Pseudotuberculosis is an acute infectious disease that is widespread all over the world, in which various parts of the body are affected: the liver, small intestine, lymph nodes, joints, nervous system, etc. Consider what the causes of this pathology are, how it manifests itself, and what it can have effects.
How is pseudotuberculosis transmitted?
The causative agent of pseudotuberculosis are pseudotuberculosis bacilli belonging to the family of enterobacteria, the genus Yersinia. These are gram-negative bacteria of rod-shaped form, not forming a spore. They are very unpretentious to the environment, they are stable under various unfavorable conditions. So, they survive in acidic and alkaline environment, transfer low temperatures and are able to reproduce even at 2 ° C, for months remain in soil and water. When freezing and further thawing remain viable. It is fatal for these microorganisms to boil, use chlorine-containing agents, ultraviolet rays.
The source of infection are animals and birds - both wild and domestic. It is believed that the main carriers of pseudotuberculosis rods in nature are mouse rodents, hares and birds (crows, pigeons, swallows, etc.). In urban conditions, pathogens are detected in house mice, rats, which are carriers of infection. Cows, goats, sheep, horses, chickens, turkeys, as well as cats, dogs, etc., are affected.
The main way of infection - fecal-oral - through food (mainly vegetables, fruits, root vegetables), water, milk, drinks. You can get sick if you use inadequately processed food thermally, raw milk and water, unwashed vegetables and fruits. Less often, the infection is transmitted by contact and household. It is worth noting that a person who has become ill with pseudotuberculosis is not contagious, since it releases into the environment an insignificant amount of the pathogen.
Signs of pseudotuberculosis
Pseudotuberculosis bacilli, developing in the body, secrete toxic substances that cause various lesions. On average, the incubation period of the disease is 3-8 days. Depending on the severity of the leading syndrome, different clinical forms of pseudotuberculosis are distinguished.
Localized form of pseudotuberculosis
It is characterized by such symptoms:
- increase in body temperature to 38 - 39 ° C;
- chills;
- vomiting;
- frequent loose stool (with lesions of the large intestine - with blood and mucus);
- persistent headache;
- weakness;
- pain in muscles and joints;
- rashes on the skin in the form of nodules;
- white coating on the tongue , which after two weeks passes into a crimson;
- hyperemia of the type of "socks", "gloves", "hoods", etc.
Arthralgic form
The variant of pseudotuberculosis, which may not have rashes and diarrhea. The following manifestations are most typical for this form:
- pain in the joints of different intensity (sometimes there are violations of the functioning of the joints);
- hyperemia of the skin and swelling of the tissues around the affected joint.
Most often knee, ankle, wrist joints are affected, more rarely - hip, shoulder, intervertebral.
Generalized form
It shows such signs:
- high body temperature;
- vomiting;
- strong weakness;
- fine-sparse asymmetric rash;
- nodal erythema in the zone of large joints;
- enlargement of the liver and spleen.
Septic form
Basically, it occurs in people with immunodeficiency. It is characterized by such symptoms:
- temperature increase up to 40 ° C;
- sweating;
- chills;
- jaundice;
- polymorphic rash;
- pneumonia;
- myocarditis, and others.
Consequences of pseudotuberculosis
Pseudotuberculosis can have the following complications:
- polyarthritis;
- purulent lesions of internal organs;
- osteomyelitis , etc.
Analysis for pseudotuberculosis
For the diagnosis of pseudotuberculosis in the laboratory, any material can be taken:
- blood;
- urine;
- cal;
- sputum;
- a smear from the throat, etc.
Bacteriological and serological methods of investigation, as well as enzyme immunoassay, are used.