Infectious and parasitic diseases

Rickettsioses

Rickettsioses are a group of acute transmissible infectious diseases caused by rickettsiae and characterized by the development of generalized vasculitis, intoxication, damage to the central nervous system, and specific skin rashes. This group does not include bartonellosis (benign lymphoreticulosis, Carrion disease, bacillary angiomatosis, bacillary purple hepatitis) and ehrlichiosis (sennetsu fever, monocytic and granulocytic ehrlichiosis).

Lepra (leprosy) - Treatment

For the treatment of bacteria excretors, WHO recommends the following monthly regimen of combined treatment for leprosy. On the first day, three drugs are prescribed: dapsone (100 mg), rifampicin (600 mg) and clofazimine (300 mg), and on subsequent days during the month - two drugs (100 mg dapsone and 50 mg clofazimine). Then the cycle is repeated (without a break).

Lepra (leprosy) - Diagnosis

Diagnosis of leprosy is based on the identification of dermatological and neurological symptoms of the disease and the assessment of the results of functional and laboratory studies. Great importance is attached to the anamnesis, residence in an endemic zone, contact with patients with leprosy. Since the patient has no subjective sensation of the disease for a long time (for years) (no fever, pain or itching in the area of the rash), for its timely detection it is necessary to examine the patient in good light.

Lepra (leprosy) - Symptoms

Leprosy is characterized by an extremely long and uncertain incubation period (from several months to 20 years or more; on average 3-7 years), a wide variety of clinical symptoms, and the absence of clear signs of progression.

What causes leprosy (leprosy)?

The causative agent is the lepra mycobacterium (Mycobacterium leprae). M. leprae are acid- and alcohol-resistant gram-positive bacteria that look like straight or curved rods 1 to 7 µm long, 0.2-0.5 µm in diameter, and are practically no different in size and tinctorial properties from tuberculosis mycobacteria, immobile, and do not form typical spores.

Lepra (Hansen's disease, leprosy).

Leprosy (Latin: lepra, Hansen's disease, Hanseniasis, leprosy, St. Lazarus disease, ilephantiasis graecorum, lepra arabum, leontiasis, satyriasis, lazy death, black disease, mournful disease) is a chronic infection with the acid-fast bacillus Mycobacterium leprae, which has a unique tropism for peripheral nerves, skin and mucous membranes. Symptoms of leprosy are extremely varied and include painless skin lesions and peripheral neuropathy. Diagnosis of leprosy is clinical and confirmed by biopsy data.

Botulism - Treatment

Treatment of botulism primarily consists of prescribing bed rest or semi-bed rest. Diet: table No. 10, tube or parenteral nutrition depending on the patient's condition.

Botulism - Diagnosis

The diagnosis of botulism is established on the basis of epidemiological data (consumption of home-canned food, group diseases) on a comprehensive analysis of the clinical picture of the disease: characteristic localization and symmetry of lesions of the nervous system, the absence of febrile intoxication, general cerebral and meningeal syndromes.

Botulism - Symptoms

Botulism has an incubation period that lasts up to a day, rarely up to 2-3 days, in isolated cases up to 9-12 days. With a shorter incubation period, a more severe course of the disease is observed, although not always.

What causes botulism?

The causative agent of botulism, Clostridium botulinum, is a gram-positive anaerobic (in young cultures) motile rod. Depending on the antigenic properties of the produced toxin, eight serovars are distinguished - A, B, C1, C2, D, E, F and G. In Ukraine, the disease is caused by serovars A, B and E. During its life, the causative agent of botulism produces a specific neurotoxin.