How is dysentery, studied the dissemination mechanisms

Hygiene is the best prevention

Today, doctors know well enough, how is dysentery, which affects the appearance of epidemics which factors increase the risk. All this enables them to give clear recommendations on how to protect yourself from this is not fatal, but extremely unpleasant disease. So people far from medicine, you should know the mechanism of distribution and basic prevention methods.

Dysentery refers to a sufficiently large group of acute intestinal infections. Feature of all these diseases is that they affect primarily the mucosa of the intestine, causing symptoms of poisoning and diarrhea. They still are a serious threat to the health and sometimes the lives of people.

Very often the outbreak of dysentery was noted in the countries and regions with a hot humid climate where there are problems with clean drinking water and low level of General hygiene. Fortunately, this disease is not airborne, otherwise epidemics would be widespread and often occurred in countries with a higher standard of living.

The main route of transmission of acute intestinal infections from person to person, through food and especially water contaminated with pathogenic bacteria. And this fully applies to dysentery.

It should be noted that there are two types of dysentery. The first cause of protozoa – amoeba, the second the bacteria Shigella. Such forms are called amebiasis and shigellosis, respectively. In the future we will only talk about shigellosis, since amoebiasis is found primarily in tropical regions. In European countries appears randomly, usually tourists, recently returned from a trip in such States.

As a rule, dysentery is acute. Symptoms appear 2-4 day. Diarrhea, intoxication, fever – all this clearly tells the person that something is wrong. He turns to the doctor, receives medical care and complies with all hygiene regulations. But sometimes fixed for no apparent manifestations – chronic, erased, asymptomatic. These patients may for a long time not to suspect that they are carriers of pathogens. Of particular danger are the people working in the food industry.

Basic principles and mechanisms of transmission of dysentery

The main mechanism of transmission – fecal-oral. Pathogens in large quantities contained in the feces of sick people. If even a small particle through unwashed after using the restroom hand or the other way gets into water, food or other items, the bacteria begin to multiply in the new environment.

Despite the fact that some people believe that infection can occur through airborne droplets, it is not. Just to be around an infected person is not enough for the onset of the disease. It is imperative that both did not comply with the rules of hygiene, for example, did not regularly wash their hands: a patient – after visiting the toilet, healthy – before eating.

So often dysentery noted in the disadvantaged segments of the population, and in children's groups. The susceptibility of a person to the disease is extremely high. Enough the ingestion of a relatively small number of pathogens to a few days of the first symptoms.

After ingesting bacteria, most of them are killed in the stomach, but if the part will penetrate the small intestine, they begin their active development. Later they massively colonize the colon. Since then, the disease goes into an active phase. Shigella colonize the mucous membrane, causing its inflammation. In the process of life, they release significant quantities of toxins, which cause General intoxication of the organism.

Most often, the infection of dysentery occurs in the summer. A large number of vegetables and fruits, high temperature, promotes bacterial growth – all these factors cause a dramatic increase in the number of cases.

Transmission of the disease

If dysentery is transmitted by airborne droplets, it would cause extensive and severe epidemics. But the transfer of pathogens occurs in other ways:

  • Through the water. If contaminated feces gets into natural sources, they will be infected. The use of unboiled water, swimming with accidental ingestion of water, watering plants, which are then consumed, is the cause of local outbreaks of disease. The share of this factor accounts for about half of the cases in Russia, often in hot and dry regions.
  • Through food. The second half of the cases accounted for by this mechanism. Most other things are infected dairy products, particularly farmers. Less fix flash for infected industrial products. The reason may be a people carrier, working in the food industry. Also a potential threat can be fruits, vegetables, berries, herbs. When infected ready meals and violation of technologies of storage, theycan develop a large amount of bacteria.
  • Directly from person to person. So often children are infected. The nail-biting, licking objects, lack of understanding of the need for frequent hand washing are the principal causes of infection. Household way of infection is relatively rare, because the bacteria cannot long survive outside a nutrient medium. Also possible to transfer, via the objects – toys, dishes, Cutlery and so on.
  • Using insects. Flies are the carriers of pathogens of many diseases, including dysentery and. Bacteria on the feet can get to the products that sit insects.
  • Through the soil. In some cases, fix the soil contamination, especially in conditions of high humidity and regular watering. The reason most often getting water from contaminated sources.
It should be noted that different forms of dysentery characterized by different ways of transmission of pathogens. In summary there are 4 groups of forms, of which our region is characterized by two: dysentery sonnei and flexneri. First often transmitted through food, especially dairy, the second – through water.

Somewhat different, and the geography of their prevalence in tropical regions, most often dysentery flexneri, sonnei. Also there are several serovars within the group, each of which is slightly different, as well as sensitivity to antibiotics. Most often, doctors are well aware of what strains are circulating in their area and can choose the optimal treatment.

Methods of prevention of dysentery

From diseases, which are characterized by airborne transmission, primary prevention is no contact with sick people and refraining from visiting crowded places during epidemics. But for dysentery characterized by other causes. Accordingly, prevention will be significantly different:

  • Mandatory to wash hands after visiting latrines and return home before any meal. In the street to disinfect you can use antibacterial wet wipes, sprays and gels. It is very important to teach children the basic principles of hygiene at the earliest age.
  • Thoroughly wash fruits, vegetables, herbs, berries before eating. After washing rinse them clean boiled water.
  • It is desirable to expose the food to heat treatment. Those products that cannot be heated or to boil, it should be consumed only fresh. It is not necessary to keep ready-made meals. You should not defrost food in water, it is better to do it in the fridge.
  • In the summertime, be extremely careful to buy homemade and farm products, especially those that are not subjected to additional heat treatment.
  • All products should be closed against insects. It is desirable to have all Windows have mosquito nets so that flies could not enter the house.

It is important to remember that the reason for the spread of dysentery is always a sick man. Therefore, for any signs to see a doctor and if required start treatment. Up to a full recovery should be given careful attention to the prevention, in particular, to wash hands after visiting the toilet and regularly disinfect the toilet. Because airborne method of transmission is not typical for dysentery, just to be near a sick person is not dangerous, if you follow the prevention.

I hope that now you know more about how widespread dysentery, you fear that can get airborne, but remember these prevention methods.