Lockjaw

November 22, 2011

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Lockjaw   It is an acute infectious disease in which there is damage to the nervous system. For this characteristic lesions spasms of skeletal muscles , Which can develop due to asphyxia (suffocation ). It is believed that it is the disease caused the death of the son of Hippocrates, and then about such illness became known to the masses. It gave the name of Hippocrates described the disease and its symptoms.

Tetanus is caused by exposure to the causative agent - stolbnyakovoy sticks . It is a spore-forming bacterium, which exist in the form of spores in the external environment. These bacteria exhibit a high resistance to agents with antiseptic and disinfectant action. In addition, these bacteria can be stored in the soil at different things and objects, as well as in the stool for many years. She did not die at a temperature of 90 ° C for 2 hours. If these favorable conditions were created, the spores germinate actively in the process of which stand out particularly strong tetanotoxin   (they are biological poisons). It is very poisonous substance, a powerful poison - just botulinum toxin . Their names - tetanospazmin and   hemolysin.

Stolbnyakovaya coli   released from herbivorous animals, especially rodents, birds, as well as humans. Provided stick with feces. It is stored in the soil, and then the dust can get to almost any place and space.

Dispatched by the contact method. It penetrates through the wound in the mucous membranes, as well as through any damage on the skin. It is therefore important to carefully monitor the condition of the newborn umbilical wounds to prevent infection.

From an infected person to a healthy, this infection can not be transmitted. The human body is a highly sensitive tetanus stick. Those people that have been ill with tetanus, is not produced immunity to the disease   due to the fact that the dose of tetanus toxin, which causes a disease, extremely small, hence, for formation of the body's resistance to disease it is not sufficient. Most often this disease occurs in boys who are in their teens, because of the high level of injuries. Tetanus is also frequently diagnosed in workers agricultural enterprises, as well as a number of industrial enterprises.

Symptoms of tetanus

In this disease, the incubation period can range from 1 to 21 days, as a rule, tetanus manifests itself in one or two weeks. Also registered cases when the disease manifests itself after complete healing of the lesions on the skin or mucosa. It is believed that the heavier the patient to carry tetanus, the shorter was incubation period . Tetanus is always manifested acute. The first noticeable symptom of tetanus, which is most often seen in patients with a lockjaw . This sharp spasmodic contraction of the jaw. It manifests because of spasms in the masticatory muscles. After developing lockjaw occur and the following symptoms of tetanus " sardonic smile "Which causes a spasm of facial muscles, as well as pain and difficulty swallowing, called dysphagia   and manifests as a result of contraction of the muscles of the pharynx. These three symptoms tetanus form the so-called classic triad of symptoms : Their appearance clearly demonstrates tetanus.

In the process of developing the disease seizures appear already in other parts of the body - are distributed on a limb and trunk muscles. But in the hands and feet seizures do not appear. Tension in the muscles of the patient feels constantly, even during sleep. Later cramps grab intercostal muscles and the diaphragm After which the patient becomes difficult to breathe, breathing becomes frequent and superficial. It is also very difficult process of defecation and urination due to muscle tension.

If tetanus runs hard, then because of the strong tension and pain in the muscles of the back appears opisthotonus . When this phenomenon spin patient bent arc, and, to the extent that under the back of a hand can push, if a person is in the supine position. In view of such a strong muscle tone can occur fractures , and separation of muscles from the bones . Such seizures can be held as a short-term symptoms of tetanus, and as a permanent phenomenon. Seizures occur as soon affects the smallest stimulus. They begin from the smallest stimuli. If the disease is difficult, the seizures can occur almost continuously and cover a lot of muscle. There are three degrees of tetanus: mild, moderate and   heavy . The lethal outcome is fixed in 25% of cases of tetanus.

Diagnosis of tetanus

Diagnosis "tetanus" occurs when a specialist sees a clear manifestation of the "triad" of symptoms of tetanus. Thus there is no need for the laboratory diagnosis of the disease, because the presence of clinical symptoms of the disease, even the most modern techniques do not detect the toxin in the blood. In order to make early diagnosis of tetanus, you should have a thorough epidemiological history . Thus, those skilled need to know about the presence of   infected wounds, deep burns and   frostbite To have information on all injuries that occurred after the violation of the integrity of the skin, and that occurred in a period equal to the incubation period. All these data are compared with the presence of symptoms of disease onset

Treatment of Tetanus

A person with symptoms of tetanus is subject to immediate hospitalization. In order to produce a tetanus toxin neutralization, the patient is administered a special anti tetanus serum   or it takes a specific immunoglobulin . As a therapy of seizures uses several drugs - narcotic drugs, sedatives, neyroplegicheskie . It is also used for the treatment of tetanus muscle relaxants .

If the patient is pronounced respiratory distress, before starting treatment of tetanus, it is necessary to make all the necessary resuscitation . Further, for the treatment of used laxatives, the patient is placed venting tube, and if needed, the patient is carried out bladder catheterization. To prevent the occurrence of a patient pneumonia , Tetanus patient should often turn, also need constant stimulation of breathing and coughing. To pre-empt further treatment of complications of bacterial nature, antibiotics are used. Treatment of tetanus also involves overcoming the dehydration by the use of intravenous infusion solution sodium bicarbonate . For this purpose, a number of drugs used: polyionic solutions gemodez, albumin, reopoligljukin plasma .

Complications of tetanus

During the development of tetanus due to the appearance of muscle spasms, as well as stagnation in the body and can develop pneumonia bronchitis . Also can be a complication of tetanus myocardial infarction . sepsis . In view of convulsive phenomena sometimes occur and spine fractures, sprains of limbs, muscle separation can happen, and tears in the tendons and muscles. Other complications could be tetanus vein thrombosis . pulmonary edema . pulmonary embolism .

Among the complications that occur at a later stage of disease, isolated tachycardia . weakness . deformity of the spine . cranial nerve palsies Which manifests itself temporarily. Thus compressive deformation of the spine can not disappear for two years. Once a person is fully recovered from tetanus, it may only start in two months. But even for two years, he must pass the constant examinations by a neurologist. In a particularly rare cases of tetanus occur relapses.

Prevention of tetanus

For prevention of tetanus was complete, apply preventive measures in two ways: first, it is necessary to carry out all sorts of injury prevention and specific prevention methods. It is an important method in the prevention of tetanus is considered vaccination against tetanus . To create immunity against the disease, routine vaccination is carried out. For this purpose a tetanus toxoid. It is administered to children from three months old, he is a part of DTP vaccine   (complex vaccine Diphtheria , Tetanus, pertussis ) After vaccination against tetanus made in the form of Td , DT (diphtheria vaccine complex + tetanus) or as AC-toxoids . Vaccination against tetanus - the most effective way to prevent the disease. If the patient is threatening the development of tetanus, he immediately held an emergency prevention, which uses a tetanus serum or tetanus immunoglobulin . It contains antibodies to the toxin. It is important to bear in mind that prevent tetanus is not always possible, by passive immunization. To do this, the patient is injected tetanus toxoid .

Preventing tetanus nonspecific nature is made in order to prevent cases of domestic trauma and injury in the workplace. Also it must be ensured sterility during operations to prevent contamination of wounds after surgery. All chopped, sliced ​​wounds, frostbite, burns and other injuries should be immediately and properly handle to stop the bleeding.