shigellosis in children is somewhat different than in adults. What will be characteristic of the youngest patients:

• The chair is plentiful, fetid, green. It can detect mucus, as well as lumps of undigested food. Blood veins appear rarely.
• The tummy of the children is not drawn, but inflated.
• Primary toxicosis is weak, but secondary - is strong. Violated metabolic processes, water-salt balance.
• Otitis or pneumonia often develops - secondary bacterial infections.
• The disease is undulating. Also, small children have a tendency to chronic disease.

Diagnostics

What else should you know about a disease like shigellosis? Diagnosis (primary) can be carried out even at home. As already mentioned above, the main indicator of the presence of this disease is the admixture of blood in the excrements. If this symptom appears, you should immediately seek help from a doctor. What will a specialist do?

1. Bacteriological method. It lies in the sowing of feces, which will make it possible to identify pathogenic microorganisms.
2. The serological method. In this case, antibodies to the shigella are sought in the blood. But it should be noted that this method is practically not used. After all, all information can be obtained through a more easy and reliable bacteriological method.
3. PCR. This method is also used extremely rarely, since it is very expensive. Essence: the definition of the shigella genes in the stool.

Treatment

We further consider a disease such as shigellosis. Treatment and ways to get rid of the problem - this also needs to be told. What drugs can appoint a doctor?

• The drug "Regidron". It helps to regulate the water-salt balance, which is exactly disturbed if the patient has diarrhea.
• Sorbents. These are such drugs as Smecta, Enterosgel. Their main goal is to minimize toxic effects on the body, as well as 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 usually prescribe a drug such as "Ciprofloxacin". You can also use and tools such as "Tetracycline", "Ampicillin." Duration of admission can be different, but on average 5 days.

Attention! Reception of antidiarrhoeal drugs, such as "Loperamide", "Immodium", is strictly prohibited. They slow the release from the lumen of the intestine of the pathogen. And this significantly lengthens the process of recovery and elimination of harmful bacteria from the body.

Nutrition, diet

From this article it is clear that shigellosis is dysentery, i.e. Problem related to the work of the gastrointestinal tract. That is why, together with the treatment of a patient, a certain diet is prescribed. If the patient is diarrhea, he is shown table number 4. Its essence: a low 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 production and flatulence.

Recommended products for reception:

1. Wheat biscuits.
2. Soups with light broth with the addition of cereals.
3. Soft poultry meat and fish in boiled form.
4. Fresh, low-fat cottage cheese.
5. Porridges on the water: oatmeal, rice, buckwheat.
6. Eggs: steamed or boiled soft-boiled, not more than 2 pcs. in a day.
7. Boiled vegetables.

Taboo products:

1. Flour and bakery products.
2. Fat broths and soups based on them.
3. Fatty meat, fish.
4. Milk and products derived from it.
5. Pasta.
6. Porridge: wheat, barley, barley.
7. Beans.
8. Fresh vegetables and fruits.
9. Cocoa, coffee, fizzy drinks.

If the chair is normalized, you can go on a diet number 2. It is much softer than the previous one. In this case, the following foods can be included in the diet:

• Stale bread.
• Meat and fish.
• Dairy products.
• Mature fruits, as well as berries in grinded form.
• Sweets: marmalade, pastille, caramel.

Prevention

To avoid such a problem as shigellosis, prevention is what's important. After observing certain measures, it is easy to prevent the development of this disease.

1. You should wash your hands as often as possible. It is especially important to do this after going to the toilet.
2. Small children from the earliest age should be taught the rules of personal hygiene.
3. It is important to store and prepare various foods correctly.
4. After contact with the patient, you should definitely wash your hands. The patient's linen must be disinfected.
5. Patients should not visit places of congestion of people, collectives (to go to work, to school, kindergarten). After all, they are carriers of infection. This can be done only after negative results of bakposive.

Particular attention to all of the above precautionary measures should include employees of public catering establishments.

Complications

What is shigellosis - figured out. At the very end, it should be recalled that this disease can be treated with various complications with improper treatment. What, then, must be feared?

Prolapse of the rectum. This can happen due to tenesmus and frequent trips to the toilet.

Dehydration. Occurs with a plentiful watery stool. 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 a toxic megacolon). There is an extension of the lower part of the large intestine, its walls thicken. As a consequence, a lot of toxin is absorbed into the blood. This condition can even lead to death.

Normal functioning of the kidneys may be disrupted, severe renal failure may occur. The first manifestation of this problem is oliguria, i.e. A sharp decrease in the amount of urine released to the patient.

Hemolysis of erythrocytes. In this case, the patient may develop severe anemia, the number of platelets in the blood decreases significantly.

Bacteremia. In this case bacteria enter the patient's blood. This condition often occurs in depleted patients. It flows very hard and often ends in a fatal outcome.

Secondary infection. It is due to exhaustion of the body. In this case, often there are such diseases as urinary tract infection or pneumonia.

After recovering, stool disorders may persist for a while. All this can 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 in severe form for another couple of months, there may be weakness of the body, exhaustion, rapid fatigue. Also often there is such problem, as a dysbacteriosis.