Tularemia in humans

What is tularemia?

Tularemia is an infectious disease, the causative agent of which is the bacterium francisella tularensis. It enters the human body in the case of the bite of a sick animal or after eating infected meat. Also known transmission via untreated water and in handling hides of the slain cattle.

Bacteria penetrate the human body through the skin, mucous membranes, respiratory tract and gastrointestinal tract, causing toxicity and, as a consequence, inflammation of the lymph nodes.

The disease occurs in severe form, affects mainly the lymphatic system, it forms ulcers on the skin, in some cases, the changes relate to the eyes, throat and lungs of the patient. The complications of tularemia include diseases of internal organs.

Tularemia affected and children and adults, but in most cases, the disease recorded than the latter. According to statistics, the incidence in men is two times higher than in women.

The main risk factor of infection is through professional activities: fishing, hunting and agriculture, based on direct contact with potentially harmful natural sources.

Tularemia has long been recognized disease of the countryside, but in today's world, the intended trend of a steady increase of the disease among urban residents. The infection is active all year round, but about 80% of cases are recorded in summer and autumn.

Symptoms of tularemia in humans

From the moment of infection to the first symptoms of the disease is about five days, in some cases, this period is prolonged to two weeks.

Turalei has a standard set of symptoms:

• body temperature above 39 degrees, which could take up to 14 days;

• severe headache and dizziness up to fainting state;

• General malaise, accompanied by weakness and fatigue;
• muscle pain;
• loss of appetite and nausea.

Various forms of the disease have additional symptoms:

Ulcerative-bubonic tularemia (after the bite of an infected tick):

• on the site of the bite is the formation in the form of sores;

• the one nearest to the place of the bite, the lymph node is inflamed and becomes painful.

In the case of the bubonic form of the disease, developing after the bite of the patientanimal:

• lymph nodes are particularly painful at the bite site;
• after some time, an inflamed lymph node forms the pus and opened.

Abdominal tularemia occurs after ingestion of infected meat.

Symptoms of this form are similar to the symptoms of food poisoning:

• nausea;

• vomiting;

• the reduction or complete lack of appetite;

• diarrhea;

• pain in the upper quadrant.

In pulmonary form of tularemia infection occurs through airborne droplets and flows through the bronchial type:

• affects the bronchi, there is a dry cough;

• there is a pain behind the breastbone;
• severe grade is characterized by symptoms of severe pneumonia: shortness of breath, cough with purulent sputum, pain in the chest.

Any form of tularemia requires immediate treatment without which the probability of death occurs in 6 out of 10.

Treatment of tularemia in humans

A comprehensive treatment of tularemia in humans involves therapy aimed at detoxification of the body and further inflammation. The result secured the appointment of antihistamine preparations, vitamin complexes and normalizing and supporting the cardiovascular system. Local treatment of bubonic and ulcer formations on the skin, is the application of bandages with ointment, compresses, and the use of laser radiation and diathermy. If buboes contain purulent mass, they reveal and carry out drainage.

Proven high efficiency of treatment of tularemia with streptomycin. The drug is administered intramuscularly every 12 hours. The course is 7 to 14 days. If there is a likelihood of tularemia meningitis, prescribe gentamicin. Your doctor may prescribe tetracycline or other drugs, focusing on the degree of severity of the disease and individual characteristics of the patient.

The treatment continues until, until a normal temperature is not stabiliziruemost (usually necessary to control the body temperature within 5 days).

Protracted and complicated form of tularemia requires the combined treatment, which includes antibiotic therapy with vaccination. Injection is administered intramuscularly, a dose of 1-15 millionmicrobial bodies in a single procedure. The course of vaccination is 6-10 sessions 3-5 days each.

During treatment or after discharge, the doctor prescribes the use of vitamin complexes. In some cases, you may need a blood transfusion.

Discharge from hospital is possible only after complete clinical recovery.

Prevention of tularemia

Treatment of tularemia – the procedure is long and unpleasant, so it is necessary to apply some measures to not get infected.

Prevention of infection is as follows:

• Use protective clothing when you go fishing, hunting. They will protect from tick bites, rodents and small insects. Clothing should be worn in such a way as to restrict access to the body: long sleeve shirt under the throat, pants tucked into boots.
• The acquisition of repellents, protecting from tick bites and flies.
• Camping is necessary to take drinking water and in any case not to use unknown sources because they may be infected.
• A thorough examination of the body after each visit to forest areas to detect mites. When available, you must immediately seek medical assistance and do not attempt to remove the tick independently.
• The risk of Contracting tularemia is increasing in areas where widespread populations of wild animals and hunting them is the main activity. In such places the necessary vaccination against the disease.

Tularemia vaccine triggers the production of specific antibodies, thus the immune system in case of contact with bacteria-causative agent of the disease in the body is able to destroy unwanted cell and to stop further disease development.

Vaccine preparation is a dried live bacteria francisella tularensis. It is used in two ways: applied to the skin or injected under the skin. After some time after vaccination at the injection site is formed swelling and redness. This is a normal reaction, indicating the formation of immunity to tularemia. If this reaction is not observed, but there is a need for re-teaching after 30 days.

Normal a month after vaccination person becomes the owner of a good immunity against the bacteria of tularemia. The effect lasts for 5 years, after whichagain hold fostering.

Tularemia – a disease transmitted from animals to humans. Cases when a person infected from person is not established.

After full recovery from tularemia the re-infection is impossible, since immunity to a similar disease is formed for life.