Each person lives surrounded by a huge number of microorganisms. These are the same inhabitants of our planet as we humans are. Some bacteria are indispensable helpers and, living inside our body, help, for example, digest food, even produce some vitamins. But there are those who, until a certain point, do not cause anxiety, for example, green streptococcus, which often settles in the throat. But if the bacterium begins to multiply intensively, then this can already bring a lot of trouble. Let's find out how to recognize the danger and how to treat green streptococcus.
What is streptococcus
Among all bacteria that are adjacent to humans, this is the most common. You can find it on:
- household items;
- skin integument;
- mucous membrane of the nasal or oral cavity;
- in the digestive tract.
The bacterium has a spherical shape and belongs to the lactobacilli family. Its stability is due to the fact that it is able to form a capsule, which is beyond the power of our immune system. Three types of streptococci can live in the human oral cavity:
- alpha hemolytic streptococcus;
- gamma streptococcus;
- beta hemolytic.
The first type is also called alpha-greening streptococci, because they are able to stain the blood environment in green due to partial hemolysis of red blood cells. This type of microorganism often lives on the teeth and gums and leads to the development of caries. This is due to the fact that in its structure there are proteins that can bind saliva, firmly attaching to the teeth. After eating, bacteria intensively decompose food debris, releasing acid, which destroys our teeth. That is why it is so important to rinse your mouth with clean water after each meal.
Alpha and gamma streptococci are safer for humans, they can be dealt with, but the beta form of bacteria causes the most serious pathologies.
Varieties of Streptococci
If we consider the types of bacteria of this group, then we can distinguish the following:
- Hemolytic streptococcus. He is an almost constant inhabitant of the skin and mucous membranes. Living in the throat, he may not make himself felt for a long time. But with a decrease in immunity, it begins to multiply intensively, leading to the appearance of tonsillitis, pneumonia, pharyngitis and other diseases.
- Verdant streptococcus, or non-hemolytic. This bacterium makes up almost 60% of the entire microflora of the oral cavity. It can also enter the intestine, but its penetration with blood flow to the heart muscle is dangerous for the development of bacterial endocarditis.
- Pyogenic streptococcus. It is more often found in the throat, but can go to the skin, to the rectum or to the vagina. This is a rather dangerous variety, which in severe cases leads to fatal diseases.
The danger to the body of streptococci is that they can easily form a protective capsule, which saves them from phagocytosis by leukocytes. They can also be easily changed and converted to L-shape. Changing, bacteria are able to hide from attacks of the immune system for a long time.
Causes of Streptococcus in the Throat
These bacteria along with other microorganisms are present around us and get into our respiratory tract constantly. No matter how we get rid of them, they will certainly settle again. Streptococci come to us in the following ways:
- through the respiratory tract;
- with food that has not been cooked;
- from unwashed hands;
- from domestic animals, as they live on their wool;
- from another person with a kiss.
But if our immune system works fine, then it easily copes with uninvited guests and inhibits their reproduction. In acceptable quantities, green streptococcus is not a health hazard. But with an imbalance, infectious diseases develop. The question arises, is it possible to get infected with them?
Methods of infection with streptococcal infection
If the body breaks the balance between the strength of the immune system and bacteria, then catching an infection is quite possible. But the violation of this balance can be caused by factors:
- if a sick person sprays a large number of pathogenic microorganisms around him;
- non-observance of personal hygiene;
- use of other personal hygiene items;
- the use of finished products from the store that are not subjected to heat treatment, such as ready-made salads;
- a viral infection that weakens the immune system;
- relapse of herpes;
- hypothermia of the body;
- immunodeficiency states.
If there is already streptococcus viridans, green, treatment in the nose from which did not give a positive result, then the bacterium can easily move into the oral cavity.
I must say that individually, each of the listed factors is unlikely to lead to infection, but when layering one on the other, it is quite possible. For example, a patient is infected with the herpes virus and, after hypothermia, comes into contact with a streptococcal infection carrier in the throat. But in this case, the risk of contracting is great.
How to recognize streptococcal infection
There are many varieties of this bacterium, but there are some manifestations that are similar. If green streptococcus causes the disease, the symptoms will be as follows, as with a defeat by another species of this microorganism:
- a sharp increase in symptoms;
- weakness appears immediately;
- the temperature creeps up and reaches 39-40 degrees;
- it throws a person in the cold, then in the heat;
- tonsils swell strongly and become covered with white coating;
- pain when swallowing;
- the voice becomes muffled;
- headaches appear;
- the neck muscles become inactive, soreness appears when opening the mouth.
If these symptoms appear, you must call a doctor who, after conducting the studies, will diagnose and prescribe therapy.
How to make a correct diagnosis
All bacterial infections, when diagnosed, require recognition of the pathogen and its sensitivity to antibacterial drugs. Otherwise, therapy may not give the desired result. To determine the type of bacteria during a throat infection, a smear is taken and examined after cultivation under a microscope.
The specialist studies the colony, the characteristics of the cells, the species and determines how sensitive they are to antibiotics. As a rule, such an analysis takes several days. But to figure out what destroys the green streptococcus, you can not spend much time, treatment must be started without waiting for the results, since this microorganism is sensitive to all antibiotics. This allows you to immediately start therapy and quickly suppress the infection.
Green Streptococcus: treatment
If this bacterium is the cause of an infectious disease, then therapy is reduced to taking:
- local antibacterial drugs;
- systemic antibiotics;
- folk remedies.
If a green streptococcus has settled in the throat, treatment must necessarily be started with antibiotics that will quickly cope with the microorganism. If we talk about drugs of local importance, then doctors often prescribe "Bioporox", which must be sprayed into the throat up to 4 times a day. Duration of use is about 7 days.
But recently, there has been a lot of discussion around this drug, and there have been negative reviews of experts who claim that this tool destroys the entire microflora. In some countries, drug production has been suspended.
Green streptococci in the oral cavity are amenable to therapy and systemic drugs, for example, penicillin antibiotics:
- Ampicillin
- Amoxicillin;
- Amoxiclav;
- Amosin.
The doctor prescribes 500 mg three times a day for 10 days. During therapy, it must be remembered that these funds have a detrimental effect on the entire microflora, so it is important to take probiotics, such as Linex, to normalize the balance of bacteria.
Green streptococcus in the throat requires administration of immunomodulators to stimulate the immune system. These are such drugs:
If a green streptococcus has flared up against a background of a viral infection, the treatment should be supplemented with antiviral drugs:
- Ergoferon;
- Cycloferon;
- Ingavirin.
Assistive therapy
If green streptococcus is in the throat, treatment should be supplemented with symptomatic therapy:
- take antipyretics to bring down the heat;
- drink plenty of fluids, but not very hot or cold;
- gargle with aseptic solutions;
- flush tonsils;
- use for resorption throat lozenges;
- use vasoconstrictors.
If you follow all the doctor's recommendations and undergo a full course of therapy, then, as a rule, by the fifth day, the tonsils are noticeably cleared of white plaque, the temperature returns to normal, and the sore throat recedes.
When taking a course of antibiotics, it is necessary to remember that early termination of treatment is fraught with an early return of infection and increased resistance of microorganisms, it will be much more difficult to deal with streptococci if they attack the body again.
Features of infection in children
Despite the fact that the symptoms of the disease are similar, children have some peculiarities of the course of the disease and its treatment.
The signs of the disease in babies practically do not differ from adults, but children more often lose their appetite during infection.
If green streptococcus is found, the child should be treated only under the supervision of a doctor. Dosage and duration of therapy are selected taking into account the severity of the pathology, age and weight of the baby. Now there are drugs that can be prescribed even to infants. To reduce the temperature, it is recommended to take "Paracetamol" or "Ibuprofen."
If the child already knows how to do this, then it is necessary to rinse the mouth and throat with Furacilin or Chlorhexidine. You can use decoctions of herbs, such as chamomile, for these purposes.
To strengthen the immune system, children are prescribed vitamin preparations.
In the early days of the disease, it is important to observe bed rest.
We use folk remedies against streptococcus
As an addition to medical treatment, you can use folk remedies that will help defeat green streptococcus. They will reduce the manifestations of the symptoms of an infectious disease, strengthen the immune system, reduce the inflammatory process and remove pathogenic microorganisms and their metabolic products from the human body.
The most effective remedies include the recipes below.
You can prepare an infusion from a tablespoon of rosehip berries, raspberry leaves, a small amount of cranberries and a glass of boiling water. After an hour of infusion, take it warm twice a day.
You can gargle with this composition: brew a tablespoon of willow bark and a string in 300 ml of water, insist a couple of hours and can be used.
It is useful to chew a piece of propolis for 5 minutes, the procedure is repeated three times a day.
Grate beets and pour boiling water in a ratio of 1: 1. Leave for 6 hours under the lid, then add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, strain and use to gargle every hour.
Use ready-made alcoholic extracts of eucalyptus and calendula for gargling.
Take decoctions and infusions to stimulate immunity, for example, a decoction of rosehip berries, tincture of Eleutherococcus or Echinacea.
In combination with drugs, alternative methods of therapy will help get rid of the infection faster.
Disease complications
If you do not deal with the therapy of streptococcal infection, then it will very quickly begin its advancement into the lower parts of the respiratory system and will lead to the development of the following complications:
- laryngitis;
- tracheitis;
- bronchitis;
- otitis.
If there is a green streptococcus, pneumonia is another complication that it can cause.
There may be later complications that develop after 2-4 weeks after recovery. This may be due to an incomplete course of treatment or refusal to take antibiotics. The most common complications are the following complications:
- myocarditis and endocarditis;
- rheumatism;
- glomerulonephritis;
- meningitis;
- osteomyelitis.
If it comes to a small child, then streptococcal bronchopneumonia can lead to pleurisy, empyema of the pleura, which in premature babies is fraught even fatal.
If the disease is started to be treated in a timely manner, then such complications can be completely avoided.
Streptococcus in gynecology
It is not uncommon when a woman catches a streptococcal infection while in the gynecological department for treatment. In the presence of pathologies in the reproductive system, the body is weakened, so it is much easier to penetrate microorganisms and cause the development of an infectious disease.
Pathology may not manifest itself for a long time, and a woman does not suspect the presence of streptococci until they declare themselves vivid symptoms:
- burning and soreness during urination;
- body temperature rises;
- general weakness appears;
- during a gynecological examination, the uterus is painful, it increases in size due to the formation of a purulent tumor in its cavity;
- yellowish discharge appears, sometimes with an admixture of blood;
- a woman feels pulling pains in the lower back and lower abdomen;
- the menstrual cycle is broken.
If a woman consults a doctor in a timely manner, then green streptococcus in gynecology is quite easily treated without any consequences for the body.
What is not recommended to be done in the presence of streptococcal infection in the body
In order for the therapy to be more effective and complications do not arise, during the illness you will have to follow some recommendations:
- do not refuse to take antibacterial drugs after contact with a sick person, especially if there is diabetes, immunodeficiency or age over 65 years;
- you need to carefully take care of hygiene of the oral cavity and body;
- do not supercool;
- do not eat cold food and drinks;
- It is advisable to observe bed rest;
- you can’t rely on the help of only folk remedies, the symptoms may be relieved, but you won’t be able to completely cope with the infection;
- It is advisable to get rid of bad habits;
- do not use sharp and irritating foods for the duration of the disease;
- Do not go to the bathhouse or sauna;
- urgently call a doctor when the first symptoms of the disease appear.
Compliance with these simple rules will help you recover faster and not make complications.
Prevention of streptococcal throat infection
You can prevent the development of infection if:
- engage in adequate therapy for colds, for this it is worth visiting a doctor, and not self-medicating;
- runny nose and other infections in the nose should be treated in a timely manner;
- for prevention, twice a year, you need to take immunomodulators on the recommendation of a doctor;
- if there is a tendency to catarrhal diseases, then it is worthwhile to dress warmer in a cool time so as not to allow hypothermia;
- lead a healthy lifestyle;
- do sport;
- conduct hardening procedures.
Streptococci live almost constantly in our body and do not cause any harm, so you should make every effort to prevent bacteria from gaining the upper hand and lead to the development of an infectious disease.