Anaerobic infection is caused by pathogenic anaerobes and occurs with wounds and other extensive lesions of soft tissues, including during planned and emergency abdominal operations. The disease is characterized by the rapid spread of necrosis and the breakdown of soft tissues, severe intoxication of the body without obvious signs of inflammation. The causative agents of anaerobic infections are quite common in the environment, they are also found in the intestines of animals and humans.
What is the danger of anaerobic infection?
Anaerobic infection tends to secrete toxins that cause tissue hemolysis, damage to internal organs and vascular thrombosis, as well as necrotic and neurotoxic hemotoxins. Bacteria and tissue breakdown products have a general toxic effect on the body, a local focus (gas abscess) can form. In this case, gross changes in muscles and blood vessels almost instantly occur, necrosis appears in nerves, fiber, fascia. Muscles lose their elasticity, become gray, dull, easily knead with fingers, porous (with a gas form) and watery (with a swollen form). There are metastatic lesions, most often in places of bruises, compression or injection. However, the main problem of anaerobic infection is the defeat of the central nervous system by microbial toxins and tissue decay products.
What determines the development of anaerobic infection?
Moreover, the presence of microbes in the wound does not mean that the disease will begin to develop. In any case, the occurrence and outcome of the disease will depend on several crucial factors:
- virulence, species, dose and other biological properties of the microorganism;
- the immunological status of a macroorganism;
- anatomobiological features of the site of introduction of microorganisms
- the degree of allergy to the patient;
- general blood circulation and a specific organ, as well as blood composition.
Classification of anaerobic infection
In order to make a full diagnosis and decide on the implementation of therapeutic measures, it is necessary to classify the existing infection. In modern medicine, this issue is solved taking into account the distribution, dynamics, anatomical features and clinical and morphological parameters of the process. Anaerobic infection in surgery is conventionally divided into two classic forms: emphysematous (gas gangrene, gas phlegmon) and edematous (malignant edema). Moreover, common to these two species is the rapid necrosis of tissues with the progression and spread of microbes beyond the wound.
Anaerobic infection. Clinic and course of the disease.
The course of the disease is torpid, rapidly progressing and fulminant. The tropic course of the disease is characterized by the late onset of the process (approximately on the fifth or sixth day) and its slow spread. In this case, a fatal outcome is possible in two to three weeks. A rapidly progressing course is characterized by the onset of the disease on the second or third day, a fatal outcome can occur on the fourth or sixth day. The fulminant course of the disease is characterized by the development of clinical symptoms within a few hours and can lead to death on the second day.
Anaerobic infection. Treatment.
A treatment complex aimed at combating anaerobic infection contains at least three components:
- Remediation or elimination of the focus of infection along with bacterial contents.
- Detoxification.
- Restoring the functions of the central nervous system and internal organs.
Surgical treatment is indicated for patients with anaerobic infection, from dissection of the lesion to amputation of the limb. After excision, the wound is loosely swabbed with tampons with disinfectant mixtures, antibiotics are continuously administered.
Anaerobic infection is a serious complication and it requires immediate medical attention. If an aerobic infection can spread quickly enough without endangering a person’s life, then neglect of anaerobic infection can cost a person his life. This must always be remembered!