Foot and mouth disease: symptoms in humans, causes and treatment
Foot and mouth disease is one of the most dangerous viral diseases, which is characterized by acute and severe course.
Strikes predominantly cattle, goats, pigs, sheep. Rodents and mice are also carriers of the disease. Under favorable circumstances, the virus can affect a person.
The disease in people is quite difficult, accompanied by general intoxication and damage to the skin and mucous membranes.
The causative agent of foot and mouth disease in humans is a specific RNA-containing virus. It is characterized by high virulence and good resistance. In particular, the foot and mouth disease virus tolerates frost and dryness, in animal hair it can remain viable up to 4 weeks. In this case, the virus quickly kills under the influence of direct UV rays, as well as when treated with various detergents.
Most often, foot and mouth disease is diagnosed in rural areas, or in livestock farm workers. People who care for animals are at great risk, milking and cleaning. Also, cases of infection of young children are frequent, since it is in their diet that there is a lot of milk and other dairy products.
After direct infection of a person with the foot and mouth disease virus, an incubation-free asymptomatic period begins, which lasts from three to ten days. Then, the virus is activated in the blood of an infected person, which manifests itself as a rich symptom. The onset of the disease is usually acute.
The patient is diagnosed with a sharp temperature increase, severe weakness, joint aches, headache, and lack of appetite. There is also pain in the muscles, especially noticeable in the lower back. After 2-3 days, the symptoms of foot and mouth disease are associated with photophobia, increased salivation, painful sensations appear during urination.
Then there are signs on the mucous membranes and skin. So, on the inside of the cheeks are formed small bubbles of white color, which are called aftami. In some cases, with a complicated course of the disease, they also appear on the mucous part of the lips, eyes, nose, on the surface of the tongue. There are also aphthae, located on the bunches of fingers, in interdigital folds.
After a short period of time, the aphthas are broken and in their place there are sores with a grayish bottom and a red border. After the aphtas have opened, the patient's body temperature drops slightly, but salivation increases, it becomes difficult to chew and swallow food.
People who have been diagnosed with foot and mouth disease must be hospitalized. As for most viral diseases, for foot and mouth disease there is no specific therapy, so treatment is aimed, first of all, at alleviating the present symptoms in humans.
Patients with foot-and-mouth disease carry out mandatory sanation of the oral cavity. In particular, the aphthae are treated with a cotton swab soaked in hydrogen peroxide or a 4% solution of silver nitrate. Also, affected areas several times a day are lubricated with florenal, oxolin, helio-mycinic or interferon ointment. To accelerate the healing of ulcers, also use the light of a helium-neon laser or ultraviolet irradiation.
In order to facilitate the passage of food, a patient with foot-and-mouth disease is recommended a gentle diet, which consists of rare or ground foods. In some cases it is possible to feed the patient with a probe.
In those cases when foot and mouth disease is difficult, prescription of antibiotics and detoxification therapy is possible. In such situations, antihistamines for the removal of edema and painkillers are also used.
The prognosis for people with FMD is quite favorable. In most cases, at the end of 2-3 weeks, there is complete recovery without any serious effect on health. Foot and mouth disease is dangerous except for small children and newborns. In this category of patients, in rare cases, it may result in the death of the patient.
Prevention of foot and mouth disease consists, first of all, in preventing the emergence of an epidemiological situation in livestock farming. If a disease is detected, at least one animal is given the strictest quarantine. The sick animal is isolated and completely disinfected. This is done by a special sanitary and epidemiological service.
All premises containing animals, work equipment, overalls and other means of care are subject to disinfectant treatment. In order to prevent an epidemic, it is also advisable to carry out routine vaccination among animals, which will protect them from a sudden outbreak of the disease.
In addition, to prevent infection of people, you must strictly follow the safety instructions when working on the farm. People who care for animals should do this in special clothes, after work, you should always wash your hands with soap and water.
Since people most often get infected with foot and mouth disease virus through dairy products( in the same way one can get infected with tick-borne encephalitis), doctors recommend using them only after proper heat treatment. Also it is necessary to be cautious about preparing raw meat. It must necessarily be well roasted, and after cooking, you should thoroughly wash your hands and dishes, in which food was prepared.
Strikes predominantly cattle, goats, pigs, sheep. Rodents and mice are also carriers of the disease. Under favorable circumstances, the virus can affect a person.
The disease in people is quite difficult, accompanied by general intoxication and damage to the skin and mucous membranes.
Causes and causative agent of
The causative agent of foot and mouth disease in humans is a specific RNA-containing virus. It is characterized by high virulence and good resistance. In particular, the foot and mouth disease virus tolerates frost and dryness, in animal hair it can remain viable up to 4 weeks. In this case, the virus quickly kills under the influence of direct UV rays, as well as when treated with various detergents.
Foot and mouth disease infection often occurs when eating meat or milk from sick animals. In rare cases, the virus is transferred through the mucous membranes or damaged skin. In this case, the virus is not transmitted from person to person.
Most often, foot and mouth disease is diagnosed in rural areas, or in livestock farm workers. People who care for animals are at great risk, milking and cleaning. Also, cases of infection of young children are frequent, since it is in their diet that there is a lot of milk and other dairy products.
Symptoms of foot and mouth disease in humans
After direct infection of a person with the foot and mouth disease virus, an incubation-free asymptomatic period begins, which lasts from three to ten days. Then, the virus is activated in the blood of an infected person, which manifests itself as a rich symptom. The onset of the disease is usually acute.
The patient is diagnosed with a sharp temperature increase, severe weakness, joint aches, headache, and lack of appetite. There is also pain in the muscles, especially noticeable in the lower back. After 2-3 days, the symptoms of foot and mouth disease are associated with photophobia, increased salivation, painful sensations appear during urination.
Then there are signs on the mucous membranes and skin. So, on the inside of the cheeks are formed small bubbles of white color, which are called aftami. In some cases, with a complicated course of the disease, they also appear on the mucous part of the lips, eyes, nose, on the surface of the tongue. There are also aphthae, located on the bunches of fingers, in interdigital folds.
After a short period of time, the aphthas are broken and in their place there are sores with a grayish bottom and a red border. After the aphtas have opened, the patient's body temperature drops slightly, but salivation increases, it becomes difficult to chew and swallow food.
Treatment of foot and mouth disease
People who have been diagnosed with foot and mouth disease must be hospitalized. As for most viral diseases, for foot and mouth disease there is no specific therapy, so treatment is aimed, first of all, at alleviating the present symptoms in humans.
Patients with foot-and-mouth disease carry out mandatory sanation of the oral cavity. In particular, the aphthae are treated with a cotton swab soaked in hydrogen peroxide or a 4% solution of silver nitrate. Also, affected areas several times a day are lubricated with florenal, oxolin, helio-mycinic or interferon ointment. To accelerate the healing of ulcers, also use the light of a helium-neon laser or ultraviolet irradiation.
In order to facilitate the passage of food, a patient with foot-and-mouth disease is recommended a gentle diet, which consists of rare or ground foods. In some cases it is possible to feed the patient with a probe.
In those cases when foot and mouth disease is difficult, prescription of antibiotics and detoxification therapy is possible. In such situations, antihistamines for the removal of edema and painkillers are also used.
The prognosis for people with FMD is quite favorable. In most cases, at the end of 2-3 weeks, there is complete recovery without any serious effect on health. Foot and mouth disease is dangerous except for small children and newborns. In this category of patients, in rare cases, it may result in the death of the patient.
Prevention
Prevention of foot and mouth disease consists, first of all, in preventing the emergence of an epidemiological situation in livestock farming. If a disease is detected, at least one animal is given the strictest quarantine. The sick animal is isolated and completely disinfected. This is done by a special sanitary and epidemiological service.
All premises containing animals, work equipment, overalls and other means of care are subject to disinfectant treatment. In order to prevent an epidemic, it is also advisable to carry out routine vaccination among animals, which will protect them from a sudden outbreak of the disease.
In addition, to prevent infection of people, you must strictly follow the safety instructions when working on the farm. People who care for animals should do this in special clothes, after work, you should always wash your hands with soap and water.
Since people most often get infected with foot and mouth disease virus through dairy products( in the same way one can get infected with tick-borne encephalitis), doctors recommend using them only after proper heat treatment. Also it is necessary to be cautious about preparing raw meat. It must necessarily be well roasted, and after cooking, you should thoroughly wash your hands and dishes, in which food was prepared.