Diagnosis and treatment of streptococcal infection

Pustules on the skin, erysipelas, omphalitis, tonsillitis, scarlet fever, yellowish fetid discharge from the genital tract, otitis media, periodontitis, caries, pneumonia, inflammation of the umbilical cord, peritonitis ... What do you think that combines these diseases? They have a common cause - a microbe called streptococcus.

Where do streptococci live?

Streptococci, which will be discussed in this article, are round-shaped bacteria and are arranged in the form of chains of various lengths. Normally, the mucous membranes of the intestines, genitals, and skin are populated by various microorganisms, including streptococci. Depending on the species, streptococci tend to settle in different parts of the human body: some on the skin, some on the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract, some on the mucous membrane of the genitals or intestines. This property helps in the diagnosis of the disease and the appointment of the right treatment.

treatment for streptococcal infection

Streptococcus Properties

In the human throat, from 30 to 60% of all microbes fall on the share of streptococcus. A healthy body has strong immunity, which keeps the entire microflora under control, preventing excess bacteria from multiplying, and with a decrease in immunity and favorable conditions for development, this or that type of microorganism begins to multiply rapidly, suppressing the normal flora and leading to the occurrence of diseases. Streptococcus also belongs to such microbes. Its reproduction and spread in the body can lead to serious diseases, including infectious ones. Due to the large number of cells of this pathogen living on the human body, the number of diseases caused by them reaches 10-15% of the total number of diseases in the cold season. The course of the disease and its severity are due to both the type of streptococcus itself and the ingress of bacteria and toxic substances produced by them into the blood.

Streptococcal infection treatment

Fortunately, streptococci are unstable in the external environment. Sunlight, disinfectants and antibacterial drugs are harmful to them. The timely treatment of streptococcal infection leads to good results, and neglected, severe forms of the disease can lead to tragedy.

All diseases, one way or another associated with streptococcus, are divided into 2 large groups:

- diseases caused by streptococcus,

- Diseases provoked by streptococcus.

Let's look at a few examples of the diseases that streptococcus causes.

Angina

Treatment of strep throat infection

Streptococcus affects the tissue of the tonsils, which are located around the pharynx in the form of a ring. If a person has strong immunity, then tonsillitis proceeds in a mild form without a high temperature, with a slight plaque on the tonsils and a little soreness when swallowing. If the immunity is weak, then severe necrotic inflammation of the tonsils can develop, accompanied by severe sore throat, especially when swallowing, weakness, very high fever, aching all over the body and signs of poisoning. This is due to the production by the bacteria of toxic substances that cause purulent fusion of the tissues. The decay products and toxins of bacteria poison the human body.

The result of a delayed or improper treatment is the following diseases:

- paratonsillar abscess - acute inflammation of the tissues under the tonsils,

- otitis media - inflammation of the middle ear,

- rheumatic heart disease - autoimmune damage to the heart,

- articular rheumatism - autoimmune damage to the tissues of the joints,

- glomerulonephritis - an inflammatory process in the kidney that affects the main tools for blood filtration and urine formation - renal glomeruli,

- lymphadenitis - inflammation of the lymph nodes located on the neck closest to the pharynx.

Treatment of streptococcal infection in the throat is carried out with general and local antibacterial drugs. There are features in the treatment of adults and children: treatment of streptococcal infection in the throat in adults is combined with rinsing with solutions of medicines, decoctions and infusions of herbs, and small children who still do not know how to gargle are deprived of this component of the treatment. For babies, only irrigation of the tonsils with medicinal aerosols is suitable. When treating a streptococcal infection in the throat, note that after rinsing and / or using an aerosol, it is not recommended to take food and drink for at least one hour so that the medicine does not rinse and lasts as long as possible.

Caries

Everyone knows the disease. Did not expect that he also causes streptococcus? These bacteria in the oral cavity feed on the remnants of food stuck in the interdental spaces. Propagating there, in the process of their life, microbes secrete lactic acid. It gradually dissolves hard enamel, which is based on calcium. The tooth loses its strength and begins to decay.

There are few complications, but they are unpleasant:

- pulpitis - inflammation of the base, the core of the tooth, in which the vessels and nerves pass,

- tooth loss associated with its destruction.

There is also a disease of the oral cavity - periodontal disease, which also causes streptococcal infection. Its treatment is also necessary, otherwise the troubles associated with inflammation, bleeding gums and tooth loss cannot be avoided.

Streptoderma

Streptococcal skin infection, treatment

This is a streptococcal skin lesion. Infection occurs due to the penetration of the pathogen through minor damage, cracks, abrasions, cuts. In the lesion, a pink spot appears with uneven edges, up to 30-40 cm in diameter. Depending on the depth of the lesion, the disease is divided into 2 types:

- streptococcal impetigo, which is characterized by the rapid appearance on the surface of the skin of small purulent vesicles, which, when opened, quickly dry out and disappear without a trace,

- vulgar ecthyma - deep skin lesion. After opening the same vesicles, scars form on the skin, general well-being suffers, and body temperature rises to 38 degrees.

This is how a small microbe leads to a sharp change in the quality of human life. Thanks to small damage, streptococcal skin infection develops, the treatment of which requires some effort.

Treatment of streptococcal soft tissue infection combines general and local methods. A bandage with an antiseptic solution is applied to the affected area.

Streptococci cause pustules and smaller than those described above. There are lovers among men to tear out hairs from the nose instead of cutting them. So in place of damaged hair follicles, very painful, inflamed areas are formed. Most often they pass without suppuration, but in the absence of treatment, purulent vesicles appear. Early treatment of streptococcal infection in the nose boils down to applying an antiseptic solution, a bactericidal ointment, to the affected area of โ€‹โ€‹the nose.

Genital tract inflammation

In 10-30% of healthy women from the mucous membrane of the genital organs, streptococcus is sown. Normally, he does not find himself in any way, because he is under the control of the immune system. With a decrease in immunity, as well as in cases of sexually transmitted infection with streptococcus, women have a burning sensation, itching, pain during urination, yellowish purulent discharge, pain in the lower abdomen and a slight increase in temperature.

Treatment of streptococcal infection in gynecology

In the absence of examination and adequate treatment, the situation is aggravated, complications arise in the form of:

- cervical erosion, when the epithelium from the uterine cavity appears on its neck,

- endometritis - inflammation of the endometrium, the inner layer of the uterus,

- polyps, when the epithelial layer lining them excessively grows on the internal genital organs.

Diagnosis of the disease is carried out at the reception, to clarify the diagnosis, the method of sowing is used with the determination of sensitivity to antibiotics.

Treatment of streptococcal infection in gynecology is a fairly common occurrence due to the wide spread of this microbe. A small crack, a small wound is enough for him to immediately penetrate not only the skin or mucous membrane, but also much deeper. There are a lot of situations in which the gates of this infection open: each menstruation, childbirth exposes the uterus from the inside, which becomes a huge wound surface, not to mention damage to the cervix, vagina and perineum. Even sexual intercourse can be accompanied by damage to the mucous membrane and skin.

Diseases, the occurrence of which provokes streptococcus

These include rheumatism, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic vasculitis and glomerulonephritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis

It occurs due to the formation of immune complexes. In this case, they are deposited in the joint cavity, damage the cartilage and do not allow to fully perform their functions. Inflamed cells of the joint secrete enzymes that further melt the cartilage, which ultimately leads to its complete destruction. Mostly small joints of the hands, fingers on the hands and feet are involved in the pathological process. The patient feels stiff in the movements of the affected joints, especially in the morning.

Complications are the accumulation of pus in the cavity of the affected joint and renal failure.

Streptococcal infections in babies

From the very first days of life, a little man is susceptible to a disease of streptococcal infection. Infection can occur in utero through the blood of the mother, when passing through the birth canal infected with this microorganism, as well as in the first hours and days of fetal life from patients or carriers. The infant's immature immune system is not able to withstand microbes.

streptococcal infection, antibiotic treatment

There are several serious diseases in which the baby suffers greatly and may even die.

Streptoderma and vulgar ecthyma are lesions of the baby's skin, leaving deep scars on thin delicate skin. Complications of these diseases can be lymphangitis and lymphadenitis (purulent inflammation of the lymphatic vessels and nodes, respectively).

Sepsis - circulation in large quantities of streptococcus in the blood, while purulent foci are formed in any organs and tissues. The course of the disease is very severe and even with timely medical intervention, mortality reaches 20%.

Meningitis is a purulent inflammation of the hard and soft meninges, which leads to impaired functioning of the brain. Mortality reaches 15%, and persistent long-term consequences of brain damage are found in another 40% of children.

Pneumonia is a disease of the main organ responsible for the saturation of blood with oxygen and the removal of carbon dioxide. Streptococcus affects the alveoli of the lungs. They become inflamed, swell and cease to perform respiratory function. With the timely start of treatment, the disease can be cured, but nevertheless, mortality also occurs here, reaching 0.5%.

Necrotic fasciitis is a very serious disease in which the connective tissue membranes are damaged, in which the muscles, neurovascular bundles and internal organs are โ€œdressedโ€. It is manifested by a woody compaction of the babyโ€™s soft tissues. With this disease, mortality reaches 25%.

This is how streptococcal infection is severely manifested in children, the treatment of which should be started immediately if there is a suspicion of infection with streptococcus.

Diagnosis of streptococcal infection

Diagnosis begins at the stage of the visit of a sick person to a doctor.

At the reception, the doctor examines the patient, collects information about complaints, symptoms of the disease and the limitation of their appearance, selects the best diagnostic methods and prescribes treatment.

Laboratory and instrumental methods for the diagnosis of streptococcal infection

Of course, the doctor will prescribe a study of general blood and urine tests, but they will not be able to help in separating streptococcal infection from any other, therefore, methods are used to plant the microbe on a nutrient medium and determine the sensitivity of the microbe to antibiotics.

Depending on the lesion, for the study take away the wounds, the contents of abscesses, joints, mucus from the nose, pharynx, vagina, cervical canal and cerebrospinal fluid - cerebrospinal fluid.

To determine the sensitivity to antibiotics, small discs moistened with different antibiotics are placed on a laboratory cup seeded with microbes, and after 8-10 hours, the results are evaluated. By the absence of a growth zone or a small number of microbes around the disk, the antibiotics most harmful for streptococci are determined. This research method takes 2-5 days.

Treatment for streptococcal infection

The most reliable, fast and effective is antibiotic treatment.

Regardless of the localization of the pathological process, they are necessarily included in the treatment regimen.

If the doctor makes a decision at the reception that the patient has a streptococcal infection, the treatment is prescribed with one of the penicillin or cephalosporin drugs. In a number of situations, it is difficult to distinguish the pathogen, since a similar clinic can cause staphylococcal and streptococcal infections, treatment in this case is still prescribed with one antibiotic from the two indicated rows.

After establishing the sensitivity of the microbe to antibiotics, if streptococcal infection continues, antibiotic treatment is adjusted.

There are people who categorically refuse antibiotic treatment and use only folk remedies. In this case, it is permissible to use herbs as auxiliary methods of treatment, but not the main ones.

Streptococcal infection, treatment with folk remedies

Too insidious streptococcal infection, treatment with folk remedies without antibiotics leads to life-threatening complications, disability and death.

Treatment for streptococcal infection is not so difficult. It is important to seek medical help on time, make a diagnosis and start the right treatment.


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