Diplococcus in the smear: what does it show?

Having passed analyzes, any person with impatience and trembling expects their results. If the doctor says that you have found a diplococcus in the smear, do not immediately panic. Let's try to understand what such results of the analysis testify to.

What is a diplococcus? These bacteria belong to the family Lactobacteriaceae. Most of them have a spherical shape. There are diplococci and bean-shaped forms. They are connected in pairs and rarely form small chains. Diplococci refer to both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. There are more than 80 serotypes. This pathogenic bacterium is one of the causative agents of diseases such as pneumonia, meningitis, gonorrhea.

Diplococci in the smear can be of several kinds. One of the most unpleasant are gonococci, which are the causative agents of a venereal disease, such as gonorrhea. In men, this disease manifests itself in reziami with urination, serous-purulent secretions, painful nocturnal erections, swelling of the glans penis. In women, gonorrhea is manifested by purulent discharge, a violation of urination. Gonococci belong to one of the most pathogenic pathogens of this species. With this disease, a diplococcus is found in the smear and a high number of leukocytes.

Gonococcus is sensitive to disinfectants, drying, temperature, benzylpenicillin, tetracycline, erythromycin, doxycycline, cephalosporins, biseptol. Immunity to gonorrhea is not formed. Emergency prophylaxis consists in local application after sexual intercourse of bigluconate chlorhexidine (0.05% solution), and constant - in the use of a condom.

Other varieties of diplococci are not so pathogenic, but their detection in the analyzes always indicates some kind of pathology. In any case, having found out a diplococcus in a smear, it is necessary to struggle not only with bacteria, but also consequences of the diseases caused by them. Any self-treatment can aggravate the patient's condition and lead to serious complications. If a smear is found in the smear, only a competent doctor can prescribe the treatment.

Meningococcal infection is characterized by lesions of the mucous membranes of the nasopharynx, the membranes of the brain, septicemia. This diplococcus in the smear resembles a pair of coffee beans facing each other with a concave surface. These bacteria are immovable, gram-negative, do not form a spore, have an inconstant capsule. The factor of pathogenicity of this bacterium is a toxin, the amount of which determines the severity of the disease.

Meningococci in the external environment are not very stable and very sensitive to cooling and drying. They are sensitive to tetracyclines, penicillins, erythromycin. They are resistant to sulfamides and ristomycin. Sensitive to solutions: 0.2% bleach, 1% phenol, 1% chloramine. Nasopharynx - the path of infection in the body. Some people, having this bacterium in the nasopharynx, are not sick, but are its carriers. There are two forms of this infection: generalized (meningitis, meningoencephalitis) and localized (nasopharyngitis). The incubation period is 1-10 days. Bacteria from the nasopharynx enter the bloodstream (meningococcemia), after which the mucous membranes and meninges are affected, accompanied by fever, hemorrhagic rash, and inflammation of the meninges. In the generalized form of the disease, immunity is persistent, tense. Specific prophylaxis is carried out by vaccination, and non-specific - by compliance with the sanitary-antiepidemic regime.

Pneumococcal infection can cause fever, shortness of breath, cough, chest pain, tightening of the occipital muscles, confusion of photophobia, disregard of orientation. The main method of treatment is antibiotic therapy.

Very often, in the smear, extracellular diplococci are found, which may indicate a violation of the microflora in the woman's vagina or in the urethra in a man. If they are detected, a reanalysis is required to clarify the diagnosis.