Toxoplasmosis - an infection that causes a type of single-celled parasite Toxoplasma gondii. Infection is usually by contact with cats, their feces and also after ingestion of raw or undercooked meat. Carriers of toxoplasmosis are millions of people around the world, but most of them have no symptoms of disease, as a healthy immune system usually does not give the disease to manifest itself.

How is infection

Infected with Toxoplasma can, for example, if you work in the garden and then touching the mouth without washing hands before this; when brushing your cat's toilet; You touch your hands or eating raw or insufficiently cooked meat, especially poultry and lamb. Very rarely, the infection occurs in organ transplants or blood transfusions.

If a woman becomes infected with toxoplasmosis during pregnancy, she can infect her unborn child; the implications for the baby's health could be catastrophic.

The symptoms of toxoplasmosis

Although often people infected with toxoplasmosis, are not even aware of it, in some cases, the disease can cause symptoms such as inflammation of the lymph nodes (most commonly in the neck), muscle pain and spasms, a slight rise in body temperature. These symptoms can persist from several days to several weeks. In people with healthy immune systems The immune system - how it works?   Infection occurs only once and remains latent for the remainder of life.

Serious health problems caused by toxoplasmosis can occur in people with weakened immune systems such as HIV HIV - can be slow, can not be stopped -infected (not in the early stages of infection), patients with AIDS and other disorders of the immune system, as well as in patients who are undergoing chemotherapy Chemotherapy - it always falls the hair?   or have recently had an organ transplant. Such people may at any time happen relapse of toxoplasmosis, the infection can cause very serious symptoms, until the disorders of the brain.

For example, ocular toxoplasmosis can lead to a significant deterioration in vision, eye pain (especially in bright light), the red and itchy eyes, watery eyes involuntary.

Preventing toxoplasmosis

To reduce the risk of contracting toxoplasmosis, always wash your hands after contact with raw meat or vegetables; wash your hands after working in the garden (which is even better if you work in gloves - of course, need to wash their hands, and in this case); do not eat meat that has not gone thoroughly cooked; Clean the toilet only with gloves, then wash as the arms and gloves and if possible, treat the hand disinfectant. If you are pregnant and you know that it is not infected with toxoplasmosis, it would be better if you ask to clean the litter box for someone else.

Diagnostics

For the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis doctor examines the results of blood tests Blood tests: a mirror of health . If an infection is detected in pregnant women, amniocentesis is performed (amniocentesis) to determine whether the infected fruit also. The risk of fetal infection is about 20%. Infection of the fetus in the first half of pregnancy can lead to very serious complications, such as congenital disorders of the brain. If this occurs in the later stages of pregnancy, the baby is born without any special symptoms, except in rare cases, when the retina in children found small scars. Symptoms of infection may occur in these children much later, but they are usually not dangerous, and quickly go away without treatment. In some cases, for the treatment of toxoplasmosis prescribe pyrimethamine (Daraprim) and sulfadiazine.

Tularemia is a rare infectious disease, which can affect the skin, eyes and lungs. The causative agent of tularemia is a bacterium Francisella tularensis. The disease affects mainly mammals, particularly rodents, rabbits and hares, although it can also match birds, reptiles and fish.

Tularemia is transmitted to humans in several ways, including through insect bites and direct contact with infected animals. It is a contagious and potentially fatal if untreated, tularemia quickly and effectively treated with antibiotics Antibiotics - whether they will help you in the foreseeable future?   - If it is diagnosed early enough.

Symptoms

The incubation period ranges from a few hours to three weeks, but on average it lasts from two to ten days. There are several types of tularemia, each of which has its own set of symptoms.

Ulceroglandular tularaemia

Today it is the most common form of the disease. Symptoms:

• Ulcers on the skin formed on the place where the infection came;
• Swollen and painful lymph nodes;
• Fever;
• Chills;
• Headache;
• Depletion.

Tularaemia

Those same symptoms as that of ulcerative tularaemia, except for ulcers on the skin.

Glazobubonnaya tularemia

Symptoms of this form of tularemia are:

• Pain in the eyes;
• Red eyes;
• Swelling of the skin around the eyes, discharge Discharges in women when there is cause for concern   eyes;
• Ulcers on the inner side of the century.

Oropharyngeal tularemia

This form of tularemia affects the digestive tract and are usually transmitted through undercooked meat or contaminated water. Symptoms of oropharyngeal tularemia are:

• Heat;
• Sore throat (pharyngitis);
• Vomiting;
• Diarrhea.

Pneumonic tularemia

The most common among the elderly pulmonary tularemia can cause symptoms typical of pneumonia:

• Cough;
• Chest pain;
• Heavy breathing.

Other forms of tularemia also can affect the lungs.

Typhoid tularemia

This rare and severe form of tularemia usually causes the following symptoms:

• High body temperature;
• Extreme exhaustion;
• Vomiting and diarrhea Diarrhea (diarrhea) - a familiar nuisance ;
• Enlargement of the spleen (splenomegaly);
• Liver enlargement (hepatomegaly);
• Pneumonia.

Causes

Tularemia is not spread from person to person. They are found throughout the world, particularly in rural areas, as many mammals, birds, insects and fish infected with F. tularensis. These bacteria can live for several weeks in soil, water and animal carcasses.

Tularemia is transmitted in several ways, and the way in which the infection occurred, usually determines the nature and severity of symptoms.

Insect bites. Carriers of tularemia can be many insects, but infection occurs most often as a result of tick bites or moose flies. Tick ​​bites often cause ulcer tularaemia.

Sick and dead animals. Ulceroglandular tularemia can also result from the bite of an infected animal (usually rabbits), or contact with the meat of animals. Bacteria enter the body through the wound in the bite site, or in the case of dead animals via any scratch. Glazobubonnaya tularemia can occur, for example, if a man rubbed his eyes after touching an infected animal or its corpse.

Inhalation of bacteria. Bacteria which live in the soil can enter the air during gardening, construction, and so on. Inhalation agents of tularemia bacteria can cause pulmonary tularemia.

Contaminated food and water. Tularemia can be transmitted by sharing a meal consumed undercooked meat or drinking contaminated water bacteria. To help prevent infection, you need to thoroughly cook meat and drink purified water.