Sporotrichosis is an infectious disease caused by Sporothrix schenckii fungi. They do not resemble any of the types of bacteria that often provoke the development of many skin infections. Sporothrix schenckii is similar to mold, covering stale bread or yeast, used in cooking beer. It is often found in layers of moss, rose spikes, sphagnum, soil, tree branches.
About such skin mycosis as sporotrichosis, its treatment with drugs, the symptoms will be discussed today, having examined the photos of people in this article.
Features of the disease
So, sporotrichosis as one of the forms of mycoses. The peculiarity of the fungal disease of the skin is that the risk group includes such categories of people:
- people working with land;
- gardeners;
- veterinarians;
- florists;
- animal trainers.
In the old medical literature of the United States, this disease was referred to as the "disease of gardeners".After all, the fungus penetrated into the human body with injections of thorns of roses, from the ground, cuts, small injuries of the epithelium. For this reason, gardening is recommended to be practiced in tight gloves.
The risk group also includes people working with dogs and horses( trainers).The fungus can be infected by owners of such animals. Sporotrichosis is not transmitted from the patient to another person.
On the features of sporotrichosis will tell this video:
Forms and phases of
In the human body, the causative agent parasitizes in two forms:
- tissue .Cells of parasites have a round, oblong form, 2-5 microns long;
- thin mycelium .Cells of this form of parasites have a size of 2-6 microns.
Depending on the location of the disease there are two forms:
- Sporotrichozny chancre .The development of infection is observed only in the place on which the agent came.
- Lymphatic sporotrichosis .The spread of infection occurs through lymphatic lymphatic vessels.
According to WHO, sporotrichosis occurs in the following forms:
- Pulmonary.
- Disseminated
- Skin and lymphatic.
- Unspecified.
Considering such a factor as the severity of clinical manifestations in the disease, 2 phases are evolved:
- Aggravation.
- Remission.
The causes of
Sporotrichium schenckii are referred to as saprophytes, this fungus usually chooses withered plants, straw, soil, bushes, thorns of hawthorn, sphagnum moss for vital activity. Among mammals, dogs, cats, act as carriers of the fungus.
Infection of a person occurs when a spore enters the body of the fungus. Spores initially fall on the injured parts of the epithelium. Sporotrichosis is known as the "disease of gardeners", because they often contact plants( roses, hawthorn, dry grass, etc.). And such minor injuries as cuts, scratches, splinters are very frequent among garden workers.
Sometimes the infection penetrates even without any damage to the skin. Fungal disease can develop even after contact with hay, moss.
Infection is much less common in the following ways:
- Inhalation. Spores enter the body through the respiratory tract.
- Alimensional. Spores enter the body through the mouth( if swallowed).
The risk of infection with Sporotrichium schenckii increases when the human immunity is reduced due to the influence of certain factors:
- alcoholism;
- malignant neoplasms;
- after organ transplant surgery;
- receiving glucocorticosteroids for a long time;
- immunodeficiency states;
- diseases of the endocrine system.
Symptoms of
The manifestation of signs of an infectious disease occurs not immediately, but some time after the fungus gets on the skin, mucous membranes. The active form of the disease develops quite a long time( a couple of weeks - several months).Everything depends on the state of the body.
Symptoms of the disease begin to appear after 12 to 30 days from the time of infection. Infection affects parts of the body such as the skin, joints, bones, and also the lungs.
- The first symptom of the disease is nodules on the epidermis. They can be of different shades( pink - purple).They do not cause pain, but only cause discomfort during palpation. After a while, the nodules grow into ulcers, from these wounds a clear liquid oozes.
- Lymphatic sporotrichosis is considered the most common form of this disease. He is characterized by education in the field of penetration of spores of a purple papule, node.
- If a sporotrichozal chancre begins, then the patient at the site of spore penetration develops a granuloma. It is completely painless and has the appearance of a knot, papules.
Bone-joint sporotrichosis is characterized by the development of such concomitant diseases:
- monoarthritis;
- polyarthritis.
Infection affects these joints most often:
- ulnar;
- ankle;
- wrist band;
- the knee.
With the development of pulmonary sporotrichosis, the patient develops a single cavity in the lung( its upper part).The patient sometimes develops chronic meningitis. Infection of the lungs with spores of the fungus is accompanied by chills, coughing, shortness of breath, shortness of breath, redness of the throat.
Diagnosis
The most reliable method of diagnosing the disease is the sowing of substances such as:
- pus;
- skin biopsy;
- sputum;
- synovial fluid.
Conducting a histological examination of the epidermis is ineffective for the detection of Sporothrix schenckii.
Kinds of treatment for skin mycosis, namely sporotrichosis, read below.
Treatment of sporotrichosis in humans
The treatment of this infectious disease depends on which part of the body the fungi attacked. The duration of treatment depends on the form of the disease.
Therapeutic
- For the treatment of the superficial form of sporotrichosis, it is necessary to perform skin treatment with a solution of potassium iodide. For the day you need to do 3 treatments. Treatment with this remedy lasts 3-6 months. Therapy of the cutaneous form of the disease lasts until the last visible damage to the epithelium disappears.
- It is much more difficult to heal sporotrichosis of bones, joints by treatment with a solution of potassium iodide. In this case, drug therapy, surgical intervention( in rare cases) will be required.
- Potassium iodide also helps in the treatment of pulmonary disease.
About preparations against such a mycosis as Shenk's disease we'll talk below.
Medication
Rather, a complex treatment will help to get rid of an unpleasant disease. To combat the cutaneous form, not only the treatment with a solution of potassium iodide is used, but also such medicines:
- "Itraconazole".
- "Cataconazole".
- "Fluconazole".
When treating infections of bones, joints, such drugs are considered effective:
- "Itraconazole"( Sporanox).Applied in the treatment of pulmonary form, as well as infection of the brain, bones, joints.
- Amphotericin. This medicine is used exclusively in the form of B. It is effective in the treatment of lesions of internal tissues( lungs, bones, brain, joints).
- "5-fluorocytosine".The drug is used in the treatment of sporotrichosis of the brain( this form of the disease is very rare).
Operational
Sometimes it is considered necessary to conduct surgical treatment. It is prescribed to remove infected bones, an infected area of the lungs.
Folk ways of
In addition to the medicamentous method, people sometimes use traditional methods of therapy. Below are the most common ways to treat sporotrichosis:
- The application of myrrh is externally.
- Application of an outer garlic mixture with olive oil.
- Use an oral extract of citrus seed.
- Application of externally tea tree oil.
- Receiving tea Po-d-Arco.
Prevention of the disease
Unequivocally, no one can be isolated from mold, which is so much in nature. Also, you should not give up contact with your pets( cats, horses, dogs) only because they are considered potential carriers of Sporothrix schenckii fungus spores.
All that can be done as a prophylaxis is:
- wear gloves when working in the garden, vegetable garden;
- wear boots, other protective clothing;
- wear overalls when working in the nursery;
- protect eyes, respiratory system when working in the field( hay harvesting, dry grass);
- protect hands, fingers from pricks with spiked roses;
- protect hands, feet from minor injuries( cuts, scratches).
Complications of
- Among the unpleasant complications of sporotrichosis, we can mention purulent foci, after which scars remain. Cosmetic defects are formed on the affected areas of the epidermis in the event that the infection becomes aggravated.
- With pulmonary form, the patient may develop pulmonary insufficiency if he does not start therapy in a timely manner.
- HIV-infected people are at risk of death due to the fact that their sporotrichosis practically does not respond to treatment.
Forecast
If timely diagnosed sporotrichosis, and then proceed to treatment for fungal disease, recovery will come in just a few weeks. Heavy forms of sporotrichosis, such as pulmonary, lesions of internal organs, bones, are amenable to treatment. If the above-mentioned forms of fungal disease are neglected for therapy, surgery may be necessary.
On how not to pick up sporotrichosis, this video will tell: