Rubella - a contagious viral infection, the characteristic feature of which is a red rash, which owes its name to the disease. Despite active vaccination, the disease still occurs in many parts of the world.

Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of rubella are often so small that they are difficult to find, especially in children. Typically, symptoms appear within two to three weeks after infection. Typically, they are stored for two to three days. The symptoms of rubella include:

• Increased body temperature - up to 38, 9 C;
• Headache;
• Nasal congestion or runny nose;
• Inflammation and redness of the eyes;
• Enlarged, painful lymph nodes at the base of the skull, on the back of the neck and behind the ears;
• The reddish rash that appears on the face and spreads rapidly to the trunk, arms and legs, and then disappears in the same sequence;
• Pain in the joints, especially in young women.

Causes

The reason rubella is a virus that is transmitted from person to person. It can be spread when an infected person coughs or sneezes and through direct contact with respiratory secretions of an infected person. It may also be transmitted from a pregnant woman to her unborn child - through the bloodstream. A person infected with rubella is contagious to others already ten days before the skin rash, and about one to two weeks after the disappearance of the rash.

Complications

Rubella usually occurs in a mild form. After recovery, the person produces permanent immunity Immunity - types and characteristics in children in adults   in this disease. In some patients, women with rubella during the month of symptoms of arthritis Arthritis - a variety of forms and complications   joints of the fingers, hands and knees. In rare cases, measles can lead to ear infections (otitis media), or inflammation of the brain (encephalitis).

Rubella in pregnant women may have serious consequences for the child. Almost 90% of children born to women who for the first eleven weeks pregnant suffered from rubella, congenital rubella syndrome develops. This may cause one or more problems, including:

• Slower growth;
• Cataracts;
• Deafness;
• Congenital heart defect Heart defects - time heals? ;
• Defects other bodies;
• Mental retardation.

Although the highest risk to the fetus is a disease rubella in the first trimester, the disease is dangerous and in the later stages of pregnancy.

Diagnostics

The rash is the most common symptom of rubella may resemble a rash, characteristic of other diseases. Therefore, the diagnosis is usually confirmed by using laboratory tests. The presence of antibodies in the blood Antibodies - "soldiers' immunity   virus, rubella caller is an accurate indicator of the disease.

Treatment

No drug will not reduce the duration of the disease and the symptoms usually so slight that the treatment is not necessary. However, doctors often recommend isolation of patients, especially pregnant women - for the entire period while the patient remains contagious.

In cases of rubella in pregnancy treatment options for the mother and child are discussed individually in each case.

Patients with rubella can be recommended bed rest; to relieve discomfort associated with fever and pain, usually take non-prescription drugs, such as paracetamol. In addition, you should report the diagnosis to friends, family members and colleagues - especially for pregnant women, because they, too, could get sick.

Tetanus - a dangerous bacterial disease that affects the nervous system that leads to painful muscle spasms. Because of the vaccine against tetanus, cases of the disease in developed countries are rare. One million cases of tetanus every year who are registered in the world, accounts for much of the third world countries.

Tetanus can be treated, but it is not always effective. Deaths from tetanus, especially among the people who were not vaccinated.

Symptoms

The incubation period for the infection Clostridium tetani, the causative agent of tetanus, lasts from several days to several weeks. The average incubation period is seven to eight days.

Common symptoms of tetanus, in order of appearance, are:

• Spasms and stiffness of the jaw;
• Stiff neck muscles;
• Difficulty swallowing;
• The rigidity of the abdominal muscles;
• Painful spasms lasting a few minutes, which triggers can be a loud noise, physical touch or light.

Other signs and symptoms of tetanus:

• Fever;
• Increased sweating;
• High blood pressure;
• Increased heart rate.

When to see a doctor

Consult your doctor to be vaccinated against tetanus Vaccination against tetanus - the struggle with a terrible infection If you've got a deep wound, which could get: dirt, animal feces or manure.

Causes

The causative agent of Tetanus is a bacterium Clostridium tetani, which lives in the soil, dust and animal feces. They enter the body through deep wounds, after which the bacterial spores begin to produce a powerful toxin tetanospazmin that actively disrupts the motor neurons that control muscle movement. Exposure to the toxin on your nerves can cause muscle stiffness and spasms, which are the main signs of tetanus.

Risk factors

Factors that increase the risk of tetanus include:

• Lack of immunization or inadequate immunization against tetanus;
• The presence of deep wounds that allow bacteria-tetanus pathogens enter the body;
• Inflammation in the wound area;
• The presence in the body of other potentially harmful bacteria.

The following types of damage associated with the risk of tetanus:

• Puncture wounds - here you can take skin damage that a person receives, making piercing, tattooing, or taking injectable drugs;
• Gunshot wounds;
• Burns;
• Fractures;
• Tissue damage as a result of surgery;
• Ear infections;
• Tooth infection;
• Animal bites;
• Ulcers on the feet of people with diabetes.

Complications

After tetanospazmin penetrated the nerves, cure tetanus is one way - to grow new nerve endings; it may take several months.

Tetanus can cause the following complications:

• Complete or partial disability. For the treatment of tetanus generally use powerful sedatives to control muscle spasms. Prolonged immobilization due to the use of these drugs can lead to permanent disability. In infants, tetanus can cause brain damage, resulting in different consequences, from the relatively minor mental retardation to cerebral palsy.
• Death. Severe muscle spasms caused by tetanus, can disrupt breathing, causing periods when the patient can not breathe. Respiratory failure is the most common cause of death in patients with tetanus. Lack of oxygen can also cause heart attacks and death cause. Another cause of death in tetanus is pneumonia.

Treatment

One of the first steps in the treatment of tetanus is to clean the wound - it is important to prevent the spread of pathogens-bacterial spores of tetanus.

Medications used to treat tetanus:

• Antitoxins. For the treatment of tetanus antitoxin is used, for example, tetanus immunoglobulin. However, these medications only neutralize toxins that have not yet attach to nerve tissue;
• Antibiotics;
• Sedatives - to ease muscle spasms;
• Other drugs, such as magnesium sulfate and some beta blockers can be used to regulate involuntary muscle activity. As a sedative is sometimes used morphine.