Brucellosis is an infectious allergic disease, the pathogens of which are Brucella. The disease has a rather extensive symptomatology, but especially it is accompanied by a violation of the functions of the musculoskeletal, nervous systems, malfunctions in the heart, developing against a background of general intoxication of the body.
Ways of brucellosis infection
The causative agents of brucellosis are multicellular organisms, for the development of which there is a need for constant access of oxygen and at the same time a high concentration of carbon dioxide. Infection occurs regardless of age and sex, getting at least ten microbial bodies can cause brucellosis.
A person can get infected from pets (goats, pigs, cows, dogs). Brucella penetrate the body of brucella when ingested on mucous or affected areas of the body of amniotic fluid in lambs or in contact with newborns. Also brucellosis is often infected when working with infected meat or when consuming products from unpasteurized milk.
Brucellosis in humans - symptoms
At the initial stage of the disease during the primary-latent form, brucellosis proceeds almost asymptomatically. Changes in the body are observed after the expiration of the incubation period, whose duration can range from one week to five. After that the infection turns into an acute-septic form. At this stage, brucellosis can be recognized by the following symptoms:
- fever, accompanied by a high body temperature, which sometimes reaches 40 degrees;
- chills with increased sweating;
- fatigue, weakness, headache, pain in the muscles .
Since the intoxication of the body is moderate, the condition of the sick person is considered quite satisfactory. Serious changes in the work of internal organs do not occur, because this often makes diagnosis of brucellosis difficult.
Chronic brucellosis is characterized by a recurrent course. Manifestations of intoxication (temperature and chills) become less pronounced. Exacerbations of the disease alternate with remissions, which can last from one to two months. The main symptoms of brucellosis are lesions of internal organs:
- disruption of the functions of the nervous system occurs in the form of intercostal neuralgia , radiculitis, vegetative-vascular dystonia, development of neuroses;
- there are urogenital pathologies manifested in men in the form of salpingitis, orchitis, endometritis, and in women in the form of a menstrual cycle failure, development of infertility, premature birth.
After a while, the infection loses its activity, but leaves irreparable changes in the musculoskeletal system.
Diagnosis of brucellosis
If there are signs of the disease for the diagnosis, in addition to anamnesis, it is necessary to conduct some laboratory studies. For this, a person needs to take tests for brucellosis, which includes three types of research:
- bacteriological;
- serological;
- allergic.
In bacteriological analysis of brucellosis, the patient's blood is studied for the presence of brucella in it. A serological study examines the blood on the Wright-Sempl reaction. With the allergological method, brucillin is injected under the skin, and the result is judged by the size of the edema.
Treatment of brucellosis
Treatment of infection in the latent stage consists in general restorative procedures in the appointment of rest and the appropriate mode of work. At an easy degree of disease patients are not isolated.
Treatment with antibiotics is prescribed to patients with an acute-type form of brucellosis. When the expressed manifestations are eliminated, vaccination is carried out.
At the chronic stage, treatment has a general strengthening direction, which is combined with vaccine therapy. Additionally, patients are prescribed physical therapy.