Tuberculosis: routes of infection. Pulmonary tuberculosis: signs and routes of infection. How is tuberculosis transmitted?

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Is it possible to become infected with the closed form of tuberculosis: Symptoms, Signs

Tuberculosis is serious illness, which requires timely examination and treatment.

It is dangerous not only for the patient himself, but also for the people around him. Therefore, everyone nowadays is concerned about whether a patient with closed form of tuberculosis is dangerous.

Tuberculosis is caused by a bacillus Koha. The transmission of germs from sick people to healthy people occurs through airborne droplets.

You can also become infected through objects and food. When an infection enters the body, inflammation occurs in the lungs, which contains microbes.

Gradually, the lesions heal, resulting in the formation of a compaction. With this form of the disease, the patient does not excrete bacteria in environment.

This stage of the disease is called the closed form of tuberculosis. The infection is inside the body.

Many people are interested in whether the closed form of tuberculosis is dangerous?

Danger level

Dangers for healthy people the closed form of the disease does not represent.

But the infection can affect those with weakened immune systems and children. For the first time, a person develops a closed form of tuberculosis.

What danger does it pose to people?

If a tuberculosis bacillus gets inside the body, a person will not be dangerous. This is because microbes are not released into the environment.

Therefore, patients with the closed form of tuberculosis are not even admitted to dispensaries. They are treated at home, but always under the supervision of an experienced TB doctor.

You need to understand that when the closed form changes to open, sputum and other secretions will infect people.

With the help of a doctor, you can control the transition from one form of tuberculosis to another. It is also he who can refer a sick person to a hospital. This must be done without fail.

The SES must disinfect the room where such a patient was located.

Is the closed form of tuberculosis contagious?

This form of tuberculosis is not dangerous to others.

In this case, microbes are not released along with saliva or sputum. Thus, the infection is closed inside the body.

How is it transmitted?

With the closed form of tuberculosis, transmission of the virus is impossible.

But sometimes tuberculosis in closed form can develop in the same way as in open form. This means that it has no characteristic symptoms.

In this case, the patient himself does not know that he has tuberculosis and can infect other people.

Therefore, whether a person with a closed form of tuberculosis is contagious or not is difficult to answer unambiguously. But you need to understand that when communicating with another person, the patient does not always transmit germs to him. This is only possible with weak immunity.

Most patients, in general, do not suffer from open tuberculosis, so for them it occurs only in the closed form.

To diagnose the disease, you need to do fluorography and examine the blood.

How is the closed form of tuberculosis treated?

This disease can be cured.

Most often, tuberculosis patients are prescribed inpatient treatment, but sometimes it can also take place at home. But in this case, patients must be under the constant supervision of a phthisiatrician.

When starting treatment, you need to be prepared to take medications for a long time and follow all the doctor’s recommendations.

If you stop taking the pills ahead of time, the disease may flare up again.

In addition, if you stop taking pills or reduce their dose, the tuberculosis bacillus will become resistant to the drugs. In this case, microbes will not die even from the most effective drugs. This will ultimately lead to further development illness and infection of other people.

Therefore, the question of whether the closed form of tuberculosis is curable or not can be answered: being treated. But at the same time, the disease requires careful attention to the doctor’s prescriptions.

If treatment is started in time, the disease may not develop into an open form at all.

The risk of tuberculosis developing into an open form exists in the following categories of patients:

• - With HIV infection;
• - renal failure;
• - with oncology;
• - With diabetes mellitus;
• - in smokers;
• - in alcohol abusers.

A negative factor that leads to the development of tuberculosis can also be poor ecology, in particular, highly polluted air.

For the treatment of closed form tuberculosis are used antibiotics, For example, Isoniazid, Rifampicin.

They are also used for treatment open form of this disease.

These drugs help destroy bacteria, but often cause side effects.

They are expressed in:

• - nausea;
• - vomiting;
• - headaches;
• - diarrhea.

Such phenomena usually pass quickly enough, but if there is an allergy or chronic diseases It is better to consult a doctor.

How long does it take to treat closed-form tuberculosis?

Tuberculosis is a very dangerous disease, so it is unlikely to be dealt with quickly. This takes a lot of time, so treatment can take years.

It is worth knowing that the body has no immunity to tuberculosis. Therefore, no one can guarantee that a person will not become infected again in a few years.

Practice shows that it is precisely those patients who were able to cope with tuberculosis who most often fall ill with it again.

It is important to have fluorography every year to avoid risk re-development this disease.

Treatment with folk remedies

Tuberculosis in this form can be treated folk remedies. For example:

N A stand from birch buds, which are poured with 2 glasses of vodka.

You need to infuse them until you get a cognac-colored liquid.

You need to take the medicine 3 times a day before meals, one tablespoon.

Why is closed-form tuberculosis dangerous?

The danger of the closed form of tuberculosis is that it is practically not diagnosed.

When applying for a job, many enterprises require fluorography. In schools and kindergartens they do the Mantoux test.

But tuberculosis constantly affects people and always creeps up unnoticed. Therefore, every person needs to carefully monitor their health.

You should also pay attention to some symptoms of the disease:

• - chest pain when inhaling;
• - weakness;
• - the appearance of fluid in the lungs.

Such phenomena require immediate contact with a phthisiatrician.

Very often, patients with closed form of tuberculosis may look quite healthy in appearance. But at the same time, tuberculosis does its dirty work and destroys lung tissue from the inside.

If the patient does not know about his disease, he can infect other people through his secretions, for example, saliva.

Symptoms of pulmonary tuberculosis in closed form

When it enters the body, the tuberculosis bacillus causes inflammation in the respiratory system. The lymph nodes also begin to become inflamed.

Characteristic signs of the closed form of tuberculosis:

• - weakness;
• - positive tuberculin test;
• - negative sputum test;
• - good x-rays of the lungs;
• - pain during breathing.

Thus, with the closed form of tuberculosis, its characteristic signs, for example, cough and high temperature, are practically absent.

But you can think about being infected with tuberculosis if you have the following symptoms:

• - constant colds in the child;
• - frequent intestinal infections;
• — constant illnesses;
• - lethargy and weakness.

But most often the child’s well-being does not change, so it is very difficult to determine tuberculosis at this stage.

Most Frequently Asked Questions

Is it possible to plan children

After suffering from tuberculosis, doctors do not recommend planning a pregnancy for two years.

This will allow the body to rest and recover.

Pregnancy after closed form

But if the pregnancy turns out to be unplanned, you should immediately consult a doctor and follow his recommendations.

During this period, it is important to support the immune system, for example, by taking vitamins. Most often, childbirth goes well for the majority of women who have been treated for tuberculosis.

There are no complications during pregnancy after tuberculosis.

Is it possible to work

Tuberculosis is infection, therefore a limitation for some work.

For example on:

• — food production;
• — in grocery stores;
• - in children's institutions.

In the absence of organ damage, the person is also considered able to work.

How to treat a patient’s dishes

The dishes just need to be washed and scalded with boiling water. No disinfectants are required.

This is even harmful, since they can remain on the surface of the dishes after 10 rinses.

Is it transmitted through a kiss?

If the form is closed, tuberculosis cannot be infected through a kiss.

But with prolonged and close contact there is a risk of infection. Therefore, it is better to check with a doctor.

Science knows several dozen species of such mycobacteria, but only three of them cause tuberculosis in humans: predominantly human, less often bovine and intermediate. In the first two years, the risk of developing the disease in an infected person is 8-10% and then gradually decreases.

How is tuberculosis transmitted?

Possible routes of infection with tuberculosis through the gastrointestinal tract, damaged skin, mucous membranes, or in utero with damage to the placenta are observed quite rarely. In the vast majority of cases, infection occurs by aerogenic droplets or airborne dust from patients with constant or periodic release of bacteria.

It could be:

• massive - the most dangerous for others, in which a sick person can excrete over a billion mycobacteria per day with sputum;
• meager - representing less danger; in this case, mycobacteria in sputum can only be detected using special methods.

The possibility of infection is influenced by the duration of contact with the patient, the amount of MBT released into the air, and the immunity of a healthy person. Isolation of mycobacteria is rare in children.

One infectious patient infects up to ten people a year. One in twenty people infected develops tuberculosis.

Mycobacteria that enter the body spread through the blood or lymph flow and settle on the internal organs, where specific inflammation develops with the formation of fibrous capsules. Subsequently, the primary infection is replaced by a latent infection, which develops into an active form and recurrent tuberculosis.

The disease does not occur in all infected people.

The development of the disease is facilitated by the following social and medical-biological factors:

• poor material and living conditions;
• long stay in foci of tubinfection;
• stress;
• bad ecology;
• drug addiction, alcoholism;
• diabetes;
• gastrointestinal and kidney diseases;
• occupational lung diseases - pneumoconiosis;
• mental illness;
• pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period;
• long-term hormonal or antitumor therapy;
• in case of repeated contact with MBT in the presence of residual changes after a cured disease.

The method of transmission does not depend on the form of tuberculosis. And since mycobacteria cannot always be detected by laboratory methods, there is no unambiguous answer to the question: is tuberculosis contagious in a person who is not formally a bacterial excretor. With close, prolonged contact with a sick person, the risk of infection increases.

According to the form of the course and the nature of bacterial excretion (Koch bacilli - BC or tuberculosis bacilli - TB), the disease is conventionally divided into:

• active (open) form - when MBT is identified through research and the patient is clearly at risk (CD+/TB+);
• inactive (closed) form - when MBT is not detected in the secretions and potential danger for others (BC-/TB-).

Most often, this division concerns lung damage - the most common type of disease, but there are also types of extrapulmonary localization. What does the closed form of tuberculosis mean and how dangerous is it?

Symptoms and diagnosis

The closed form of tuberculosis is the most common and is diagnosed in 80% of detected cases initial stage diseases. In this case, thanks to the immunity that inhibits the spread of infection, mycobacteria remain inside the formed capsules, and inflammatory foci do not grow and can heal with the formation of new ones in the neighborhood. Thus, depending on the functioning of the infected person’s immune system and the stage of development of his disease, pulmonary tuberculosis may or may not be contagious.

Under unfavorable conditions, the pathogenic environment caused by bacteria gets out of control. The awakened infection actively spreads, affecting internal organs. The patient begins to actively shed the tuberculosis pathogen. The disease enters the open stage and, in the absence of timely treatment, can take on severe forms, for example, fibrous-cavernous pulmonary tuberculosis or miliary tuberculosis, in case of secondary infection - focal pulmonary tuberculosis, as well as their possible complications.

The closed form of tuberculosis has vague symptoms. An infection can hide in the body for years without showing itself. In this case, there are no specific signs that allow us to speak with confidence about the presence of the disease.

Most often, patients note the following features of the disease:

• weight loss;
• chronic fatigue, weakness and fatigue;
• attacks of dizziness;
• minor breathing difficulties and dry cough;
• mild chest pain.

This condition can be observed for several months, and, most often, patients do not attach much importance to it. With the increase of the infectious process, symptoms of lurking closed tuberculosis appear more clearly: chest pain intensifies, lymph nodes enlarge, the temperature periodically rises, and if there is a lesion in the lungs, tuberculous pleurisy develops.

The first signs of tuberculosis become obvious only with the transition of the disease to an open form, when the destruction of lung tissue leads to a severe cough with sputum and/or blood.

The closed form of tuberculosis is quite difficult to detect during standard examination, which is carried out using instrumental and laboratory methods. Sputum analysis does not usually detect mycobacteria. Only tuberculin diagnostic methods (Mantoux test, Diaskintest), enzyme-linked immunosorbent test (ELISA) and quantiferon test, which turn out to be positive, can speak about infection with the greatest certainty. Fluorography and ultrasound provide high efficiency during examination, while x-rays have little information content. Additionally, a study using computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging may be recommended.

If you suspect closed form of tuberculosis, you should contact the tuberculosis dispensary for consultation with a phthisiatrician and order the necessary examination. Timely detection of the disease will prevent the transition to the acute stage.

Infection

Closed tuberculosis, as a rule, is not transmitted. The absence of MBT activity in a patient practically excludes infection of a healthy person. Infection occurs extremely rarely, and if it does occur, it is predominantly aerogenic - the same way that the open form of tuberculosis is transmitted.

However, even an extremely small number of bacilli may be sufficient to infect immunocompromised individuals.

The risk group includes:

• pensioners;
• children;
• people leading an antisocial lifestyle;
• those under prolonged stress, chronically sleep-deprived;
• having concomitant diseases.

The chances of infection also increase with prolonged contact, especially in enclosed spaces with insufficient ventilation. It should be remembered that the transition from an inactive form to an active one may remain unnoticed for some time, which means that a potential threat can develop into a real one.

With any contact with a patient with closed form of tuberculosis, the probability of infection does not exceed 0.1% of the total number of tuberculosis infected people.

Treatment of closed tuberculosis

A strong immune system prevents the transition of the closed form of tuberculosis to the open form, preventing the infection from spreading, while patients at risk are susceptible to developing the open form of the disease.

The disease has a chronic course with alternating outbreaks of activity and periods of remission, during which the body slowly destroys cells. This nature of the process requires integrated approach to treatment and careful medical supervision. Difficulties with diagnosis often lead to the fact that treatment of the closed form of tuberculosis begins quite late. Sometimes open and closed forms of pulmonary tuberculosis are mistaken for pneumonia. In such cases, antibacterial treatment of the inflammatory process is prescribed, and after completion of the course the patient is re-examined.

Antibacterial therapy hinders development pathological process, significantly reducing the likelihood of transition to the active stage. But MBT easily adapt to negative environmental conditions, and are also capable of quickly developing drug resistance, which prevents a full cure.

Treatment of any form of the disease is carried out under the mandatory supervision of TB specialists, so it does not matter whether the patient’s tuberculosis is contagious or not. If necessary, the patient is admitted to a hospital. Since the disease is socially dangerous, refusal to hospitalize if its active form is detected may result in a referral for compulsory treatment by court decision.

Folk remedies are ineffective in treating the disease, and self-medication is dangerous.

The closed form of tuberculosis is treated exclusively in a tuberculosis clinic according to the following scheme:

1. Drug treatment using Isoniazid (Ftivazid, Metazide), antibiotics of the Rifamycin group - isolated or in combination. The dosage depends on the duration of therapy. In some cases, taking Isoniazid can cause serious disorders of the nervous system or cause drug-induced hepatitis. This requires dose adjustment, and in severe cases, drug withdrawal.
2. Physiotherapy.
3. Spa treatment.

Nutritional therapy, exercise therapy, breathing exercises. In the future, it is necessary to lead a healthy lifestyle, eliminate nicotine and alcohol, provide adequate nutrition, and take measures to maintain immunity.

Treatment of tuberculosis is long-term - from 3 months to a year. The prognosis is favorable, but with the possibility of re-infection remaining, therefore the patient is subject to dispensary registration with regular examinations by a phthisiatrician.

Without appropriate treatment, the closed form of the disease can enter the active stage. Open tuberculosis in the absence of the required therapy leads to disability and death.

Prevention

The priority task of the state is to improve the epidemiological situation. Under given conditions, an important object of government attention becomes the identification of people already sick with tuberculosis and foci of infection.

Preventive measures to prevent the spread of the disease include:

• public health education;
• specific prevention, which includes BCG vaccination and the use of anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy drugs;
• tuberculin diagnostics in children;
• annual medical examinations for adults.

The fight against tuberculosis is long and complex, so the disease is easier to prevent than to treat. To do this, you need to fulfill a number of conditions aimed at strengthening the immune system and reducing the risk of infection.

These available preventive measures include:

1. Quitting smoking and alcohol.
2. Proper balanced nutrition.
3. Taking vitamins.
4. Active lifestyle.
5. Sports, hardening, ventilation.
6. Maintaining hygiene rules.
7. Planned fluorography.

It is necessary to avoid communication with patients with open tuberculosis. Most great danger represent those who have affected respiratory organs with destruction in the area of ​​inflammation.

In some cases, consultation with a phthisiatrician may be required. It is necessary if:

• the contact was close and prolonged;
• a healthy contact is at risk;
• a bacteria excretor is a member of the family.

If infection is detected, chemoprophylaxis should not be abandoned. It is also important to remember that regular fluorographic examinations in adults and tuberculin diagnostics in childhood can detect infection and closed tuberculosis lungs on early stage.

The spread of tubinfection depends on living conditions and cultural level, the habits of those already ill and the size of the population in contact with them. Only active interaction of all participants in the epidemic process will reduce the risk of infection of healthy people.

How does the initial stage of tuberculosis manifest and how is it treated?

Tuberculosis is a dangerous infectious disease caused by mycobacteria, or Koch bacilli. The disease in its open form is contagious, can affect almost all human systems and organs, and is fraught with serious complications, and without proper treatment, deaths are common.

If at timely diagnosis If the initial stage of pulmonary tuberculosis (or its other forms) is identified and effective treatment is prescribed, then the chances of defeating the disease and returning the person to a full life are very high.

Routes of infection

Once in a weakened body, mycobacteria most often reach the lungs, where they begin to actively multiply. This leads to the development of focal infectious lesions.

But besides the lungs, lesions can be found in other organs.

At risk of infection:

• musculoskeletal system (bones, joints);
• central nervous system(brain and spinal cord);
• organs gastrointestinal tract(usually intestines);
• genitourinary system (most often the kidney takes the first blow, and without treatment, the infection spreads to the ureter, bladder, genitals);
• skin.

If the infection begins to develop in the lungs, then during this period the sick person can pose a danger to others, as he is capable of infecting them. This danger arises if the disease occurs in an active form (when mycobacteria are released into the environment and can be transmitted to others in various ways). Moreover, the causative agent of the disease can enter the patient’s blood, causing secondary infection.

There are several ways that pathogens enter the body:

1. Airborne (spread of mycobacteria through the air).
2. Contact-household (through household items, rare).
3. Nutritional (through food).
4. Hematogenous (through blood).

The disease can also be transmitted from mother to fetus through the placenta.

But mycobacteria (or Koch bacilli) that enter the body will not necessarily lead to infection. People with weakened immune systems are most susceptible to the development of tuberculosis: young children, HIV-infected people, people with cancer and other categories of the population who, for various reasons, have a low level of immunity.

Signs of disease development

When talking about the signs and symptoms of tuberculosis, you need to keep in mind that they can be specific and nonspecific. Specific characterize damage to a specific organ, and nonspecific accompany the disease regardless of the location of the lesion.

So, to specific signs pulmonary lesions caused by tuberculosis include:

• prolonged cough with sputum discharge (more than three weeks);
• slight increase in temperature;
• general weakness and lack of appetite;
• increased sweating.

As the disease progresses, irritability and mood swings are added; in an advanced stage, a characteristic sign of the disease is hemoptysis.

Specific signs of extrapulmonary tuberculosis may appear as follows:

• joint and muscle pain - with damage to the musculoskeletal system;
• violation menstrual cycle and hormonal disorders - with tuberculosis of the genitourinary system;
• ulcers, seals on the skin, chancre - tuberculous skin lesions;
• gastrointestinal disorders - nausea, diarrhea, pain in the abdomen - accompany intestinal tuberculosis.

The duration of the initial stage of tuberculosis depends on a number of factors: on the route of infection, on the number of pathogens that have entered the body, on the level of human immunity, on the area of ​​localization of the lesions.

Diagnostics

The initial form of tuberculosis is the period from the onset of infection to the onset of destructive processes in the affected organ. The difficulty of diagnosing the disease at an early stage is that the disease at this stage does not have pronounced symptoms. And the first symptoms will appear after incubation period, which can last for months.

Nonspecific signs of the disease manifest themselves in the form of general malaise and conditions characteristic of any type of acute respiratory viral infection: weakness, slight increase in body temperature, cough, enlarged lymph nodes. Therefore, identifying the development of tuberculosis based on these symptoms is very problematic.

It is often possible to establish the correct diagnosis only after studying a fluorography image: the doctor can recognize characteristic changes in the lungs.

At the same time, diagnosing the early stage of the disease is extremely important, since the initial stage of pulmonary tuberculosis is treated very successfully and without serious consequences for the patient.

The first and most common way to diagnose tuberculosis is the well-known tuberculin test, or Mantoux test. This measure for diagnosing tuberculosis in children is included in national calendar vaccinations, the child must undergo such a test annually. The drug tuberculin is introduced into the body, and according to how it will look allergic reaction, assess the body's susceptibility to the pathogen. An alternative to the Mantoux test is Diaskintest, which, unlike the tuberculin test, gives more accurate results.

For the adult population, the main diagnostic measure is regular fluorography.

If the development of tuberculosis is suspected, biomaterials are analyzed.

Depending on the form of tuberculosis and the location of the foci, Koch bacilli can be detected:

• in sputum - in case of pulmonary tuberculosis;
• in urine - with damage to the genitourinary system;
• in purulent exudate - with tuberculosis of the joints;
• in feces - with gastrointestinal tuberculosis.

Also, in order to diagnose the disease, various blood tests can be performed: enzyme immunoassay, interferon test, PCR test, quantiferon test.

Simultaneously with the analysis of biomaterials, studies are required to obtain visualized results of the condition of internal organs: chest X-ray, fluorogram; if cerebral tuberculosis is suspected - computed tomography and MRI. Based on the photos obtained as a result of such diagnostics, the doctor determines the presence of foci of infection and assesses the degree of damage to the body.

Specifics of treatment

Treatment of tuberculosis is carried out strictly in a hospital setting. This is a necessary measure aimed, firstly, at preventing the spread of infection. Secondly, the consequences of incorrect treatment of tuberculosis or no treatment at all are very serious. Therefore, the doctor who made the diagnosis sends the patient to a hospital, where the patient will spend at least six months, and the treatment of the disease does not end there: the course of taking medications can last up to a year, and after recovery the patient will undergo rehabilitation in an anti-tuberculosis sanatorium.

For antibacterial therapy at the first stage of treatment of tuberculosis, the following anti-tuberculosis drugs are prescribed: Isoniazid, Ethambutol, Rifampicin, Streptomycin, Pyrazinamide.

If mycobacteria are insensitive to one type of antibiotic, then several drugs are prescribed simultaneously, up to 4-5.

The course of taking medications can be long or intermittent; the doctor chooses a combination of drugs and treatment phases strictly individually, taking into account general state patient, contraindications, level of immunity, age and concomitant diseases.

At the same time, mandatory monitoring of the patient’s condition is carried out, and the effectiveness of each stage of therapy is assessed. This approach allows you to timely adjust treatment and prevent the spread of infection throughout the body.

Physiotherapy is included during the period of remission of the disease and at the rehabilitation stage. With an active form of the disease, such therapy is not prescribed.

Medical nutrition

In addition to drug treatment, great importance is given to the patient’s nutrition in the fight against tuberculosis. The diet should be varied, highly nutritious, food should fully cover all the body's needs for nutrients and vitamins, the main emphasis is on the high content of animal proteins and calcium.

Depending on the patient’s condition and the nature of the disease, at the initial stage of the disease, the doctor prescribes one of three diet options:

1. At low-grade fever, sluggish development of the disease - the daily calorie content for an adult should be from 2700 to 3100 kcal, divided into 5 meals; emphasis on conventionally cooked foods rich in calcium.
2. With major weight loss, nervous overstrain- increase in calorie content to 3500 kcal, five meals a day, foods should also be rich in calcium.
3. In case of a severe course of the disease, its sharp exacerbation, with signs of intense tissue breakdown, the calorie content of the daily diet reaches 3700 kcal; eat foods high in protein and calcium (milk, eggs), as well as purees and juices from vegetables and fruits; additionally, vitamin C is prescribed; eating up to 8 times a day.

The basis of the diet of a person suffering from tuberculosis should be the following products:

• meat and fish of any kind (animal protein);
• milk and dairy products (source of calcium);
• cereals (simple and complex carbohydrates);
• vegetables and fruits (suppliers of vitamins and fiber).

During treatment and also after past illness, it is very important to adhere healthy image life. Rejection of bad habits, healthy eating, adequate physical activity, and a stable psycho-emotional state will be the key to victory over such a serious illness as tuberculosis.

Is tuberculosis contagious or not?

Tuberculosis is an infectious disease known to mankind for a long time, and for many people the question of whether tuberculosis is contagious is simply not worth it: by default, it is considered a highly contagious disease. This statement is both true and false: the sick person is really dangerous to others, but the degree of danger depends on the form in which the disease occurs.

Open and closed forms

Once in the body, the tuberculosis bacillus (also known as Koch's bacillus or mycobacterium) spreads throughout its organs and systems through the blood and lymph and develops in the lungs. Pathogen-containing tubercles, either individual or in large numbers, form in the affected tissues.

In the first case, the tuberculosis bacillus is contained inside these tubercles and is not released outside, thus infected person Although it is a carrier, it does not spread the disease. But the open form, on the contrary, is extremely dangerous: in this case, the pathogen enters the sputum and other secretions of the human body. This type of tuberculosis is extremely dangerous and highly contagious; the risk of contracting the infection through contact with a carrier of this disease is very high.

Is the closed one contagious or not?

Today, the closed type of the disease is considered the most common. WHO statistics indicate that approximately a third of the world's population are carriers of Koch's bacillus, and about 10 percent of those infected subsequently show symptoms of the disease.

Pulmonary tuberculosis develops in 3 stages. Having penetrated the body, mycobacteria begin their destructive work either with respiratory system, or from the lymph nodes. They concentrate in the tissues, forming the already mentioned tubercles. In the closed form, the infection does not break out beyond these seals, as a result of which the infection site heals somewhat over time. This is the first stage of closed tuberculosis. The second develops when the pathogen enters the blood and spreads to other organs and systems, forming separate foci. The third stage is recurrent tuberculosis, affecting many systems and organs, accompanied by deterioration of well-being and a number of other symptoms. All three stages are not yet accompanied by infectiousness, but if the pathogen enters the bronchi, pulmonary tuberculosis will become open, and the patient will begin to infect others.

In both the first and second stages, no release of mycobacteria occurs.

Patients with the closed form at these stages are characterized by:

• absence of symptoms, the patient does not complain of any ailments;
• on x-rays no pathologies are noticeable;
• sputum analysis does not show the presence of tuberculosis;
• tuberculin test is positive;
• despite the fact that a person has already become a carrier of the disease, the mycobacteria living in him are passive and do not carry out active destructive activities.

In some cases, patients may complain of painful breathing, lethargy and weakness.

Methods of transmission of the disease

As mentioned above, tuberculosis is an infection. It is transmitted mainly by airborne droplets from an infected person to a healthy person. You can become infected through the use of shared objects (dishes, hygiene products), through food, and other ways.

The sputum secreted by a carrier of an open, especially pulmonary form of the disease, can fall on walls, furniture, household items, and fall to the ground. Once in the air, the sputum dries, but the bacteria do not die, thus creating infectious dust. By inhaling it, a healthy person introduces the causative agent of tuberculosis into the body and can become ill himself, and it is possible to become infected with both open and closed forms of the disease. If a healthy person finishes a cigarette behind a sick person or kisses a carrier, the likelihood of infection is also very high. But we must remember that all this is true only for the open form of tuberculosis. A carrier of a closed variety of the disease, including pulmonary tuberculosis, cannot become infected by any of the above methods, since the pathogen is “preserved” in his body. But the infection can become active at any time, and the closed form will become open, making such a patient infectious.

It should be borne in mind that not every person can become infected.

Children and people with weak immune systems are at risk of infection. But even in them, the primary disease is still closed tuberculosis; the open form is diagnosed much less frequently for the first time.

People at increased risk of contracting tuberculosis include:

• alcoholics and smokers;
• HIV-infected;
• patients with cancer;
• insulin dependent diabetics.

In a certain sense, closed tuberculosis is even more dangerous than its open variety, since it is more difficult to diagnose. In order to determine the infection in the early stages, the state is taking certain measures: for example, for schools and kindergartens the Mantoux test is mandatory for pupils. This test allows you to determine the presence of mycobacteria in the body. Many companies and organizations also pay attention to the problem of tuberculosis, requiring their employees to undergo an annual fluorographic examination.

But, in addition to this, a person himself must closely monitor his own health and pay attention to alarming symptoms:

• chest pain when breathing deeply;
• weakness, apathy, lethargy;
• fatigue, loss of endurance;
• low-grade fever for a long time;
• cough with phlegm;
• Fluid in the lungs visible on x-ray results.

These signs should be an alarm bell, after which it is necessary, without delay, to visit a phthisiatrician - a doctor specializing specifically in the treatment of tuberculosis.

How to protect yourself?

Modern medicine has developed effective drugs, capable of fighting tuberculosis and its complications. To prevent the disease, the state vaccinates citizens starting from childhood. Already in the maternity hospital, in the absence of any contraindications, during the first week of the child’s life he is given the BCG vaccine.

It is a weakened strain of the tuberculosis pathogen that effectively stimulates the immune system, but does not lead to infection. There are some contraindications for vaccination, so it is advisable to consult a doctor before it. If they do not want to vaccinate their child, parents have the right to refuse vaccination, but the child will remain at increased risk of infection. For children who have been vaccinated, the BCG administration procedure is repeated at intervals of 7 years, until they reach the age of 14.

Prevention is also necessary for adults. It is generally accepted that tuberculosis is associated with low level life, and people with below-average incomes are more likely to become infected with it. However, statistics show that anyone can get tuberculosis. Infection and the development of the disease are influenced by a variety of factors, including bad habits, communication with carriers of the infection, and the use of various immunosuppressive medications.

IN last years Experts are beginning to recognize a certain influence of the age factor: tuberculosis is rapidly “aging”, more often affecting people over 50 years of age.

Prevention measures for adults are simple: adhere to a healthy lifestyle, maintain hygiene, eat right, so that the level of immunity is always sufficient to fight tuberculosis. It is advisable not to contact sick people. Also important preventative measure are annual medical examinations, allowing to identify the infection in the early stages of its occurrence. As part of the medical examination, fluorography is performed, which shows the presence/absence of destructive processes in tissues. It is necessary to be examined at least once a year.

It is important to remember that tuberculosis has symptoms similar to other diseases.

• wet cough, and there may be blood in the sputum;
• poor appetite;
• weakness, fatigue, feeling of lethargy and apathy;
• night sweats;
• low-grade fever.

If these symptoms persist for more than 3 days, it is necessary to consult a doctor for diagnosis in order to identify possible tuberculosis at an early stage and begin timely treatment.

All about the initial stage of development of tuberculosis

Tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by mycobacteria. The disease is characterized by damage to the lungs, skin, bones, kidneys and other organs. The causative agent of the disease is distinguished by its survivability and resistance to damaging environmental factors.

Symptoms and developmental features

The disease occurs in several stages. It is very important to recognize tuberculosis at an early stage. The prognosis of the disease directly depends on this.

The sooner pulmonary tuberculosis is diagnosed and treated, the greater the chances of a speedy recovery without complications and infecting fewer people.

Mycobacteria, isolated even at the initial stage of the disease, successfully persist outside the body and affect a large number of people.

You can become infected with tuberculosis in several ways:

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• Airborne: when communicating with a sick person;
• Contact-household: things and objects that were used by a person with tuberculosis retain mycobacteria for up to several days;
• Nutritional: when eating contaminated foods.

However, mycobacteria that enter the body are not always contagious and can lead to the development of tuberculosis.

The disease develops mainly against the background of decreased immunity, or in the case of individual sensitivity to the pathogen. Risk groups include young children, people eating foods low in protein, and the HIV-infected population. Pulmonary tuberculosis poses the greatest danger to this category of people.

The initial stage of tuberculosis, or primary tuberculosis, develops immediately after mycobacteria enters the human body. As a rule, this is pulmonary tuberculosis.

However, symptoms are still almost always present, it’s just that the person may for a long time ignore them:

• severe weakness;
• nausea;
• low-grade fever;
• coughing with or without sputum;
• unhealthy blush on the face;
• enlarged lymph nodes.

Experienced specialist based on data clinical picture And x-ray examination, will be able to make the correct diagnosis without difficulty. If there are doubts when making a diagnosis, additional examinations and laboratory tests may be prescribed.

Specifics of treatment

Treatment of tuberculosis at the initial stage differs from therapy for more late stages duration and dosage of prescribed medicines. Treatment of tuberculosis is quite a complex task. Tuberculosis, the initial stage of which may not manifest itself for years, is preferably treated in a hospital.

Usually, after identifying the disease, the attending physician decides to hospitalize the patient during the first two months of the disease. This measure is necessary to prevent the spread of the disease and infection of contact persons. This first stage is the most important in treating the disease. It is necessary to undergo treatment strictly following all doctor’s recommendations, regardless of the stage of tuberculosis.

So, how long can pulmonary tuberculosis be treated at the initial stage with timely diagnosis and adequate therapy? As a rule, treatment of tuberculosis at the initial stage lasts about six months, but in some cases treatment can take up to two years. The patient’s immune status and social level of life are important for determining the duration of treatment.

Drug treatment

Tuberculosis in any form and stage is treated with the use of antibacterial anti-tuberculosis drugs. The most commonly used combination of the following drugs:

The drugs have a bacteriostatic and bactericidal effect on mycobacteria. Antibacterial therapy is prescribed in long-term continuous or intermittent courses. Dosages of anti-tuberculosis drugs are selected strictly individually, taking into account contraindications and the possibility of developing characteristic adverse reactions. Tuberculosis at an early stage, as a rule, can be easily cured with the above drugs, leaving virtually no consequences. Treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis with these drugs usually lasts up to six months.

If there is a danger of tuberculosis progressing to the next stage, fluoroquinolone drugs are used. Typically these are Levofloxacin, Lomefloxacin and Ofloxacin.

The drugs have a bactericidal effect on the pathogen and make it possible to stop the infectious-inflammatory process, preventing its progression. Before starting treatment with anti-tuberculosis drugs, it is advisable to test the body's sensitivity to them. This will allow you to accurately select medicine and achieve high effectiveness of therapy.

Medical nutrition

In addition to pharmacological therapy for tuberculosis, the patient’s nutrition during the treatment period is important. There are several options for the diet of tuberculosis patients. The choice of diet depends on the activity of the infectious process in the patient’s body and his condition. Typically, for therapeutic nutrition at an early stage of the disease, it is determined how depleted the body is, and one of three options is prescribed:

With a sluggish process, pronounced asthenic syndrome and low-grade fever:

• calorie content within kcal;
• main products - rich in calcium;
• nutrient ratio B/F/U – 140/100/400;
• five meals a day.

With nervous overexcitation and sudden weight loss, without signs of intense tissue breakdown:

• calorie content up to 3500 kcal;
• the main products are calcium-rich (milk) and eggs;
• conventional heat treatment;
• nutrient ratio B/F/U – 120/120/550;
• five meals a day.

During a period of sharp exacerbation, with signs of intense tissue breakdown, febrile fever, symptoms of exhaustion:

• calorie content up to 3700 kcal;
• main products - calcium-rich (calcium dose up to 2 g per day), protein foods, juices and purees from fresh fruits and vegetables;
• additional fortification of food with ascorbic acid;
• conventional heat treatment;
• food is taken in liquid and pureed form;
• nutrient ratio B/F/U – 140/120/550;
• fractional meals up to eight times a day.

The quality of nutrition in this disease is great value for the recovery of the patient. Only a combination of rational pharmacotherapy and quality nutrition can lead to complete recovery. Meals should be high-calorie, regular, fortified and varied.

The list of foods that a patient must eat is quite wide:

• all types of meat;
• dairy and fermented milk products;
• fish in various forms;
• all cereals;
• Be sure to have fresh vegetables and fruits.

Tuberculosis has always been and remains a serious problem for many. Previously, it was believed that only disadvantaged sections of the population were susceptible to the disease. Today we can say with confidence that anyone can become infected with the infection, regardless of their social status. Therefore, early detection of the disease and early prevention of its further spread are important.

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Tuberculosis is a disease that causes special group bacteria, namely mycobacteria, which in their DNA are at an intermediate stage between bacteria and fungi, which gives them a number of advantages, the main ones of which can be considered special vitality and the ability to reproduce by division or budding without the participation of foreign cells in which ordinary bacteria deposit their disputes.

In addition to unprecedented vitality, Mycobacterium tuberculosis has a phenomenal ability to get used to drugs and genetic memory for them, which does not allow us to completely defeat this disease.

The direct causative agents of tuberculosis include several species, and the disease itself is characteristic not only of humans, but of animals and birds. The Koch bacillus is the most dangerous for humans, and a common infection for people and humans is the BCG bacterium - on the basis of which the vaccine of the same name is prepared. The main population affected by BCG is cattle, which is why it is also called “cow” or “bovine” tuberculosis.

It is also worth noting that tuberculosis affects not only different kinds living beings, but also different organs person. In addition to the well-known pulmonary tuberculosis, there is also tuberculosis of the bones, liver, skin, eyes, intestines, etc.

Contagiousness of tuberculosis. Myth or reality

Today, the pandemic of this disease has subsided a little and awareness of the danger of this infection is not as active as in the nineties and early 2000s, so many young people do not even know whether tuberculosis is contagious or not, or whether it is easy to become infected with tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis is an infectious bacterial disease that, until the beginning of the twentieth century, claimed a huge number of lives, and in Europe at one time it claimed a quarter of the population, due to which it began to be called not only consumption or dry disease, but also the white plague. To understand the level of danger of the disease, as well as its contagiousness, you need to understand the methods of its transmission.

Routes of transmission

The tuberculosis bacterium, subject to ideal conditions of 20-23 degrees Celsius, absence of ultraviolet rays and humidity, can survive for seven years without a biological carrier. In other environments, it lives a little less, however, the degree of its adaptability to unfavorable conditions is truly amazing, because even in chlorine-containing products it does not die for as long as 5-10 minutes. The only thing that can kill it almost immediately is ultraviolet radiation, which is contained in direct sunlight or produced by a special lamp.

This viability is explained by the ability of the pathogen to fall into suspended animation, in which it does not reproduce, does not provoke disease and does not require nutrition, and is also covered with a particularly strong shell, under which it is practically invulnerable. Such dormant or passive tuberculosis is found in water, air, dust, soil, in damp rooms, basements, in books, products, as well as in the blood of 30% of people, without causing harm to anyone.

Only an active form of tuberculosis bacteria can provoke the disease.

Is it possible to get infected from a patient with tuberculosis? Of course, it is possible, this is the most common way of acquiring the disease, and the infection is most often transmitted by airborne droplets, when the patient coughs, or by airborne dust - when the patient spits out sputum anywhere, it dries up and enters the lungs of others.

The method of transmitting the active form of Koch's bacillus through everyday life is less common, however, no less dangerous. Due to the fact that bacteria are transmitted through objects and common areas, this disease affects mainly families, since it is quite difficult not to become infected while living together.

Many young people are most likely concerned about the question: is tuberculosis transmitted sexually? Of course, it is transmitted, since during sexual intercourse there is an active exchange of fluids, including saliva, and people literally breathe the same air.

Also, do not forget that Koch's bacillus is quite easily transmitted from mother to child during pregnancy or during childbirth.

Considering that not only people can suffer from the disease, it would not be a bad idea to find out whether tuberculosis is contagious or not in animals. It is quite difficult to become infected with tuberculosis from an animal with good immunity, however, it is quite possible. Almost always, infection occurs from a large cattle. Mycobacterium bovis, which, in addition to direct contact with sick cows, can be transmitted through dairy products, in which it is preserved for up to a year without heat treatment (cottage cheese, cheese, butter, etc.) or raw meat.

At what stage is tuberculosis infectious in humans?

In people, after infection, the disease can develop in an open or closed form, which differ in the ability of the patient to infect others. There is an opinion that the patient is able to infect others only with the open form, which develops in later stages of the disease, and with the closed form, the microbes sit inside.

To some extent, this is true, because at the closed stage the patient practically does not cough and does not secrete sputum into the surrounding space, however, given that active bacteria float freely in his blood and mucous secretions, then minimal risk There are still infections. There are often cases when a person with the closed form also gets sick in their household, which can be explained by both a common source of infection and a slight release of the pathogen. In addition, the closed form can become open almost at any time and sometimes completely asymptomatically.

How to protect yourself and your family

It doesn’t matter whether consumption is highly contagious or not, given the widespread distribution of its causative agent, everyone should suffer from it, however, this does not happen. An effective vaccination against tuberculosis has not yet been invented, however, many people have innate immunity to this infection. It effectively prevents infection, but at the same time it must always be maintained in proper shape to avoid not only tuberculosis, but also a huge number of other problems.

To protect yourself and your loved ones from infection, you must follow basic hygiene measures: stay away from coughing people, do not use shared utensils and do not eat from the same plate, avoid untested sexual contacts and do not be in the same room with sick people. When moving to a new home, it is recommended to disinfect it ultraviolet lamp and also not to be long time in damp rooms and houses affected by fungus.

It is also advisable to avoid accumulations large quantity strangers, which is almost impossible in the modern pace of life, especially considering that we all use public transport.

The only one effective method prevent disease - take preventive diagnostics responsibly and do your best to strengthen the body by exercising, good nutrition, as well as the elimination of bad habits, especially smoking, which significantly reduces the protective capacity of the lungs.

Tuberculosis has long been considered in medicine as one of the most common and dangerous diseases. Despite all the achievements of modern science, the disease cannot be defeated, and people continue to die from it every year. The disease is insidious in its unpredictability; it has several behavior patterns.

Depending on various circumstances, tuberculosis infection may go unnoticed or cause serious problems with health, even death.

Is tuberculosis contagious and how contagious? Let’s look at this in more detail.

The “culprit” of tuberculosis: what happens when infected?

The degree of danger depends on the form and stage in which it is determined in a person this disease. The most dangerous is. A disease in a closed form (latent) has less ability to transmit infection to the external environment.

Having invaded the body, mycobacteria may not manifest itself for years. The person is completely unaware that his condition poses a threat to others—his health does not give any signals of an “invasion.” Meanwhile, the infection begins to slowly but methodically spread throughout internal organs– tuberculosis intoxication of the body occurs.

Harmful bacteria travel through the bloodstream through cells, choosing to stop the most unprotected organs of the human body. Having established themselves in a convenient place, mycobacteria begin their destructive work.

From this moment on, a person is considered a carrier of tuberculosis, and he becomes especially dangerous to society.

If the body is strong, the immune system is mobilized to fight the aggressor. Weak immunity is not able to cope with Koch's bacillus on its own; it requires long-term and serious treatment.

Tuberculosis begins its development with the formation of primary affect in the affected area. Koch bacilli are captured by macrophages (special cells capable of aggressively capturing other bacteria, particles of dead cells, and other microparticles harmful to the body), penetrating into the lymphatic system.

Mycobacteria have two routes of penetration into organs: lymphogenous or hematogenous.

In the affected areas, a granulomatous process begins to develop: focal necrosis forms in the central part, surrounded by lymphocytes, macrophages, and epithelial cells. The result of granuloma is sclerosis.

In medicine, it is customary to divide the disease into pulmonary and extrapulmonary forms. The first is the most common, the second is numerous and has many variations.

Tuberculosis at the beginning of its journey: how contagious is the initial form of the disease?

There is an opinion that in the embryonic state the infection is quite harmless and tuberculosis infection cannot occur - the bacilli are still too weak and have a short-term effect on the body. However, this is not entirely true. It all depends on the form of manifestation of the disease, which regulates the degree of its contagiousness.

There is no clear answer to the question of whether tuberculosis is transmitted at the initial stage. First of all, it is necessary to understand which phase is considered the initial one: the actual introduction of mycobacteria into organs, or its infiltrative form.

If the definition means the first option, the starting point of tuberculosis is not terrible. In addition, the disease may not manifest itself in any way throughout the life of the infected person.

Another thing is the infiltrative phase. This stage is highly contagious because hallmark This phase is characterized by a cough that sprays droplets of sputum into the environment.

The initial stage, even in its most harmless form, is a serious reason to pay attention to your own health, so as not to miss the possible moment of transition of harmless, “dormant” tuberculosis into an active form with the most serious consequences.

“Risk groups”: who is at risk from Koch’s wand

Just a few years ago, it was believed that only disadvantaged segments of the population get sick with tuberculosis - prisoners in prison, people without a fixed place of residence and other citizens leading an asocial lifestyle.

The disease in such cases had an open, long-standing form and was maximally contagious to the environment of the carrier.

The disease was often detected in people living in difficult living conditions, with low incomes, and socially unprotected people. However, recently mycobacteria began to be diagnosed in quite prosperous people. It turned out that no one is protected from tuberculosis - the disease is so tenacious and omnivorous.

Diabetics, people with gastrointestinal diseases, as well as in the case of constant hormonal treatment should be especially attentive to the possibility of “acquiring” the disease.

The most “infectious” forms of the disease

If the diagnosis is accurately established, the first thing that interests the sick person and his everyday environment is whether the detected disease is contagious or not, how successfully it is cured.

To the category of the most dangerous diseases refers to open pulmonary tuberculosis. This variety poses a health threat not only to the carrier itself, but also to everyone who somehow comes into contact with him in everyday life.

In this case, the highest ability of mycobacteria to infect everyone within a radius of several tens of meters from the owner of the Koch bacillus is observed.

Transmission of a pulmonary infection occurs through airborne droplets when a sick person coughs or sneezes.

It “distributes” many tiny tuberculosis bacilli into the environment and soil from infected sputum, which is spat out by the carrier of the disease.

Tuberculosis is insidious and infectious, having “made a nest” in other organs: kidneys, bone tissue, lymphatic system, genitals. The number of people infected with extrapulmonary species is slightly less than those with pulmonary tuberculosis, but here, too, severe complications and death are common results.

Infection can be avoided: measures to prevent tuberculosis

Unfortunately, even the most experienced and titled doctor is unable to guarantee protection against tuberculosis infection - the area of ​​spread of the infection is too large. However, a few useful pieces of knowledge can help you take steps to protect yourself from this serious disease.

Firstly, try to avoid direct contact with carriers of open tuberculosis. If contact is unavoidable (in case of illness among family members), it is not always possible to completely eliminate the risk of infection. In this case, you must carefully follow the recommendations of the doctor treating the sick relative.

The room must be ventilated and disinfected—mycobacterium tuberculosis retains its ability to infect for quite a long time. The patient must be provided with dishes and personal hygiene items for individual use.

Second rule - In public places, it is necessary to stay away from fellow citizens who are coughing or sneezing, especially if saliva is freely sprayed into the air.

The listed measures can reduce the possibility of contracting an infection, but a more significant guarantee is timely vaccinations against tuberculosis, regular visits to the fluorography room and timely treatment of detected tuberculosis.

The definition of “kiss” is the deliberate touching of the lips to an animate or inanimate object. There is even a science - philematology - and experts who understand the psychological and physiological characteristics kissing a person.

What are kisses like?

Not only in human society kissing has become a method of expressing emotions and showing feelings. Some mammals - bonobos and chimpanzees - express their relationships to each other in the same way.

There are different types of kisses:

• love;
• friendly;
• polite;
• sincere;
• insincere;
• emotionally passionate;
• ritual...

They kiss animate and inanimate objects: children, loved ones, parents, friends, animals, the banner and the land at their native threshold.

Scientists believe that kissing has special positive qualities.

Benefits of touching lips

Dentists believe that kissing stimulates the production of saliva, which helps remove plaque and strengthen tooth enamel.

During a passionate kiss, healthy people's breathing increases 3-4 times, and during an ordinary kiss - 1.5-2 times. Blood flow accelerates, the heart is enriched with oxygen, serotonin is produced - the hormone of happiness, and the production of cortisol - the stress hormone is stopped. All this has a positive effect on the functioning of the cardiovascular system and strengthens the myocardium.

When kissing, other hormones are also produced - endorphin and adrenaline. Thanks to endrophin, the body overcomes depressive states, and adrenaline causes strong emotions.

It turns out that touching with your lips helps prevent injuries, because the organic reaction resembles that which occurs during a parachute jump or cross-country race.

Lovers of kisses age more slowly - during the characteristic movement, more than 30 facial muscles are activated, which tones the facial skin and prevents the formation of wrinkles.

During kissing, an exchange of flora takes place - both suitable and not so much. New bacteria activate the immune system, immunity increases - so says Ulf Beming, a doctor from Australia. Human saliva contains more than 240 bacterial cultures.

It is very offensive that immunity does not increase invariably - in some cases it falls because infection with certain dangerous diseases occurs.

How can you get infected through a kiss?

The fact that it is possible to become infected through a kiss was noted by the ancient Jews - this is why, according to the Old Testament, it is forbidden to kiss a deceased loved one - it is unlikely that strangers will touch someone else's corpse with their lips. ( Pathological conditions are not considered in this context.) Pathogenic flora is transmitted through a kiss, even when expressing respect for an inanimate object. They usually kiss the banner with pursed lips, lightly touching the canvas with them, but they linger on the icons - praying for healing - for a long time.

There is no guarantee that a similar request and a similar expression of gratitude was recently made by someone who previously had the infection. For example, many pathogenic microbes causing diseases digestive system, retain their “vitality” for up to 10-21 days, and Koch’s stick - the tuberculosis bacillus - for up to 7 years!

So you shouldn’t ask, is it possible to get infected through a kiss?

It is better to clarify which infections are transmitted together with saliva.

Stomatitis;

Tonsillitis;

Sinusitis;

Rhinitis;

Bronchitis;

Pneumonia of various etiologies.

The causative agents of these diseases are localized in the organs and mucous membrane of the nasopharynx and respiratory tract. You should not kiss someone who is sick with seasonal infections - the risk of infection is above 90%.

Can you get tuberculosis through a kiss?

Without a doubt. As already mentioned, the Koch stick exhibits extraordinary durability. Tuberculosis is not only contracted by touching lips to lips. This disease can be localized in all organic systems and spread through the bloodstream.

After isolating the bacterium Helicobacter pylori, which causes erosive diseases of the digestive system, it turned out that it is transmitted together with saliva, but! Only for people with low immune rank.

Are hepatitis and mononucleosis transmitted?

Is it possible to become infected with hepatitis C through a kiss, as well as other types of this very dangerous disease?

Hepatitis A - that is, kissing a sick person - is indisputable, but infection with forms B and C is spoken of only theoretically - documentary evidence of infection by this method has not yet been registered.

You are more likely to pass on the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) by expressing love for your own child. Many children become ill with mononucleosis precisely after touching the lips of surrounding adults - the disease in people with strong immunity is asymptomatic. In most children, the disease occurs in mild form and immunity is developed for life, some develop quite important complications that adversely affect the condition of the heart, kidneys, lungs, and brain.

Sexually transmitted diseases

Can you get syphilis through a kiss?

There are syphilitic sore throats, chancre can appear on the mucous membrane oral cavity. It has been documented that this form of the disease appears later than oral sex, but in the future there is a threat of contracting syphilis through kissing and through everyday life.

During erotic caresses, you can “catch” gonorrhea - its pathogens can also be localized in the tonsils.

Can you get chlamydia through a kiss?

About 5% of respiratory tract diseases are truly provoked by the introduction of chlamydia, but such inflammatory processes occur quite easily and severe consequences, naturally in places where pathogenic microbes are localized, do not cause. Spreading through the bloodstream, the infection waits “its time”, but if there is no urogenital replenishment, the infection is not activated.

A kiss from a person suffering from generalized (acute) chlamydia is dangerous - only then there will be a sufficient amount of pathogenic flora in the saliva, which will overcome the harsh barrier of the stomach and penetrate into the body.

The papillomavirus is most often transmitted through kissing, and it is not necessary to caress each other’s oral area. Papillomas can appear on any part of the body, and if they grow vigorously, there is a risk of degeneration and metastasis.

Pregnant women can transmit cytomegalovirus through kissing, which can cause:

• frozen pregnancy;
• miscarriage;
• complications in unborn babies.

Can you get HIV through a kiss?

The danger of contracting HIV has been greatly exaggerated. So far, only one case of similar transmission of infection has been recorded, and that was when a woman had an inflammatory process in her mouth, and her companion had an active form of AIDS. And the husbands lived together for about 7 years, so there is a possibility that they easily forgot about protective equipment during sexual intimacy.

Hepatitis and HIV are transmitted through blood, for infection by these infections. In order for them to be transmitted, certain data is necessary - the presence of bleeding areas in the oral cavity of both partners.

Other diseases and risk factors

You should not exchange oral sex with people suffering from intestinal infections. Dysentery, typhoid, cholera and similar diseases are transmitted through saliva. Furthermore, after any contact with such patients, you need to wash your hands.

When buying lipstick, women must pay attention to its quality. If you don't think about your health, take pity on your companion! Poor quality contractors may use additives that cause cancer in the body. Kissing while using low-quality cosmetics is dangerous to health.

Most often, herpes is transmitted through caressing with lips. It's even called the "kissing disease." It is unthinkable to cure herpes - just get rid of it characteristic features: blisters on the lips, which cause ulcerative blemishes in the future.

There is a saying: in order to get rid of herpes forever, you need to kiss a person who has never had herpes. He is immune and will be passed on by exchanging saliva. This is a misconception; it is more likely that the second person will get herpes than the sick person will recover.

In addition, it is virtually impossible to meet a person whose body does not have this virus. Rather, the companion easily has a strong immune system.

So why not increase your immune rank by living an energetic life, switching to a balanced regime of work and rest, and reasonable nutrition? Then the risk of “catching” any infection from kissing will be reduced to the slightest.