Osteomyelitis, its types and causes of

Osteomyelitis - an inflammation of bone caused by infectious agents that enter into the bone in various ways. Depending on the pathways of infection in bone osteomyelitis is divided into:

• hematogenous - an infection enters the bloodstream from a distant focus;
• traumatic, including gunshot, when the infection is delivered directly into the wound from the external environment;
• which developed inflammatory process by switching on the bone from the surrounding soft tissue.

By the nature of osteomyelitis is divided into acute and chronic. Chronic osteomyelitis, in turn, is divided into primary chronic and chronic process, developed from an acute process.

Osteomyelitis divide also nonspecific, called pyogenic bacteria (staphylococcus, streptococcus and other) and specific, caused by specific microflora (tuberculosis, syphilis, and so on).

Acute hematogenous osteomyelitis

Acute hematogenous osteomyelitis in time of peace is the most common form of osteomyelitis, which most often occurs in children. Acute hematogenous osteomyelitis affects mainly the long bones, rarely - flat and short. Most others suffer femur, tibia, and humerus, the bone of the foot, pelvis, and upper jaw.

There are three forms of acute osteomyelitis: local (lung), septic piemicheskuyu (heavy) and toxic. Disease occurs in lesions of various bones in basically the same way.

The disease can be complicated by sepsis (blood poisoning), purulent inflammation of the surrounding joints, metastases Metastasis - danger everywhere   (transferring the bloodstream) infection in distant parts of the body and internal organs to form there ulcers, pathological fractures A bone fracture - the scourge of children and the elderly , Significant bone deformities.

Local (light) form differs predominance of local inflammation of impaired general condition. Intoxication (poisoning toxins, bacteria and products of inflammation) is moderate, temperature - 38-39˚. Local inflammation also less pronounced than in the more severe forms. If not subperiosteal abscess was opened on time, the abscess breaks through the surrounding muscles and fascia, and then there formed abscess (abscess, not delimited from the healthy tissue capsule). After opening the abscess, the patient gets better.

Septic piemicheskaya form of osteomyelitis begins suddenly with a very high temperature, severe violations of the general condition of patients. Locally in the first two days there are a lot of pain, the patient can not move the limb passive motion (the limb moves by someone else), it also sharply limited. The limb swells, the skin over the lesion flushed, voltage, temperature in this area is increased. Frequently inflammation of one or both of the adjacent joints, with the inflammation proceeds initially without pus, and then the process becomes purulent nature. In the future, high fever (39-40˚).

If initial treatment is ineffective, the patient's condition worsens, there is vomiting, the patient loses liquid, it torments headache Headache: Causes and Complications , Loss of appetite, thirst, anemia. Impair the protective properties of the body, disrupted blood clotting occurs in blood excessive accumulation of substances causing inflammation. Violated the work of all internal organs. All these changes occur within 5-10 days.

The toxic form occurs in 1-3% of cases. The disease develops lightning speed. On the first day the patient's condition becomes extremely severe: a decrease in temperature, loss of consciousness, seizures, are replaced by complete immobility of the patient, blood pressure drops sharply Blood pressure - dangerous if his swing? That can lead to collapse and death of the patient.

Local manifestations of osteomyelitis is not fully visible, as patients die in the first days of the disease.

Diagnosis and treatment

The diagnosis of osteomyelitis is made by the characteristic symptoms of the disease and is confirmed by laboratory (signs of acute inflammation in the blood count) and radiographic studies.

The treatment - bed rest, surgical treatment of local inflammatory focus (opening abscess and removal of pus), a direct effect on the pathogen infection (antibacterial drugs) and increase the overall resistance of the organism (immunity).

Galina Romanenko

What is toxoplasmosis

Toxoplasmosis - a parasitic disease of cats, dogs and humans, which is caused by protozoa (Toxoplasma). If toxoplasmosis affects the nervous, lymphatic, endocrine system, as well as the organs of sight.

Toxoplasmosis exposed about three hundred species of mammals and about 60 species of birds. But only in the small intestine of cats toxoplasmosis pathogen can multiply in favorable conditions for themselves.

How do you get toxoplasmosis

Infection with Toxoplasma person comes from animals, most of the cats. Especially dangerous is the infection of pregnant women, and they should not contact with cats.

Infection can occur by eating meat products, eggs from infected animals that have not undergone sufficient heat treatment. Toxoplasma can enter directly into the human blood through broken skin or transmitted by blood-sucking insects. Finally, there are cases and intrauterine infection.

Carriers of infection

Human toxoplasmosis is high, in different countries, it is 30 to 60% .But that does not mean that all these people get toxoplasmosis, in most cases finishes with a carriage of infection. In the media may cause symptoms of toxoplasmosis in the weakening of the body, then the pathogen is activated. Thus, the disease is most often seen in children or adults with weakened immune systems Immunity - types and characteristics in children in adults   - Chronically ill, undergoing surgery or severe illness.

The manifestations of toxoplasmosis

Acute toxoplasmosis begins with high fever, headache, cramps, vomiting. Increased liver and spleen, inflammation of the lungs can join Pneumonia - Symptoms and Causes   and paralysis.

Most toxoplasmosis has a chronic course, with a slight rise in temperature, headache, swollen lymph nodes and liver, lowering efficiency. In chronic toxoplasmosis may be affected organs of vision, cardiovascular and nervous systems, as well as other organs.

Congenital toxoplasmosis

Especially dangerous is the possibility of intrauterine infection of the fetus. Toxoplasma is able to cross the placenta and cause disease in the unborn child. But this is possible only when the mother becomes infected with toxoplasmosis during pregnancy. If it is caught before pregnancy, the unborn baby is not in danger.

In congenital toxoplasmosis organ failure is very significant. So, there may be congenital malformation of the eyeball, the underdevelopment of the brain and spinal cord. The severity of the fetus is closely linked to the timing of pregnancy - the younger the fetus, the worse the disease, it can even cause fetal death.

However, toxoplasmosis can affect fruit only once, all subsequent pregnancy will be protected by antibodies formed Antibodies - "soldiers' immunity .

How to establish an accurate diagnosis of toxoplasmosis

The diagnosis of toxoplasmosis is placed on the presence of symptoms and laboratory tests using blood.

The presence of the pathogen (Toxoplasma) is determined by PCR (RNA detected this microorganism).

The presence of antibodies to Toxoplasma is determined by enzyme immunoassay blood Blood tests: a mirror of health   (ELISA). The fact that immediately after infection, the body produces special antitela immunoglobulins (IgM). They are found in the blood for a year and then disappear to never again appear. Following the IgM in the blood appear IgG, which are saved for all subsequent human life. So, if the IgM is found, the person is infected recently, and if IgG (but not IgM), for a long time.

The disease is the appearance of IgM or IgG, if they are still not, or a fourfold increase in titer IgG for 2-3 weeks.

Treatment of toxoplasmosis

Treatment of toxoplasmosis is performed not all. This is necessary only at the expressed signs of the disease in children and weak adults. Treat usually several antibacterial drugs in various combinations.

Chronic toxoplasmosis is treatable with great difficulty, in this case, in addition to antibacterial drugs primenyayutsyasredstva, strengthen immunity.

Carriers toxoplasma treatment is needed.

In identifying the primary toxoplasmosis during early pregnancy the woman is invited to have an abortion.

Preventing toxoplasmosis

Compliance with the rules of hygiene is by far the only method of preventing the disease.

• for the destruction of the meat of infection must be warmed up to 60 degrees
• After cooking raw meat should be thoroughly washed your hands;
• You can not taste raw ground beef;
• Fruit and vegetables should be washed thoroughly;
• pregnant women to avoid contact with cats.