In the departments of infectious diseases hospitals, especially during the hot season, people with a diagnosis of salmonellosis are very often hospitalized. Treatment of this disease should be carried out immediately so that there are no complications.
Salmonellosis refers to acute diseases of an infectious nature. Its manifestations are very diverse. This can be a simple carrier of the pathogen or the disease proceeds as a gastroenteritis and even a septic state.
Causes of the disease
The causative agents of this disease are gram-negative bacilli - Salmonella. This is a fairly large group of microorganisms, including more than two thousand different serotypes. The sticks are quite mobile, feel great and successfully develop in a variety of nutrient media. The pathogen is stable in the environment, remains viable for food for a long time, and in meat and milk, salmonella multiply, without affecting the color and taste of the products. Getting into the body with low-quality products, the rods begin to parasitize in the small intestine, localizing in the cells of its mucous membrane. Salmonella in the process of their life release a dangerous toxin, which spreads with blood to all organs, causing the formation of purulent foci. Severe dehydration and shock are the complications salmonellosis is dangerous with. Such patients are treated in intensive care units.
Clinical manifestations of the disease
The asymptomatic period of the disease can be short, from several hours to two to three days. Then symptoms of gastroenteritis suddenly appear, i.e. the temperature rises to high values, chills, fatigue, muscle pain, nausea and often indomitable vomiting appear. After a short period of time, fetid diarrhea appears, which can be repeated up to 15 times a day. In this case, there is a large loss of fluid and electrolytes. Strong dehydration of the body develops, blood pressure may decrease, the skin loses its turgor (elasticity), the patient’s eyes sag. Elevated temperature persists for several days. The most dangerous and difficult course is salmonellosis during pregnancy and in children, since rapid dehydration is a threat to the fetus.
In medicine, several forms of the course of the disease are distinguished. Uncomplicated salmonellosis, the treatment of which does not require hospitalization in the hospital, is manifested by mild fever and upset stool. Symptoms usually go away in one to two days.
Typhoid-like salmonellosis with the clinic is similar to typhoid fever. The correct diagnosis is made on the isolation of salmonella from the biomaterial.
Septic salmonellosis is severe, with high fever of the wrong type and severe intoxication. With this form, purulent foci in the organs and joints can form. The disease can be complicated by endocarditis and meningitis. If such salmonellosis is diagnosed, treatment is carried out under conditions of resuscitation or purulent surgery.
The colitic variant of the disease is manifested by spastic abdominal pain, frequent diarrhea with an admixture of blood. The clinic resembles the course of dysentery.
In the recognition of the disease, epidemiological prerequisites are of great importance, such as mass poisoning or a specific connection with a product. The most accurate diagnostic criterion is the selection of sticks from food or vomit or feces.
Disease treatment
In therapeutic measures, it is very important to stop the flow of toxin into the blood from the digestive tract. To do this, wash the stomach and intestines as soon as possible. Adequate replenishment of the body with fluid and electrolytes, respectively losses, is very important. Infusion therapy with saline, saline and glucose is prescribed. In severe cases, antibacterial drugs of the penicillin series are used. In a state of shock with low blood pressure, in addition to the infusion of hypertonic solutions, hormones are used. Salmonella bacteriophage gives a quick positive result in treatment.
In most cases, with timely treatment, the prognosis of the disease is favorable.