Anthrax is a serious illness that often ends in a person dying. The main source of infection is livestock and wild animals. In today's article, we will consider the main symptoms of a terrible ailment, preventive measures and treatment methods.

Causes and causative agent of the disease

Anthrax is a disease that occurs in animals. It is from them that disputes are transmitted to humans. Experts have found that the infection, as a rule, penetrates the skin, if they have open wounds or other injuries.

The causative agent of anthrax is the spores of the bacterium Bacillus anthracis.

They develop only under favorable conditions:

  • the presence of moist soil;
  • air temperature +12 degrees.

At high temperatures, spores of the pathogen die. Also, they are "afraid" of any disinfectants.

The source of the spread of anthrax are wild animals and often livestock. They pose a danger to humans from the first day of infection and another 7 days after death. In this case, it is impossible to carve the carcass of an animal. The coat of a sick individual is contagious for another 3-5 years.

How anthrax is transmitted

Animals can become infected in several ways:

  1. Using contaminated water or writing. Especially often, such problems arise with domestic animals that are brought to pasture.
  2. With insect bites that have been in contact with an infected animal.

The transmission of anthrax to humans is somewhat different:

  1. Air. Along with dust, a person inhales anthrax spores.With weak immunity, cells do not react to "foreign" particles. Bacteria enter the lungs, then “attack” the lymph nodes. After that, they actively multiply, spread through the bloodstream throughout the body, affecting the internal organs.
  2. Domestic. In this case, the person should have close contact with the infected animal. Often, infection occurs while cutting carcasses of livestock.
  3. Food. If the meat of an infected animal has got into the dish, while not undergoing sufficient heat treatment, the person has an intestinal anthrax.
  4. Transmissible. In case of a bite of a sick animal.

In developed countries, where cattle is properly cared for, cases of anthrax are quite rare. The meat of a sick animal cannot get on the shelves of shops and markets. The administration carries out the necessary studies, conducts tests for the presence of such infectious diseases.

Severity classification

Specialists distinguish several forms of anthrax in humans:

  1. Cutaneous. It occurs in patients in 98% of cases. The transmission path of this form is contact. Spores enter the body through damaged skin. Purulent carbuncles form on the human body. The severity of the disease depends on their location. If carbuncles are located on the face, in the neck and head, then the prognosis is rather disappointing. In this case, severe swelling occurs, which can lead to suffocation.
  2. Pulmonary. Quite a severe form of anthrax. If treatment has not been started on time, the probability of death is 90%. The disease begins with a slight discomfort in the chest area. Over time, the pain increases, it becomes difficult to breathe. Many patients may confuse this condition with a heart attack. The disease progresses quite quickly. Literally after 4-5 hours, bloody sputum begins to recede, lymph nodes sharply increase.
  3. Intestinal. Occurs if a person has eaten infected meat. This form is considered one of the most dangerous and severe.
  4. Septic. With this form of anthrax, doctors do not give any hope for the patient's recovery. Fatal outcome occurs in 100% of cases.

It is also worth highlighting 3 degrees of disease severity.

Each of them has its own characteristics:

  • 1 degree (easy). The patient's body temperature rises to 38 degrees, general weakness, dizziness may be observed;
  • 2 degree (medium). The patient experiences severe chills, increased sweating. Often, the thermometer rises to the level of 40 degrees. In the muscles there is severe pain, loss of consciousness;
  • 3 degree (heavy). Carbuncles appear on the body, the temperature reaches 40-41 degrees. In addition, blood pressure decreases sharply, which often leads to cardiac arrest. Septic shock may develop.

As a rule, doctors determine the severity only with a cutaneous form of anthrax. With pulmonary and intestinal severity, it is always severe. There is practically no chance of saving the patient.

Symptoms and signs

Symptoms of anthrax largely depend on the form of the disease. The most common cutaneous.

The following symptoms are characteristic of it:

  • literally in the first few hours after infection, ulcers form on the human body. They can look differently. As a rule, these are wounds with uneven, inflamed edges, in the center of which there is a dark spot (scab). In this case, there is no pain. Also common are cases when a large blister with blood contents is observed on the skin;
  • around the ulcers, you can see vesicles that resemble purulent boils;
  • lymph nodes in the neck enlarge, become painful;
  • body temperature rises. But critical marks (above 39 degrees) are rare.

If you start treatment for an anthrax skin in time, the chances of a successful prognosis are quite high.

With pulmonary form, the following clinical picture can be observed:

  • chest pain;
  • on the first day a dry cough, which only grows with time;
  • increase in body temperature up to 38 degrees;
  • enlargement of the cervical lymph nodes.

If treatment is not started at this stage, the patient’s condition will only worsen every hour. This will lead to severe shortness of breath, cyanosis of the integument, pulmonary edema. Without timely treatment, the patient dies within 3 days.

The intestinal form is considered the most severe and rapidly developing.

The signs are as follows:

  • increase in body temperature up to 40 degrees;
  • sharp pain in the abdomen;
  • bloody diarrhea;
  • vomiting
  • loss of consciousness.

The chances of saving the patient are 1-2%.

Anthrax is an ailment that cannot be joked with. A delay of several hours can cost a person life. Therefore, at the first signs of the disease, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Diagnostics

To diagnose the disease, the following specialists should be involved:

  • infectious disease specialist;
  • therapist;
  • surgeon;
  • dermatologist.

After the initial examination, specialists necessarily send the patient to the hospital, where he will undergo a series of tests:

  • general detailed analysis of blood and urine;
  • puncture;
  • chest x-ray;
  • Ultrasound of the abdomen.

Each case is considered individually. To confirm the diagnosis, the doctor may prescribe additional examinations.

How to treat anthrax

Anthrax in humans is treated only in a hospital under the constant supervision of doctors.

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Drugs are prescribed in the following type:

  • antibiotics. Intravenously administered for 7-14 days. Penicillin-based products are mainly used;
  • drugs to maintain the general condition of the patient and those that can prevent intoxication of the body;
  • glucocorticoids. Necessary in case of damage to the central nervous system, with edema.

Surgical excision of ulcers is prohibited. The operation only worsens the condition of the patient, contributes to the wide spread of infection.

Disease vaccine

For people who are related to livestock care by profession, experts recommend a special vaccine.

There are several varieties of it:

  • peeled. Ulcer spores were grown under laboratory conditions and then killed by heat treatment. With such a vaccine, the risks of complications are minimal;
  • live vaccine. Anthrax spores are introduced in small quantities to humans. Immune cells attack the “enemy." In this case, a long-term immunity to the disease is developed;
  • combined.

Experts advise using purified vaccines.

But still, do not forget that after vaccination there may be the following side effects:

  • severe weakness, up to loss of consciousness;
  • migraine;
  • swollen and tender lymph nodes.

Vaccination is prohibited in the following cases:

  • pregnancy and lactation;
  • oncology and AIDS;
  • serious chronic diseases;
  • skin ailments.

Remember, anthrax in most cases ends in death, therefore vaccination is a necessary measure with close contact with cattle and wild animals.

Preventive measures

How can you protect yourself from anthrax infection?

Prevention methods are as follows:

  1. Mandatory vaccination of animals.
  2. Monitoring livestock specialists.
  3. Scheduled series of tests for animals.
  4. Vaccination of people at risk (farmers).
  5. Proper storage of meat products.
  6. Burning infected animal corpses.

Anthrax is an ailment that is not so common in developed countries. But all the same isolated cases, alas, occur. That is why it is very important to know the route of infection and the symptoms of the disease.

If you observe signs of anthrax, consult a doctor without fail. Procrastination can lead to serious complications and death.

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