Infectious diarrhea is considered to be one of the most common diseases. Its prerequisite may be the entry into the body of harmful microorganisms of the genus Shigella, Salmonella, Staphylococcus family and others.
The cause of bacterial diarrhea is various microbes, the action of which in the body disrupts the natural work of microflora and gastrointestinal organs. Bacterial( invasive) diarrhea is a fairly common problem that has a wide range of symptoms and possible pathologies. Depending on what kind of microorganism the patient was infected with, the clinical picture of his illness will be determined.
Each causative agent of invasive diarrhea has certain directions of influence on the body, which causes the diversification of symptoms and the difficulty of establishing an accurate diagnosis without conducting the necessary laboratory examination. A separate obstacle may become infection with a complex of bacteria of various types, the effect of which can provoke the manifestation of a wide range of characteristics.
Current statistics show some changes in the ratio of the frequency of infection by one or another pathogen compared to previous years. So, today in the world the greatest prevalence is bacterial diarrhea, caused by rod-shaped bacteria campylobacter and escherichia coli. The latter, better known as Escherichia coli, is often perceived as an exceptionally harmful microorganism. But the danger poses only those of its serotypes, which can provoke poisoning and even lead to death. Harmless strains of this bacteria take part in the formation of the microflora of the body and perform certain useful functions that are useful for the human body.
The change in the statistics of the disease of invasive diarrhea in the direction of the noted pathogens can be explained primarily by the great popularization of fast food, the quality of which does not always correspond to the necessary sanitary standards. Outbreaks of this disease are recorded not only in underdeveloped countries, but even in the US( although not so often), where food "on the go" is very popular. Bacterial diarrhea can be caused by insufficient heat treatment of meat products, lack of proper sanitary conditions at the point of sale, at meat processing plants, farms - at each of these stages, the product is at risk of infection by harmful organisms that can subsequently lead to bacterial diarrhea.
Also, infection often occurs through contaminated drinking water, the content of which cholera vibrios provokes the occurrence of cholera. A strong symptom of this disease is severe diarrhea of invasive type. Cholera is an epidemiological danger, as the content of vibrios in the excrement of an infected person is very high, which gives the ground for rapid spread of infection.
Other causes of the disease of such diarrhea can be the bacteria of Salmonella and Shigella. Bacteria of these types are dangerous, first of all, by their ability to long-term existence in food( in separate products Salmonella is able to live and reproduce up to 6 months), and the disease provoked by shigella - dysentery - is the most common among children who are very hard to tolerate it.
Symptoms of bacterial diarrhea
The picture of the disease has significant differences depending on the microorganism that triggered the disease. The main symptoms of bacterial diarrhea usually are:
- frequent loose stools of varying intensity;
- pain in various areas of the abdomen, spasms;
- high temperature;
- nausea with vomiting;
- headache and general malaise.
A very dangerous consequence of bacterial diarrhea is dehydration of the body. In some diseases that cause severe diarrhea, particularly cholera, a critical level of dehydration can occur, which can lead to death. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor the patient's condition for the loss of body fluids and take immediate measures to restore the water balance.
Treatment of bacterial diarrhea
Despite the presence of infection in the body, the most dangerous for a patient's life are the consequences of dehydration. The main risk groups, of course, are children, people of advanced age and those who for one reason or another have weakened immunity. Invasive diarrhea in these groups can have particularly dangerous consequences, so its treatment should be carried out under the supervision of a specialist.
First of all, it is necessary to carry out a complex of actions to restore the water balance by taking rehydration drugs or a glucose-containing liquid. The diet is subject to strict adjustment, all foods that can harm the process of recovery or provoke a new cycle of the disease( dairy, acute, acidic, fatty foods, alcohol) are excluded from the diet. The expediency of using antibiotics in the course of treatment of bacterial diarrhea can only be determined by a doctor.