A common bacterial infection is dysentery in children: symptoms and treatment with medications and a special diet. Prevention and treatment of serum sickness

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They are not uncommon in childhood and cause a lot of trouble for the sick child and parents.

To always be fully prepared, moms and dads should know about the first signs of a disease such as dysentery. After all, the sooner it is noticed, the higher the chances of recovery without serious consequences.

Infantile dysentery is an acute intestinal disease caused by various types of Shigella. These pathogens affects exclusively the lower intestine. The second name for this infection is shigellosis.

Shigella are very tenacious: they thrive in soil and food products, and even tolerate low temperatures with a bang. The only thing that dysentery pathogens are afraid of is high temperatures, various disinfectants and direct rays of the sun.

The incubation period of the disease varies from 3 to 5 days, then it begins to actively manifest itself and enters the acute phase.

Shigella, entering the body, passes through the entire gastrointestinal tract and settles on the walls of the large intestine. It is there that they begin their active growth.

Dysentery is very it is important to diagnose in time, otherwise, the process of death of the tissues of the large intestine may begin, and, as a result, disruption of the functioning of all organs, up to their degeneration. This is due to a violation of the water-salt balance during the development of the disease.

The nature of childhood dysentery

Dysentery most often affects children aged from 2 to 5 years. The first question parents ask when the first signs of the disease appear is what was its source.

Even when the family observes all hygiene standards, fruits and vegetables are washed, and hands are constantly treated with a disinfectant solution, the baby can get sick.

The answer to the question is simple: the main thing is the source of infection is a sick child. Moreover, it is dangerous even in the first hours of the disease. The peak incidence usually occurs at 3 years of age, since it is at this age that children usually begin to attend kindergarten.

Doctors highlight several ways of contracting dysentery:

• Fecal-oral. This is the most common way to contract dysentery. A small child, along with feces, excretes a large number of Shigella, which are the main causative agent of the disease. If we talk about infection through the mouth (oral method), then the main reason here may be poorly washed fruits, vegetables, and less often - food, during the preparation of which basic sanitary standards were violated.
• Infection through water. You can catch the Shigella bacillus by swallowing water while swimming in a pool or ponds (especially if the water in them has not been tested by the relevant authorities or there is a ban on swimming altogether). And another source of dysentery bacillus is poor-quality drinking water.
• Contact-household method. Infection is possible through shared utensils, toys or unwashed hands.

The peak incidence of dysentery occurs in the summer - under the influence of heat, Shigella bacilli multiply most intensively.

Parents must understand that There is no absolute protection against dysentery and absolutely any child can get sick. Children with weakened immune systems and concomitant illnesses such as ARVI are at risk. The only way to avoid illness is preventive measures related to hygiene.

Symptoms in children

Timely diagnosis of the disease is the first step towards correct and appropriate treatment. What are the signs to tell if a child has dysentery?

How the disease manifests itself depends entirely on the nature of the disease: how it progresses and how extensively areas of the intestine are affected by Shigella coli.

Common signs of the disease it is generally accepted:

1. general malaise, weakness;
2. stomach ache. At first, aching and dull in nature, then they become sharper and move into the iliac cavity;
3. temperature up to 40 degrees;
4. diarrhea up to 20 times per day. Often, stool may be green with streaks of mucus;
5. nausea, turning into frequent vomiting;
6. frequent urge to go to the toilet “in a big way”, which is false;
7. noticeable rumbling in the stomach.

In advanced cases of dysentery, the following are added to the main symptoms:

1. convulsions,
2. bluish skin,
3. strong heartbeat.

With frequent vomiting and persistent diarrhea, the child may become dehydrated, which requires immediate hospitalization.

Differences between amoebiasis and shigellosis

Amebiasis and shigellosis are types of dysentery caused by various microorganisms: amoebas and shigella, respectively. Amebiasis is more typical for tropical climates, shigellosis - for temperate ones. In our central climate, shigellosis can still be found more often.

With amebiasis, the same signs and symptoms are observed as with dysentery. Plus, headaches, decreased appetite up to complete loss of appetite, and painful sensations during bowel movements are added to them.

Amoebiasis is dangerous due to its consequences. Amoeba pathogens can affect other organs, as a result of which the child may develop amoebic hepatitis, abscess of the liver, kidneys, and spleen. In severe cases, amoebic damage to brain tissue and cells is possible.

Symptoms in children under one year of age

We have already said that dysentery is a disease of children under 5 years of age. Wherein It is very rare in children under one year of age and are difficult to diagnose due to the age-related characteristics of the defecation process (children in the first six months of life often go to the toilet, their stool has a liquid consistency).

Signs of dysentery in infants(a child under one year old) can be considered loose green stool with mucus and traces of blood. In addition, against the background of atypical stool, the child may experience general lethargy, moodiness, and insomnia. In this case, you should not postpone your visit to the doctor.

Shigellosis in children under one year of age can occur against the background of developing rickets or anemia. Artificial babies run the risk of contracting shigellosis if the technology for preparing the formula is broken.

The addition of other diseases, for example, ARVI, can lead to a protracted course of the disease with transition to a chronic form and prolonged bacterial elimination. Therefore, during the treatment period, it is necessary to strictly adhere to the regimen prescribed by the doctor and, if possible, exclude external contacts.

Useful video

Video about symptoms, prevention and first aid for intestinal infection:

Conclusion

Dysentery is dangerous, however By following all hygiene rules, the risk of getting sick can be minimized. With timely treatment, the prognosis for recovery is favorable. Remember that self-medication for any intestinal ailment is fraught with serious consequences.

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Intestinal diseases in preschool children occur very often due to non-compliance with basic hygiene rules. Dysentery in children is a common phenomenon, but can be quickly and successfully treated if diagnosed early.

What is dysentery

Dysentery is a disease that refers to acute bacterial intestinal infectious diseases of fecal-oral transmission. Its frequent outbreaks are diagnosed in the warm season (summer-autumn), when the diet contains a lot of fresh fruits, berries and vegetables. If they are not properly processed before consumption, Shigella bacteria remain on them, which, when they enter the gastrointestinal tract, provoke the occurrence of dysentery.

The disease is widespread in countries with high population densities and within regions with poor sanitary conditions. In addition to the food factor, water from reservoirs can be a provocateur. Massive outbreaks of dysentery are often associated with sick employees of catering or water supply systems.

Pathogen

Different regions have their own types of bacteria that cause shigellosis. The causative agent is the dysentery bacillus. These are enterobacteria of the Shigella group, which gave rise to the second name of the disease. It is not necessary that a particular species of Shigella is strictly tied to a specific territory. They are easily transported and travel all over the planet. There are four types of Shigella in total (but there are 12 serotypes, and according to some studies there are up to 100 pathogens):

• European region - Sonne wand;
• more rare for Europe - Flexner's wand;
• Central Asia and the Far East - Grigoriev-Shiga stick;
• Boyd's wand is universal in location.

Shigella is resistant to being in the external environment. In water they remain active in a vegetative state for about a week, in soil for three months, in food for about a month, and they tolerate low temperatures and dryness well. Bacteria are destroyed instantly by boiling or using disinfectants, and at a temperature of 60 degrees Celsius they are viable for about half an hour.

Incubation period

The incubation time of an infection is the interval from the pathogen entering the body until the appearance of primary characteristic symptoms. The incubation period for dysentery is very different for adults and children. Manifestations can occur within 2-3 hours after enterobacteria enters the body in an immediate acute form. Erased or latent forms, on the contrary, practically do not appear after the incubation period.

For adults, the time for the disease to develop can take from one day to a week, but in most diagnostic cases, dysentery develops within 2-3 days. During this period, a form of the disease is formed - colitic, gastroenterocolitic or a rare severe form - gastroenteric. Dysentery itself in children can last about a month in an acute form (3 months in cases of acute protracted course) and more than 3 months in a chronic state.

Transmission routes

There are three ways of transmitting dysentery:

• contact and household;
• food;
• water.

Each type of pathogenic bacteria has its own way of entering the body:

• The mode of transmission of Shigella Sonne is through food. The most dangerous for spread are cottage cheese, milk, sour cream, and salads.
• Flexner's stick is carried through water from wells, untested sources and plumbing without prior boiling.
• The Grigoriev-Shiga pathogen persists on household items, toys, and fingers.

Symptoms of dysentery in children

The sooner the clinical picture is determined, the more successful the therapy will be. Symptoms may vary depending on the specific pathogen, but the general symptomatic picture is approximately the same. The main thing is not to miss the onset of the disease and not to attribute the manifestations of shigellosis to banal food poisoning. Therefore, you need to know the main signs:

• general malaise - weakness, lethargy, drowsiness, exhaustion;
• sleep disturbance;
• high temperature with jumps from 37 to 40 degrees during exacerbation;
• vomiting, nausea, inability to eat, decreased appetite or its complete absence;
• frequent diarrhea during the day;
• feces interspersed with mucus, greens, blood;
• false urge to defecate;
• rumbling in the large intestine;
• stomach ache;
• in severe cases of the disease, hypotension, tachycardia, depression of consciousness, cyanosis of the skin, and convulsive spasms occur.

Chronic symptoms in children under one year of age due to diathesis, rickets, anemia and sometimes breastfeeding:

• average-satisfactory condition;
• regular loose stools;
• mild toxicosis.

Chair

The urge to defecate during shigellosis in a child may practically not stop. Dysentery can cause stool up to 30 times per day. The volume of stool does not exceed 500 ml per day. Among the semi-liquid or completely liquid stool there is thick transparent mucus, blood and, after a while, pus. Acute symptoms are observed for 2-9 days, after which there is a transition to the recovery phase, but sometimes a chronic form occurs if the child’s immunity is significantly reduced. In this case, the patient may become a source of spreading bacteria without having symptoms.

Reasons

It is easy to become infected with shigellosis, especially for very young children, who cannot yet be explained the rules of hygiene. The causes of dysentery may be hidden in unwashed fruits and vegetables, questionably produced dairy products, dirty hands and objects that children taste. More rare cases are infection through a pond or pool that is not properly disinfected.

Therefore, adults have the responsibility and obligation to monitor the child: do not let him put dirty hands or any objects into his mouth, take a responsible approach to the processing of fruits and berries, and supervise him when bathing. You need to choose dairy products especially carefully. to avoid dysentery and other infectious diseases.

Diagnostics

Confirmation of the diagnosis of shigellosis occurs on the basis of stool examination and in-depth laboratory examinations. The bacteriological method of sowing Shigella from feces with a 3-fold analysis makes it possible to determine the diagnosis in 50-60% of patients. The disease is also diagnosed by the presence of enterobacteria antigens in saliva, blood, and urine. For additional confirmation, sigmoidoscopy is sometimes used. The main thing in diagnosis is differential analysis to exclude diseases with similar symptoms: cholera, salmonellosis, escherichiosis and others.

Complications

Like any other disease, shigellosis in children has its consequences for the body. There can be many complications:

• dysbacteriosis;
• rectal prolapse due to pressure in the peritoneum;
• peritonitis - release of intestinal contents through perforation into the abdominal cavity;
• intestinal bleeding and abscesses;
• toxic megacolon - thinning of the intestinal walls, and, as a result, blood intoxication;
• post-dysentery intestinal dysfunction;
• hypovolemia (dehydration);
• pneumonia;
• kidney and liver damage;
• ulcers of the intestinal mucosa;
• infectious diseases against the background of a severe decrease in immunity.

Treatment

Depending on the severity of the disease, treatment is possible on an outpatient basis or in a hospital. A child from one year old can stay at home if there are no acute symptoms of shigellosis, but it is important to hospitalize other children who go to kindergarten or school, as well as adults who work in the food industry or come into contact with children at work. Main rules for home treatment:

• maintain a daily routine;
• stick to a diet;
• follow the doctor's recommendations for drug treatment.

No-Shpa or Papaverine are suitable for relieving intestinal spasms. To help restore intestinal microflora, you can take probiotics and prebiotics. Antibiotics are used only in extreme cases of severe disease and only as directed. Hospitalization of a small patient occurs when shigellosis is severe or it is impossible to isolate the patient from possible infection by new carriers.

Enterofuril

Doctors often use Enterofuril for dysentery. This drug, depending on the dosage, has bacteriostatic or bactericidal properties. Dosage for children under 7 years of age is 600 mg of active substance per day. The drug is not recommended for children under 1 month of age. Moreover, the use of the drug does not depend on the child’s diet. Before use, you should carefully study possible contraindications for an allergic reaction. Analogues of enterofuril:

• Bactisubtil capsules;
• Phthalazol;
• Enterol powder.

Diet

A strict diet during the treatment of shigellosis will help overcome the disease more effectively. Products that provoke gas formation and fermentation in the digestive tract are excluded from the diet: dairy products, whole milk, fatty, salty, fried foods, smoked foods, spices. You should increase your fluid intake through decoctions, fruit juices, fruit drinks, weak sweet tea, and saline solutions. The diet for dysentery should consist of light food: boiled fish, steamed cutlets, soups. To restore potassium balance, raisins and baked apples are suitable.

Prevention of dysentery in children

All prevention of dysentery in children lies with the parents and consists of constant compliance with sanitary and hygienic standards. You should monitor the cleanliness of your baby’s hands and how he washes them. The premises must be kept clean and free from infectious agents such as flies. It is important to remember that a child’s sanitary culture is formed by the example of parents and older relatives.

Video

Dysentery is one of the most common bacterial intestinal infections in children. There is a predominant spread of this disease among children of preschool age. This is probably due to the fact that older children observe hygiene rules better and do not put toys or fingers in their mouths. Children make up about 70% of dysentery patients.

In order not to confuse dysentery with other intestinal disorders and to begin treatment in time with the help of specialists, it is important for parents to know the main symptoms of this disease.

There are bacterial dysentery (shigellosis) and amoebic dysentery (amebiasis).

Bacterial dysentery

This is what the causative agent of dysentery, Shigella, looks like.

A predominant spread of infection is recorded in the summer-autumn period, which can be explained by the large amount of fruit consumed (not always washed enough), and favorable conditions in the warm season for the growth of bacteria in food products.

Causes of shigellosis

The causative agent of the disease is enterobacteria from the genus Shigella, hence the second name for dysentery - shigellosis.

Dysentery is caused by 4 types of Shigella:

• Sonne;
• Flexner;
• Grigorieva-Shiga;
• Boyd.

They are named after the scientists who isolated and described these enterobacteria. Varieties of pathogens are characteristic of certain regions. In European countries, dysentery is caused by Sonne's bacillus, and less commonly by Flexner's bacillus. In Central Asian countries and the Far East, Grigoriev-Shiga dysentery can occur with a more severe course.

Shigella are sufficiently stable in the external environment, which allows them to survive in water for more than a week, in soil for up to three months, in food for up to four weeks, and can withstand low temperatures and drying. They die under the influence of disinfectants and direct sunlight; when heated to 60°C, they die in half an hour, and when boiled, they die instantly.

The source of infection is a sick person and a healthy bacteria excretor of the dysentery bacillus. The pathogen is excreted in the feces. The mechanism of infection with dysentery is fecal-oral, that is, the infection penetrates through the digestive tract.

Routes of transmission of infection: bacteria can enter a child’s body through food, water or through the use of household items, as well as through non-compliance with personal hygiene rules (that is, infection occurs through contact and household contact). Dysentery is sometimes also called the disease of dirty hands. Flies play a certain role in the transmission of pathogens.

Most often, infection occurs through the consumption of raw water, foods that are not subject to heat treatment (for example, salads, raw milk), expired products, and improperly stored perishable foods.

The risk of contracting shigellosis increases when consuming unwashed or poorly washed vegetables and fruits. The incidence increases during the ripening period of strawberries, raspberries, and grapes. Many parents do not consider it necessary to wash watermelons and melons before giving them to their child.

The disease occurs both in the form of isolated (sporadic) cases and in the form of outbreaks. A sick person is contagious from the first day of illness. The dysentery bacillus is excreted in large quantities from the patient's body with feces. In family outbreaks, children become infected in 40% of cases. Infants become infected from those caring for them.

In case of contact-household infection, the infection is transmitted through dishes, dirty linen, toys, towels and other objects. If a patient with dysentery does not wash his hands after visiting the toilet, then on his hands he transfers the pathogen to all objects with which he comes into contact. Then a healthy child uses these objects and puts the stick into his mouth with his own hands.

Susceptibility to dysentery in children is very high, especially in the first three years of life. Predisposing factors to the occurrence of dysentery are artificial feeding, malnutrition and in children, unsanitary conditions in the home.

Shigella Grigoriev-Shiga secretes a toxin during life (exotoxin), and other types of pathogen release it when the rod dies (endotoxin). Immunity after suffering from dysentery is unstable and short-lived. It is possible to get this disease again and again.

Dysentery is a general disease of the whole body, but the main pathological process predominantly develops in the lower part of the large intestine: the sigmoid colon is affected. When some pathogens enter the body, they are destroyed in the digestive tract and release endotoxin.

The released toxin is absorbed into the blood, affects the vascular wall and increases its permeability, which contributes to the development of pathological changes in the intestines. Shigella multiplies in the intestinal mucosa and in the mesenteric lymph nodes.

The inflammatory process in the mucosa depends on the severity of the pathological changes. First, redness and swelling of the mucous membrane develops with minor hemorrhages. Such catarrhal inflammation develops in mild cases of shigellosis. And in severe cases of infection, superficial necrosis of the epithelial cells of the mucosa develops with the formation of ulcers on the intestinal wall after rejection of the necrotic cell layers.

With even deeper necrosis, ulcers appear in the thickness of the intestinal wall, followed by scarring. Other microorganisms (fungi, staphylococci, etc.) may also take part in the formation of such ulcers.

Damage to the intestinal wall leads to disruption of its function: peristalsis increases, stool becomes more frequent, mucus and blood appear in the stool, and spasm of the affected part of the intestine occurs. Toxins from the dysentery bacillus cause damage to blood vessels and nerve endings not only in the intestine itself, but also in the central nervous system.

This leads to reflex dysfunction of other organs of the digestive tract (stomach, small intestine); As a result, metabolic processes in the body are disrupted. Toxins and under-oxidized metabolic products lead to damage to the cardiovascular system and degenerative changes in internal organs.

Therefore, one should not take shigellosis in children lightly: the consequences can be quite serious. Intoxication of the entire body can even lead to death, especially in small and weakened children.

The recovery process in the intestines, depending on the degree of damage to the mucous membrane, can last several weeks. With sluggish recovery (in a weakened child’s body), the disease can take a chronic course. And the chronic form of the disease leads to hypovitaminosis, malnutrition, and the addition of a secondary infection.

Symptoms of shigellosis

The incubation, or latent period for dysentery is on average 2-3 days; the minimum can be several hours, and the maximum can be 7 days. The duration of the incubation period depends on the infectious dose of the pathogen: the more microbes that enter the child’s body, the faster the manifestations of the disease appear.

Dysentery can occur in a typical and atypical (erased) form, have a smooth and unsmooth (with complications) course. The disease can have a different duration: up to two months in the acute form, up to three months in the protracted form, and longer than three months in the chronic form.

Clinical manifestations of dysentery depend on the type of pathogen, the severity of infection, the age of the child, the severity of the disease, the state of the immune system, and the presence of concomitant diseases. Shigellosis can occur in mild, moderate, severe and toxic forms.

Dysentery caused by Sonne's bacillus is often characterized in children by a mild, mild course without necrotic changes in the intestinal mucosa. With Flexner's dysentery, the intestines are affected to a greater extent, and the disease is more severe.

The onset of dysentery is acute. The temperature rises to high levels and lasts for three days. From the very first day of illness, signs of intoxication appear: lack of appetite, vomiting (maybe repeated), lethargy of the child, headache. The child complains of cramping pain in the left iliac region, which decreases after defecation.

The child has frequent bowel movements, usually more than 5 times (up to 25-30 times in severe cases) per day. At first, the stool is abundant, then (on the first day or on the second) it becomes scanty, an admixture of mucus and greens appears, and streaks of blood may be noted. With moderate to severe infection, the stool in the following days is a scanty spit of green mucus. False painful urges to “go down” are also typical.

Frequent straining in young children leads to a gaping of the anus, and less often, even to prolapse of the rectal mucosa. The abdomen is painful when palpated along the course of the large intestine, and there is rumbling in the abdomen.

The severity of the disease depends on the severity of the manifestations of intoxication and the degree of changes in the intestinal mucosa.

At mild form the general condition of the sick child practically does not suffer, or is slightly impaired for a short period of time. Body temperature is usually normal or slightly elevated. The stool is frequent (up to 8 times a day), has a fecal character mixed with a small amount of mucus. There is usually no blood admixture.

At moderate form intoxication is moderate: the temperature rises to 39°C for 2-3 days, the child’s general well-being worsens, vomiting is noted, and abdominal pain increases in cramping fashion. Painful urge to go down and frequent stools (10 or more times per day) are observed for several days, and there is mucus streaked with blood in the stool. Normalization of stool occurs after 7 (or even 10 days), and there may be an admixture of mucus in the formed stool.

At severe form shigellosis, intestinal symptoms predominate, although intoxication is also pronounced in the child. Stools with pathological impurities, frequent (over 15 times per day). The high temperature decreases during treatment, but remains within 37.5°C for a long time. Decreased appetite and weakness are also present for a long time.

Recovery and restoration of the intestinal mucosa occurs slowly. With intensive therapy, stool normalization occurs within a week, manifestations of intoxication disappear faster - the disease becomes abortive.

At toxic form the main symptom is the manifestation of intoxication in the form of neurotoxicosis. Repeated vomiting, a sharp rise in temperature, and a disturbance in the general condition of the child in the first hours of illness are sometimes interpreted as a foodborne toxic infection, because changes in stool characteristic of dysentery may appear later, after a few hours.

The stool quickly changes from copious to scanty, very frequent, with large quantities of mucus and streaked with blood. The abdomen is painful, somewhat sunken, and the spasmodic sigmoid colon is palpable.

Severe toxicosis with hypertoxic form may lead to seizures and loss of consciousness. Disorders of the cardiovascular system are typical: the skin is pale, with a bluish tint, the extremities are cold, and blood pressure drops sharply. In some cases, death occurs even before intestinal manifestations.

The duration of the disease and its outcome depend not only on the severity of the process, but also on the age of the child, on the correctness and timeliness of treatment, therefore it is so important to seek medical help for a sick child as early as possible.

Chronic dysentery It develops more often in children than in adults. It can occur with any form of the disease. Concomitant diseases can contribute to the chronicity of the process. A common cause of chronic shigellosis is re-infection of a child with a dysentery bacillus.

Chronic dysentery can occur with mild intoxication. There is lethargy, fatigue, appetite worsens, but health is satisfactory, the temperature is normal. Often there is pain in the lower abdomen, and there is loose stool, sometimes with mucus. Occasionally, streaks of blood may appear in the stool. Loose stools are associated with incomplete restoration of the intestinal mucosa.

In addition to the intestines, other digestive organs are usually involved in the process, and their enzymatic deficiency develops. Long-term digestive disorders lead to the development of malnutrition, anemia, and hypovitaminosis.

The above symptoms may occur continuously: this is called continuous dysentery. In other cases, chronic dysentery takes a relapsing course, when exacerbations and periods of well-being alternate.

Features of the course of dysentery at an early age

In the first year of a child’s life, risk factors for the occurrence of dysentery are diathesis, artificial feeding, rickets, and anemia in the baby.

At an early age, the disease has a number of features:

• colitic syndrome develops gradually and can be combined with signs of dyspepsia: the stool remains fecal in nature, fetid, abundant, green, with mucus and undigested lumps; in very rare cases, streaks of blood appear;
• the stomach is not retracted, but bloated;
• restlessness and crying during bowel movements, gaping of the anus;
• toxic forms occur rarely;
• primary infectious toxicosis is weakly expressed, but secondary toxicosis appears, caused by a violation of metabolic processes; it develops at a later date and is characterized by disturbances in water and mineral metabolism and the activity of the cardiovascular system;
• secondary bacterial infection (otitis media) develops more often;
• there is a tendency to chronicity of the process and an undulating course of the disease.

In infants, secondary toxicosis may be associated with the development of a mixed infection, that is, a combination of dysentery with a staphylococcal infection or. In such cases, severe toxicosis develops with a pronounced rise in temperature and a significant decrease in body weight.

Repeated vomiting and watery, rather copious stools quickly lead the child’s body to dehydration. Severe disorders of protein metabolism are also associated with water-mineral disorders. Severe bloating develops (), increased heart rate, depression of consciousness may occur, etc.

The undulating course of the disease is most often associated with late treatment. In severe cases, it may also develop.

Complications of bacterial dysentery

As a result of prolonged diarrhea, intestinal dysbiosis occurs in many children.

When the course of dysentery is not smooth, exacerbations of chronic diseases in children, complications of dysentery itself, and concomitant diseases develop. Complications depend on the degree of damage to the intestinal wall.

If it is deeply damaged, the following may occur:

• intestinal bleeding;
• with the development of peritonitis;
• inflammation of the peritoneum of the colon;
• prolapse of the rectal mucosa;
• cicatricial narrowing of the intestinal lumen;
• development .

Complications of dysentery are also described, the mechanism of development of which in shigellosis is not well understood:

• iritis (inflammation of the iris);
• iridocyclitis (inflammation of the ciliary body of the eye and iris);
• neuritis (inflammation of the nerves);
• (inflammation of the brain substance).

The unsmooth course of dysentery may also consist in the occurrence of exacerbations of the disease, which can occur at different periods of the disease. An exacerbation is characterized by deterioration of the condition and resumption of symptoms after previous improvement.

A relapse of shigellosis may also develop, that is, the appearance of acute symptoms of the disease after recovery. The cause of relapse may be the addition of a secondary infection or re-infection. At an early age, a frequent complication of a child as a result of the addition or layering of a secondary infection is otitis media, pneumonia and other diseases.

Diagnosis of bacterial dysentery

When diagnosing, the epidemic situation, clinical manifestations and laboratory examination are taken into account. The main diagnostic signs of dysentery are the frequency and nature of stools (scanty, green, mixed with mucus and streaks of blood), the presence of painful false urges to go down, as well as the acute onset of the disease and intoxication syndrome.

Laboratory methods used:

• coprogram, or clinical stool analysis - examination of stool under a microscope; determines the number of leukocytes, red blood cells in feces, neutral fats, muscle fibers, fatty acids and bacteria; the method allows you to indirectly assess the degree of damage to the intestinal mucosa;
• accurate confirmation of the diagnosis can be obtained by the bacteriological method, culture of feces and vomit: isolation of the causative agent of the disease and determination of its sensitivity to antibiotics;
• serological reactions of the tested blood (RNGA, ELISA) make it possible to detect specific antibodies to Shigella in the blood and an increase in their titer in the tested paired sera;
• in doubtful cases, it is possible to use the PCR method to identify the causative agent of the disease;
• sigmoidoscopy: an endoscopic method of examining the rectum and sigmoid colon using a rectoscope inserted through the anus. Allows you to visually identify and assess the condition of the intestinal mucosa. It is used extremely rarely in children for dysentery.

In a general blood test, there are no changes in mild forms of shigellosis, but in severe forms there is an increase in the number of leukocytes. ESR may be normal or slightly elevated.

Treatment of dysentery (shigellosis) in children

Depending on the severity, clinical form of the disease and the age of the child, dysentery treatment is carried out on an outpatient basis (at home) or in a hospital.

Outpatient treatment is permissible in case of a mild, erased course of the disease in a child over a year old and under certain epidemiological conditions: the absence in the family of other preschool children (attending kindergarten) and adult family members working in catering units, in child care institutions and the water supply system.

Treatment of a child with dysentery should be comprehensive and include:

• mode;
• drug treatment (antibacterial and symptomatic);
• dietary food.

In the acute stage of the disease, the child is prescribed bed rest .

Antibacterial treatment used for moderate and severe forms of the disease. For this purpose, antibiotics can be prescribed in accordance with the sensitivity of the isolated bacteria (Gentamicin, Polymyxin M, Ampicillin). But nitrofurans (Furazolidone, Nifuroxazide) are used more often in age-related dosages. The use of a specific dysentery polyvalent bacteriophage is also indicated.

In case of severe intoxication and symptoms of dehydration of the child, oral (drinking) and parenteral (intravenous solutions) therapy is used. In case of mild dehydration, it is enough to give the child plenty of glucose-salt solutions: Glucosolan, Regidron, Oralit, etc. 1 sachet of this drug should be dissolved in 1 liter of warm boiled water.

You can give your child raisin infusion, chamomile infusion, apple infusion, or rice infusion. To prepare rice water, take rice (1 tsp per 1.5 liters of water), cook the rice until tender, strain. You need to give your baby small amounts of water every 5-10 minutes.

The doctor will calculate the volume of fluid needed. It is not recommended to give a child disinfectant solutions (for example, calcium permanganate solution): it will not have a detrimental effect on microbes, but may have an additional toxic effect on the child. In case of significant dehydration, intravenous administration of Ringer's solution, Reosorbilact and others is used.

For severe pain, antispasmodics (Papaverine, No-shpa) are used. When enzymatic deficiency occurs, Creon, Festal, Pancreatin are used. In order to restore the intestinal biocenosis, it is recommended to use probiotics (Bifidumbacterin, Lactobacterin, Bifiform and others), prebiotics (Lactofiltrum), and vitamin complexes.

Diet selected according to the age of the small patient. A fasting diet is not currently recommended. After the vomiting stops, they begin to feed the child. In the first 3 days, babies should be fed in small portions (reduced by a third or half), but often. When artificially feeding a baby, fermented milk formulas are recommended.

Children after one year are given porridge (oatmeal, rice, semolina), vegetable slimy soups and purees, jelly, minced meat or steamed products. You can also give your child applesauce: pectin helps and makes bowel movements easier. In agreement with the attending physician, from the second week of the disease, the diet is gradually expanded. But the child’s diet should not include spicy, fried, fatty foods for 2-3 months (depending on the severity of the disease).

Chronic dysentery is treated in the same way as the acute process. The child is considered completely cured after normalization of the condition and disappearance of clinical symptoms of the disease and upon receiving a negative result of bacteriological culture of stool. This culture is carried out no earlier than three days after the end of the course of antibiotic therapy. After discharge, children are observed by an infectious disease specialist for a month.

Forecast

With timely and proper treatment of a sick child, dysentery is curable. Recovery of children occurs in the absence of complications (usually three or four weeks from the onset of the disease). But complete restoration of the mucosa lasts up to 3 months or longer.

Violation of the diet threatens exacerbation. The severe course of the disease, the occurrence of dysentery at an early age of the child and severe toxic syndrome are factors that predispose to a high likelihood of complications.

Prevention of shigellosis

It is possible to prevent a child from getting dysentery. The basic rule for preventing “dirty hand disease” is strict adherence to hygiene and sanitary standards.

From early childhood, you need to teach your child to wash their hands (always with soap) before eating, after returning from a walk, and after using the toilet. A child accustomed to such rules will never eat unwashed vegetables and fruits.

But these rules should be instilled, these useful habits should be developed by example. The child will not follow them if he sees that his parents or grandparents do not adhere to them.

No less important in the prevention of intestinal infection is strict control over the timing of sales and proper storage of products. It is necessary to explain to the child the dangers of swallowing water from a pond when swimming or diving in it.

Cause of amoebiasis

The cause of the disease is the entry of one of the varieties of amoebas into the child’s digestive tract. In this case, the greatest danger is posed by histolytic amoeba.

It exists in 3 forms:

• active vegetative form, which can exist in two types: large vegetative form (LVF) and small vegetative form (MVF). BVF resides in the thickness of the intestinal wall and consumes red blood cells; when BVF enters the intestinal lumen, it undergoes degenerative changes and turns into IMF, which is often found in the stool of a sick child.
• inactive form - cysts: the amoeba turns into this form under any unfavorable conditions; Amoebiasis spreads with the help of cysts.

BVF, or the tissue form, is present only in the patient. IMF and cysts are present in amoeba carriers. The source of an amoebic infection is a person with amebiasis and a practically healthy carrier of amoebae. The disease is spread by food and water.

More significant is the waterway, in the absence of proper sanitary supervision of the water supply. The cause of infection may be a salad made from vegetables washed with water from a pond. Infection also occurs by ingesting contaminated water while swimming.

Flies are also carriers of infection.

If the vegetative form of amoebas gets into the food, then the disease does not develop, because the amoebas die under the influence of hydrochloric acid contained in the gastric juice. Amebiasis develops when a product is infected with amoeba cysts.

Amoeba cysts in the intestine transform into the luminal form (MVF). The disease will develop when the luminal form turns into a tissue form. It multiplies in the thickness of the intestinal wall, forms small ulcers (abscesses), which open and result in ulcers. When these deep ulcers heal, scars form, sometimes causing a narrowing of the intestinal lumen.

With the blood, amoebas penetrate the liver or other organs (brain, lungs) and cause the formation of the same abscesses in these organs.

Symptoms of amoebiasis

The incubation period is quite long: it lasts from 7 days to 3 months. The onset of the disease is acute. The child may be bothered by a headache and severe pain in the left half of the abdomen. The temperature is normal. An increase in temperature may occur with a mixed infection (amoebiasis and bacterial infection).

One of the first characteristic signs of amoebiasis is the appearance of bloody diarrhea and an excruciating painful urge to defecate. The stool is liquid or pasty, very frequent, with mucus and blood in large quantities. The mucus has a glassy or jelly-like appearance. Blood mixes with mucus and as a result, the stool resembles “raspberry jelly.”

The child's appetite is significantly reduced, children quickly lose weight and look emaciated. The skin becomes dry, wrinkled, and the stomach becomes sunken. With deep damage to the intestinal wall, intestinal bleeding may occur, sometimes very severe, even leading to death of the child.

The acute period of amebiasis can last up to 1.5 months and then become chronic. Amoebiasis is characterized by a tendency to chronicity of the process. In this case, the alternation of periods of exacerbation with periods of well-being continues for a number of years. Diarrhea alternates with, periodically there is a discharge of blood in the feces. The child’s body is exhausted, severe malnutrition is noted, and anemia develops.

Complications of amoebic dysentery

In addition to intestinal bleeding, anemia and malnutrition, amebiasis can lead to the following complications:

It is difficult to make a diagnosis based only on clinical manifestations, since bloody diarrhea can also occur with other intestinal diseases. Information that the child was in hot regions or countries with a tropical climate makes diagnosis easier.

For diagnostic purposes, sigmoidoscopy (endoscopic examination of the intestinal mucosa using a rectoscope apparatus) is performed. With amoebiasis, deep ulcers with undermined edges and a purulent covering of the bottom are found. Ulcers, up to 1 cm in diameter, are surrounded by a halo of reddened mucosa.

Abscesses are diagnosed using additional methods: liver - ultrasound; lungs - during X-ray examination; brain - during CT or MRI.

Treatment of amoebiasis

Children with suspected amoebiasis are hospitalized in the infectious diseases department, where an examination is carried out to clarify the diagnosis.

When amoebic abscesses form, treatment is carried out over a longer period of time until the abscess resolves. In case of a large liver abscess, surgical treatment is used.

Symptomatic therapy is also carried out: intravenous administration of solutions for water and electrolyte disturbances; Iron supplements and blood substitutes for anemia. Equally important is to provide a sick child with a nutritious diet containing sufficient amounts of protein and vitamins. It is recommended to limit the amount of carbohydrates.

Children who have recovered from the disease are under the supervision of an infectious disease specialist for 1 year with quarterly follow-up examinations. Metronidazole, Furamide, Tetracycline, Delagil are used to treat amoeba carriers.

Prevention of amebiasis

A reliable method of preventing amoeba infection is to follow the rules of hygiene and sanitation.

Drinking water can be protected by boiling and using filters. Water should be stored in closed containers. Controlling flies and protecting food products from them is important for disease prevention. When swimming in bodies of water, do not swallow water. In endemic regions, boiled water should also be used when brushing teeth, washing dishes, and making ice cubes.

Summary for parents

To protect yourself from dysentery, you should follow the rules of personal hygiene, thoroughly wash vegetables and fruits before consumption, and use only high-quality water for drinking.

Dysentery for children is a dangerous disease. This danger is higher the younger the child is. If your baby develops intestinal dysfunction, and especially bloody diarrhea, you should immediately consult a doctor, as dehydration can develop very quickly.

Dysentery (shigellosis) is dangerous especially for children under 1-7 years of age, less often it develops in infancy. It usually affects infants and children with weakened immune systems. Belongs to the intestinal group of pathologies, more often occurs in warm periods due to the active proliferation of microbes and decreased vigilance regarding children's hygiene (unwashed fruits, dirty hands, flies).

There are four types of Shigella that lead to dysentery, they have slightly different properties and degrees of danger. Shigella Grigorieva is not very common, but it is especially severe, with severe toxicosis and damage to the colon, convulsions, diarrhea and disturbances of consciousness. With dysentery in children - Shigella Flexner, diarrhea and a severe course are severe, the intestinal walls are affected by ulcers, it lasts longer than all others and is the most common. Shigella Boyd's has a mild form and mild syndromes, the most favorable of all. The Sonne variety can survive for a long time in the external environment and also manifests itself with damage to the small intestine and stomach.

The source of infection is only the patient, who releases microbes into the external environment with feces. They become infected through dirty hands, food and drink. It is transmitted through water contaminated with fecal waste, food, as well as through household contact, through hygiene items and utensils.

It is especially common in children due to poor hygiene skills, licking dirty hands, drinking raw water, and eating unwashed fruits. Imperfect immunity, disruption of intestinal microbial flora, and bad habits (thumb sucking, nail biting) contribute to the active development of infection.

In dysentery in children, Shigella pathogens enter the intestines through the mouth, where they actively multiply and give typical manifestations.

Symptoms

The incubation period for dysentery in children lasts from a day to a week, usually 2-3 days. The first symptoms appear sharply and depend on the degree of aggressiveness of the microbe and the body’s resistance, and the age of the children. The mildest course will be with Sonne's shigella, the heaviest and longest - with Flexner's.

Before one year of age, signs begin abruptly, with severe restlessness and crying, pressing the legs to the stomach, bloating, increased heart rate and breathing, frequent green stools with mucus and lumps, frequent vomiting, severe dehydration with weight loss, dry mucous membranes and metabolic disorders.

In older children, dysentery causes fever up to 38-39 degrees, severe weakness with malaise, fatigue with headaches and pallor, abdominal pain, lack of appetite, nausea with vomiting, diarrhea with blood, greens and mucus, convulsions. Diarrhea is so frequent that it quickly leads to signs of dehydration. Abdominal pain is not sharp, dull and pressing in nature, with the urge to defecate.

Diagnosis of dysentery in a child

The basis of diagnosis is clinical manifestations, data on contact with patients, as well as fecal cultures for the intestinal group with the identification of Shigella of one type or another.

Complications

The main complications are dehydration, convulsions, and the development of toxic shock (these are signs of acute dysentery in children). Lethal outcomes are extremely rare, only in advanced or complicated cases, intestinal perforation with ulcerative lesions, severe toxicosis and convulsions.

Treatment

What can you do

Isolation of the child from all other family members, reporting the disease to the kindergarten or school, maintaining a daily routine and good hygiene. During the illness, bed rest and a special diet, oral rehydration are indicated. It is necessary to regularly feed the child with glucose-salt solutions, dried fruit compotes, rice water, raisin water, tea with lemon and sugar. You can give a decoction of chamomile, a decoction of apples, or a sip or a tablespoon of liquid every 5-10 minutes.

What does a doctor do

For severe dehydration, hospitalization and intravenous fluids are indicated. For abdominal pain and cramps, antispasmodics are indicated; probiotics and sorbents are used to normalize the flora. In children under 2-3 years of age and in severe forms of dysentery in children, antibiotics and intestinal antiseptics can be prescribed, but their prescription should take into account the sensitivity of the pathogens to the drugs. As fluid losses are restored, they switch to feeding the child and expanding the diet. In the first days of dysentery in children, a strict diet is indicated: only liquid and non-irritating food, tea with crackers, vegetable decoctions, liquid porridge with water, breast milk or special formulas for young children. As the condition improves, porridge and vegetable soups, vegetable purees, steamed dishes and a gradual return to normal nutrition. For a couple of months, avoid fatty, spicy and fried foods, fast food and sweets.

It is important to monitor your child's drinking; he should drink more than usual to replenish fluid lost in stool. For each bowel movement and vomiting, you need to add at least 100 ml of liquid to your drink. Remedies for diarrhea are not applicable for dysentery; toxins and pathogens are released with feces, which means that the body will be freed from the infection more quickly. To fix the stool, rice water and the use of enterosorbents are indicated. Also, painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs are not used. They can, in the presence of a pathogen, mask the symptoms of the disease. If the family can provide adequate care for the child, hospitalization is not required for dysentery in children - the doctor gives clinical recommendations, and they must be followed.

Prevention

The basis of preventive measures is eating only nutritious and high-quality foods, drinking boiled or bottled water, washing hands before eating and after using the toilet, prohibiting bad habits, only individual personal hygiene products, thoroughly washing dishes, checking the quality of products, and fighting flies.

In the article you will read everything about methods of treating a disease such as dysentery in children. Find out what effective first aid should be. How to treat: choose medications or traditional methods?

You will also learn how untimely treatment of dysentery in children can be dangerous, and why it is so important to avoid the consequences. All about how to prevent dysentery in children and prevent complications.

And caring parents will find on the service pages complete information about the symptoms of dysentery in children. How do the signs of the disease in children aged 1, 2 and 3 differ from the manifestations of the disease in children aged 4, 5, 6 and 7? What is the best way to treat dysentery in children?

Take care of the health of your loved ones and stay in good shape!

is a systemic infectious disease in which inflammatory processes are localized in the large intestine, mainly in the lower section - the sigmoid colon. The vast majority suffer from it in preschool children. In order not to confuse the disease with other intestinal disorders, you need to know what symptoms accompany dysentery in children and how it is treated.

Dysentery is an intestinal infection caused by gram-negative bacteria of the genus Shigella. The most common 4 types of Shigella are:

• Sonne;
• Flexner;
• Grigorieva-Shiga;
• Boyd.

All these types of bacteria cause the development of bacterial dysentery. However, there is another type of disease - or amoebiasis. Its causative agents are amoebas - protozoan microorganisms that infect the large intestine.

Bacteria are named after the scientists who managed to describe them. These types of bacteria are common in certain regions. Sonne and Flexner bacteria more often affect residents of European countries. And residents of the Far East and Central Asia are susceptible to dysentery, which develops under the influence of Shigella Grigoriev-Shig and Boyd. Amebiasis occurs with equal frequency in all regions and continents.

Dysentery is called the “disease of dirty hands.” It is this factor that explains its prevalence among children. Shigella is very tenacious. Once in the water, they are able to maintain vital activity for a week. Dysentery pathogens can live safely in soil for 3 months. If the bacteria get on food, they survive for 3 weeks.

Pathogenic microorganisms easily tolerate exposure to low temperatures. They are preserved on dried fruits. Their death can only be caused by half an hour of heating at a temperature of 60°C or direct exposure to ultraviolet radiation. And in the process of boiling and treatment with disinfectants, pathogenic agents die instantly.

Who is the source of infection?

Dysentery is transmitted by the oral-fecal route. Shigella exclusively affects humans. Therefore, the source of infection can only be a person, namely his feces. The disease can be transmitted by flies that come into contact with contaminated feces. Many apparently healthy people can act as carriers of an intestinal infection.

A child can become infected with dysentery in the following ways:

• drinking contaminated water;
• eating dirty vegetables or fruits;
• by eating vegetables or fruits washed with contaminated water;
• putting a toy or other object that contains bacteria into your mouth.

Sooner or later, infectious diseases occur in every child. However, all children experience them differently. What is this connected with? Immunity plays a decisive role in the development of a particular infectious disease. Children with strong immunity rarely get sick, and they tolerate any illness in a mild form. That is why the peak incidence of dysentery occurs in the first three years of a child’s life, when the immune system is being formed. The following factors increase the likelihood of infection:

• artificial feeding;
• low weight of the child;
• deficiency of vitamins and nutrients from food;
• chronic forms of gastrointestinal diseases;
• failure to comply with sanitary standards in the room where the child is located.

Epidemics of dysentery occur in the summer and autumn. The warm season promotes the active growth of bacteria.

Length of incubation period and signs of dysentery

Dysentery in children can occur in two forms:

• acute;
• chronic.

Each child's body is individual. In some children the disease may occur with pronounced symptoms, while in others it may be mild. Therefore, it is important to carefully monitor the child’s condition and respond to his complaints. Thus, it will be possible to recognize the disease in time and prevent it from becoming chronic. Once the bacteria enters the body, the child becomes a carrier of Shigella. Outwardly, he may look absolutely healthy, since the bacteria are first incubated, and the disease does not manifest itself in any way.

The duration of the incubation period varies from several hours to 7 days. But in most cases it does not exceed 2–3 days. Next, the child’s body temperature rises sharply, which easily decreases after taking antipyretic drugs, and then rises again. It lasts for about two days. During this period, signs of intoxication appear. These include:

• headache;
• lethargy, general weakness;
• spasmodic pain in the stomach;
• nausea accompanied by vomiting;
• frequent stools, mostly liquid.

Signs of bacillary dysentery

The child experiences severe pain in the stomach, which becomes less intense after bowel movements. If the disease is mild, the number of bowel movements does not exceed 5 times a day. In more severe conditions, their frequency increases to several tens.

On the first day, a significant amount of feces is released during defecation. Subsequently, their volume decreases significantly. At the same time, the stool may contain various inclusions in the form of greenery, mucus and streaks of blood. This occurs as a result of the development of an inflammatory process in the intestinal mucosa. The number of false urges to defecate increases, which is explained by spasm of the sigmoid colon.

When the child’s stomach is hot and growls loudly, touching causes pain. The severity of the symptoms of the disease depends on the severity of the condition:

• with mild shigellosis, the baby’s condition remains virtually unchanged, and the number of bowel movements does not exceed 8 times a day;
• in the moderate form, the symptoms are moderate, manifested in a slight increase in body temperature and an increase in bowel movements up to 10 times a day;
• the severe form is accompanied by a significant increase in temperature, severe intoxication and the number of bowel movements more than 15 times a day.

In rare cases, a child develops a toxic form of dysentery, accompanied by convulsions and loss of consciousness. The pallor of the skin helps to recognize it. The baby's nasolabial triangle takes on a bluish tint, which indicates oxygen deficiency. The extremities become cold, indicating poor circulation. The chronic form of the disease occurs with moderately severe symptoms and alternating periods of remission with periods of exacerbation.

Signs of amoebiasis

The incubation period of amoebiasis lasts much longer. Depending on the degree of infection, it can last from 7 days to 3 months. Amebiasis has an acute onset. The child is bothered by severe pain in the stomach and general malaise. An increase in temperature is observed only if the amebic form of dysentery is combined with bacterial one.

Amoebic dysentery can be distinguished by the following manifestations:

• severe pain during defecation, causing the child to cry;
• blood impurities in stool;
• frequent bowel movements, the amount of which exceeds 10 times a day;
• a large volume of mucus in the stool;
• sudden weight loss.

This symptomatology can persist for 1–1.5 months. In the absence of adequate treatment, the disease takes a chronic form.

What actions should be taken if dysentery is suspected?

If a child develops symptoms characteristic of amoebic or bacterial dysentery, you should immediately call an ambulance. The child should be examined by an infectious disease specialist. Depending on the severity of shigellosis, treatment can be carried out both in inpatient and outpatient settings. A preliminary diagnosis is made based on complaints and the presence of characteristic symptoms of the disease. To make an accurate diagnosis, the following types of studies are prescribed.

• bacterial culture of feces and vomit;
• laboratory blood tests, including ELISA;
• sigmoidoscopy.

If any doubts arise, a special blood test is prescribed to determine the presence of antibody titers to the causative agent of dysentery. Only after this is treatment selected for the child.

Methods for treating dysentery in children

Children under the age of one year are required to be placed in a hospital. At older ages, treatment can be carried out at home. Inpatient treatment is indicated if a severe form of dysentery is diagnosed. Dysentery in children is treated comprehensively. The list of therapeutic measures includes:

• adherence to daily routine;
• taking antibacterial drugs and medications that eliminate the symptoms of the disease;
• dieting.

During the acute period of the disease, the child must remain in bed. Treatment of dysentery is carried out by prescribing the following groups of drugs:

Prolonged vomiting causes dehydration and leads to electrolyte imbalance. This can be avoided if the child is given glucose-saline solutions. These include:

These drugs are available in powder form. One sachet is intended for dilution in 1 liter of water. In addition, chamomile infusion, apple and rice decoctions contribute to the restoration of the body. After completing the full course of treatment, relapse of shigellosis will be avoided.

If a child is diagnosed with amebiasis, he is admitted to a hospital. Treatment is carried out with antiprotozoal drugs. These include:

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The duration of treatment is 7 days. After this, the same break is taken. Then the course of treatment is repeated.

The principle of dieting

Previously, the main treatment for dysentery was fasting. This method was subsequently considered inappropriate. Moreover, experts have found that fasting weakens the child’s body. Modern medicine recommends starting to feed the baby immediately after vomiting stops. However, there is no need to force your child to eat. He is fed if he asks or does not resist. You need to start eating food with reduced portions.

The required volume of food is achieved by increasing the number of meals. If the child is bottle-fed, it is recommended to replace the milk formula with fermented milk. Children over one year of age are fed mainly with cereals:

• rice;
• manna;
• oat.

Even after the signs of gastrointestinal damage disappear, it is recommended to follow the diet for at least 3 months. The list of permitted foods can be expanded only with the agreement of a pediatrician.

How to prevent the development of the disease

Treatment of any intestinal infections is very long. However, it is not always possible to avoid the development of complications. Dysentery is difficult to cure, but Shigella infection is not so difficult to prevent. The basic rules of prevention are to maintain basic hygiene. Vegetables, fruits and berries should be doused with boiling water or thoroughly washed with boiled water before consumption. It is important to monitor the expiration date of all food products. Compliance with these rules will help prevent relapse of shigellosis after treatment. If you have any digestive problems, you should immediately consult a doctor.