Actinomycosis: symptoms, treatment, causes
What is it - actinomycosis, or radiate-fungal disease - a systemic infectious disease, which is characterized by a languid, chronic course.
To the development of the disease lead widely distributed branching bacteria actinomycetes, or radiant fungi. They usually live on plants belonging to cereals. Actinomycetes are found on wheat, rye, and barley. Their disputes are stored in hay and straw.
A person can get infected by eating unprocessed ears or inhaling. It is also possible to penetrate bacteria through the skin and mucous membranes, if there are damages.
In normal conditions, actinomycetes penetrated into the body live in the oral cavity and digestive tract of a person, without bringing any problems. But if a person's immunity decreases due to emerging diseases or pregnancy, the bacteria become parasites and cause the development of the disease. Actinomycosis can be affected by agricultural animals, but a person does not become infected from them, as well as from other people.
In general, actinomycosis affects the skin: the cervical, facial, sacral and gluteal regions, less often - the digestive and respiratory system. In other internal organs( urogenital, musculoskeletal and nervous system) bacteria penetrate very rarely.
In humans, the disease can be asymptomatic for 10-20 years.
In the early stages, the patient does not experience any discomfort. But in case the internal organs are affected, the condition becomes difficult and cachexia is manifested.
Actinomycosis is characterized by such symptoms as creasing, dyeing of the skin in a bluish-purple color and the appearance of seals.
First the seals are hard, but later they soften and granulomas, fistulas and abscesses start to fester. In the pus appear druses - grains that have clavate and bulbous processes.
To treat actinomycosis has been successful, it must be carried out in a complex manner. For this it is necessary:
For immunostimulation, actinolysate is used intramuscularly or subcutaneously. If the patient is insensitive to actinosylate, then it is replaced with levamisole( decaris).Sometimes an actinomycete polyvalent vaccine is injected into the body, which is produced from actinomycetes obtained from the patient. Such therapy is very effective, but it is rather difficult to get the vaccine.
Anti-inflammatory therapy is performed with antibiotics. First, for two weeks, the patient drinks benzyl penicillin, and then - phenoxymethylpenicillin or tetracycline. Treatment of actinomycosis with antibiotics is combined with the use of sulfonamide drugs and potassium iodide.
Calcium gluconate, ascorbic acid, fish oil, multivitamins, aloe extract, prodigiosan, pentoxyl, methyluracil, T-activin, thymalin are attributed to the general strengthening of the body to the patient.
To combat actinomycosis, physiotherapeutic procedures are also used:
If actinomycosis in a person is detected in a timely manner and proceeds to adequate treatment, then the disease is completely curable, but scarring may remain. Sometimes after recovery, relapses occur.
If the disease is started and is accompanied by a serious course and complications, then a fatal outcome is possible. Therefore, it is important to diagnose the disease in time. For this purpose, microbiological studies, culture and serological diagnostics are used.
Specific prophylaxis of the disease is unknown. For non-specific prophylaxis it is necessary:
To the development of the disease lead widely distributed branching bacteria actinomycetes, or radiant fungi. They usually live on plants belonging to cereals. Actinomycetes are found on wheat, rye, and barley. Their disputes are stored in hay and straw.
A person can get infected by eating unprocessed ears or inhaling. It is also possible to penetrate bacteria through the skin and mucous membranes, if there are damages.
In normal conditions, actinomycetes penetrated into the body live in the oral cavity and digestive tract of a person, without bringing any problems. But if a person's immunity decreases due to emerging diseases or pregnancy, the bacteria become parasites and cause the development of the disease. Actinomycosis can be affected by agricultural animals, but a person does not become infected from them, as well as from other people.
In general, actinomycosis affects the skin: the cervical, facial, sacral and gluteal regions, less often - the digestive and respiratory system. In other internal organs( urogenital, musculoskeletal and nervous system) bacteria penetrate very rarely.
Symptoms of actinomycosis in humans
In humans, the disease can be asymptomatic for 10-20 years.
In the early stages, the patient does not experience any discomfort. But in case the internal organs are affected, the condition becomes difficult and cachexia is manifested.
Actinomycosis is characterized by such symptoms as creasing, dyeing of the skin in a bluish-purple color and the appearance of seals.
First the seals are hard, but later they soften and granulomas, fistulas and abscesses start to fester. In the pus appear druses - grains that have clavate and bulbous processes.
Treatment of actinomycosis
To treat actinomycosis has been successful, it must be carried out in a complex manner. For this it is necessary:
- to work on immunity;
- increase the overall reactivity of the body;
- get rid of concomitant purulent infection;
- use surgical intervention;
- apply physiotherapy;
- treat associated diseases.
For immunostimulation, actinolysate is used intramuscularly or subcutaneously. If the patient is insensitive to actinosylate, then it is replaced with levamisole( decaris).Sometimes an actinomycete polyvalent vaccine is injected into the body, which is produced from actinomycetes obtained from the patient. Such therapy is very effective, but it is rather difficult to get the vaccine.
Anti-inflammatory therapy is performed with antibiotics. First, for two weeks, the patient drinks benzyl penicillin, and then - phenoxymethylpenicillin or tetracycline. Treatment of actinomycosis with antibiotics is combined with the use of sulfonamide drugs and potassium iodide.
An effective result is also provided by antifungal( antifungal) medications: lamizil, diflucan, orhungal, nizoral and others.
Calcium gluconate, ascorbic acid, fish oil, multivitamins, aloe extract, prodigiosan, pentoxyl, methyluracil, T-activin, thymalin are attributed to the general strengthening of the body to the patient.
To combat actinomycosis, physiotherapeutic procedures are also used:
- ultraviolet irradiation of affected areas;
- ultrasonic radiation;
- X-ray irradiation;
- electrophoresis, during which actinolysate and iodine are introduced;
- iontophoresis;
- phonophoresis;
- irradiation with helium-neon laser;
- inhalation with iodine;
- paraffin therapy.
Prophylaxis and prognosis of actinomycosis
If actinomycosis in a person is detected in a timely manner and proceeds to adequate treatment, then the disease is completely curable, but scarring may remain. Sometimes after recovery, relapses occur.
If the disease is started and is accompanied by a serious course and complications, then a fatal outcome is possible. Therefore, it is important to diagnose the disease in time. For this purpose, microbiological studies, culture and serological diagnostics are used.
Specific prophylaxis of the disease is unknown. For non-specific prophylaxis it is necessary:
- observe hygiene rules;
- prevent injury to the skin;
- in time to treat teeth;
- prevent inflammatory diseases of the oral cavity, tonsils, respiratory and digestive system;
- to increase immunity.