Brucellosis is what?

Every person consumes milk, cheese, meat. Some part of the population keeps pets: as friends or as future food. In any status, such beasts are carriers of dangerous infectious diseases that can be transmitted to humans.

At the same time, they can cause many complications, which in the long run can lead to rather sad consequences. Brucellosis is one of these lesions.

Description of the disease

Brucellosis is an infectious disease that is transmitted from pets to humans. It is characterized by lesions of the central nervous system, osteoarticular apparatus, and also by harmful influences on the heart and blood vessels.

The source of this disease are brucellae - microorganisms that have significant resistance to certain environmental influences: high humidity or low temperature.

Their penetration into the human body occurs through mucous membranes or skin. Then they connect with the cells and intensively develop in them, and then through the lymph nodes and blood vessels spread throughout the body.

If you get into the bone marrow, spleen, liver or other organs of brucella contribute to the emergence of infection, which subsequently leads to the formation of changes of a reactive-allergic nature. If other viruses are infected during the period of the disease, there is a high probability of exacerbation and chronization of the process.

Brucellosis: types of pathogens

At the moment, we can distinguish six main types of pathogens of the disease:

1. Brucellosis MRS (small cattle) is caused by pathogen Br. Melitensis and Br. Ovis - for sheep separately.
2. Br. Abortus suis is inherent in pigs.
3. For cattle is a fatal bacterium of the Br species. Abortus bovis.
4. Br. Neotomae - for desert bush rats. This species is non-pathogenic to humans.
5. Br. Canis - for dogs.

In their morphological structure, these bacteria are not too different from each other. Typically, these microorganisms are characterized by:

• Round or oval shape with dimensions in the range from 0.3 to 0.6 μm;
• Gramo-negative and have the ability to develop on normal nutrient media;
• At the first seeding from the body, pathogens are formed more slowly than in subsequent ones;
• Under the influence of antibiotics, brucella can be transformed into L-forms;
• For such bacteria is typical ability to penetrate the cell and parasitize there;
• Which is remarkable, when they are destroyed, endotoxin is released.

Infection can be destroyed if you keep it for 30 minutes at 60 degrees. When boiling, they die immediately. Also for brucellas, sunlight and substances that are used for disinfection are harmful. But at low temperatures they exist for a long time.

Possible ways of infection

Brucella have microscopic dimensions and strong penetrating properties, which allows them to penetrate the body through the skin, which does not even have defects. Infection of the body is carried out in the following ways:

• With direct contact with infected animals;
• When eating raw meat and dairy products that contain bacteria;
• When making things out of wool and skin of animals;
• Airborne droplets;
• In addition, living organisms with their feces pollute the surface with which the person then interacts, which increases the risk of the disease.

When considering the causes of infection, it can be concluded that brucellosis is a professional disease of persons who work with livestock: shepherds, zootechnicians, veterinarians. The greatest probability of infection is observed when assisting an animal during the birth process.

What is noteworthy, brucellosis of livestock can be transmitted to another animal or person. But among people this disease is not transmitted.

Forms of the disease

The incubation period under normal conditions does not exceed 30 days, while forming a latent version of the disease - up to 90 days.

There are 4 forms of brucellosis:

1. Sharp. It is characterized by headaches and muscle pains, problems with appetite and sleep, high temperature, which varies greatly in a short period of time. Acute brucellosis occurs much faster at a young age than in the elderly.
2. Subacute. In addition to the above signs, there are problems with joints and muscles, with a stool, and an allergic rash is possible. This form is characterized by periodic febrile states. The patient may experience a constant change of mood, joint pain and muscle tissue.
3. Chronic. The nervous system is strongly affected by the disease. As a result, normal activity of hearing, vision, and sensitivity of the body can be disturbed. In addition, the musculoskeletal system and the genitourinary system suffer.
4. Residual. It is characterized by functional disorders. In particular, it adversely affects the heart and blood vessels, causing various complications in a long period of time.

Phases of infection

Bacteria after ingestion are captured by macrophages, in which they develop and are sent to the lymph nodes, from where they are distributed throughout the body.

In connection with such activity of brucellas, it is possible to distinguish 5 phases of the course of infection:

1. Lymphogenous. Corresponds to the incubation period. Pathogens can stay in the body for a long time without showing themselves.
2. Hematogenous. After the accumulation of significant fractions of brucella in the lymph nodes, the infection begins to manifest throughout the body.
3. Phases of polyocial localizations. The cells of the pathogen are captured by the phagocytes of individual organs, resulting in the formation of foci of infection.
4. The phase of exocclusion. There is a repeated dissemination of brucella with the formation of changes of a reactive-allergic nature.
5. The phase of metamorphosis. At this stage, there is either a complete resolution of the infection, or the development of persistent scar lesions in painful organs.

Brucellosis: symptoms in humans, photos of lesions

Every infection has symptoms. And if you know and distinguish the necessary symptoms, you can avoid various complications.

1. At an early stage of the disease it is very difficult to diagnose it, as the reaction to brucellosis converges with the symptoms of influenza or other viral diseases: high temperature, which can reach 40 degrees, headache, loss of appetite and weight, and weakness.
2. Depending on the type of pathogen, other symptoms may appear: vomiting, diarrhea, the development of abscesses in various organs.
3. With the further course of the disease appears constant apathy, increasing weakness, pain in the joints. All this is accompanied by fluctuations in body temperature, which contributes to the fever and chills.
4. In acute form, fibrositis and cellulite in the muscles, allergic reactions, rashes, dermatitis, disorders in the vascular system may appear. This phase is especially dangerous for pregnant women, since the disease affects the genitals, which can lead to premature birth or miscarriage.
5. The chronic form is characterized by significant disastrous changes in the human body, causing great problems with joints, the genitourinary system, and the body's immunity.

So, very difficult this disease - brucellosis. Symptoms in humans, photos and a general description of the state of the body, can immediately calculate the infection to prevent exacerbation or transition to a chronic stage.

Diagnostics

For the timely detection of the disease, the following methods for diagnosing brucellosis are used:

1. Analysis of the statistics of cases in this region, the figures of which need to be confirmed by the fact that meat and dairy products are eaten from infected animals.
2. Carry out an anamnesis of complaints, in which symptoms of infection should be reflected.
3. Analysis of blood, urine, spinal cord and joint fluid on individual nutrient media. If specific bacteria are formed on them, then this is a confirmation of infection.
4. Check for sensitivity to specific categories of antibiotics.
5. Wright's reaction. This method is useful in that it is possible to determine the presence of the disease in the first days. The technology is as follows: the serum of infected and dead Brucella cells is added to the tube. If flakes are formed, the diagnosis is positive.
6. The Bryne test. Under the skin, the exciter protein is introduced and the degree of redness of the site is estimated.
7. Method of polymerase chain reaction. Identifies brucella DNA in body fluids.
8. The Coombs test. Used to determine the chronic form. An analysis is performed on the blood of the infected to identify certain antibodies that correspond to the disease.

How to treat brucellosis?

The main task in the treatment of brucellosis is to ensure timely prevention of further spread of the disease and decrease in the severity of symptoms or their elimination.

At the first manifestations of infection, immediate hospitalization is needed. Treatment should be done under the close supervision of a physician.

Initially, a course of antibiotics is prescribed: you will need to take "Rifampicin" and "Doxycycline". In some cases it is necessary to use anti-inflammatory drugs.

To maintain the immune system at the right level during the disease, prescribe medications that contribute to increasing the body's defenses.

All the actions of the treating specialist depend on the stage of the infection and on the individual characteristics of the activity of the human body.

In chronic form, the use of ultra-high-frequency therapy and paraffin application becomes topical. This method assumes the patient is at the spa treatment.

Prevention

To avoid the appearance of brucellosis or at least to some extent reduce the risk of the disease, it is necessary to follow special preventive measures.

The following actions are aimed primarily at preventing the infection of farm animals:

• Permanent monitoring of livestock condition;
• Timely isolation of infected individuals;
• Systematic vaccination;
• Periodic disinfection of premises.

Risk groups are people who often come into contact with animals and their products. In particular, employees of the veterinary clinic are affected. To reduce the risk of infection, you need:

• Follow the sanitary and epidemiological requirements at the enterprise;
• Strictly observe the rules of hygiene: use gloves, respirators, disinfectants, maintain cleanliness in the habitat of individuals;
• Every two years preventive vaccinations are needed;
• Protect yourself from eating raw dairy products, as well as those animal goods that were purchased from the hands.

Consequences and complications

Brucellosis is the cause of lesions in the organs of the reproductive function, the central nervous system, the liver and other important parts of the human body.

Among the likely negative consequences are:

1. Endocarditis. One of the main factors that leads to the death of patients with brucellosis. Harmfully affects the activity of the heart valve.
2. Arthritis. Disease of the joints. Inflammation from infection causes pain, swelling and reduces movement activity.
3. Infection can also touch the testicles, causing epididymorchitis with unpleasant sensations in the groin area and problems with urination.
4. When infected with liver and spleen infection, they increase in size, which is accompanied by pain.
5. If the bacterium touched the central nervous system, then the appearance of meningitis and encephalitis - inflammatory processes in the meninges. As a consequence - partial or complete loss of vision.
6. If a pregnant woman suffers from brucellosis, then the risk of miscarriage, premature birth, abnormal development of the fetus is high.

Those who have been infected with the infection may exhibit residual signs: increased sweating, increased irritability, pain and joint deformities, for the correction of which surgical intervention may be required.

The fatal outcome directly from brucellosis is not too frequent. In most cases, the sad outcome comes from the developed complications.

Brucellosis is an infectious disease that is quite a strong threat to human health and life. It is dangerous due to the fact that there are no effective means to combat it - you can only stop the symptoms.

The segment of the population that is in close contact with animals is most exposed to it. Among the infected with infection, men and women predominate, but often even children suffer.