Today, thousands of bacteria are known - some are beneficial, while others are pathogenic and cause disease. Many terrible diseases: plague, anthrax, leprosy, cholera and tuberculosis are bacterial infections. Well, the most common are meningitis and pneumonia. It is important not to confuse bacterial infections with viral ones and to know the symptoms and treatment options.
What infections are called bacterial?
Bacterial infections represent a huge group of diseases. They have one thing in common: bacteria. They are the most ancient and numerous microorganisms.- Airways;
- intestines;
- blood;
- skin covering.
Bacterial respiratory tract infections often develop after a cold, as a complication. The immune system becomes weaker, and pathogenic bacteria that previously did not manifest themselves in any way begin to multiply. Respiratory bacterial infections can be caused by the following pathogens:
- staphylococci;
- pneumococci;
- streptococci;
- whooping cough stick;
- meningococci;
- mycobacteria;
- mycoplasmas.
To bacterial infectious diseases of the lower respiratory tract include bacterial bronchitis and.
Bacterial intestinal infections often occur due to unwashed hands, consumption of poorly cooked, improperly stored or expired products. In most cases the problem is caused by:
- shigella;
- staphylococci;
- cholera vibrios;
- typhoid bacillus;
- salmonellosis.
Intestinal bacterial infections The following diseases are most often manifested:
- salmonellosis;
- typhoid fever;
- dysentery.
In children Most often there are viral infections, which are complicated by bacterial ones due to the weakening of the body during the period of illness. In most cases, the following viral diseases are observed in childhood:
- measles;
- rubella;
- piggy;
- chicken pox.
Children who have had such infections receive strong immunity and are no longer exposed to these diseases. But if during the period of illness the child had contact with harmful bacteria, then it is quite possible for complications to develop in the form of bacterial pneumonia, otitis media, etc.
How to distinguish a viral infection from a bacterial one
Bacterial and viral infections are often confused. They may have the same symptoms and even similar results in diagnostic tests.
It is imperative to differentiate these infections, since the drugs needed to treat them are completely different.
There are several signs by which you can determine whether a bacterial or viral infection is present in the body:
- Duration. Symptoms of a viral infection usually subside quickly (in about 7-10 days), but a bacterial infection can last more than a month.
- Slime color. If the disease is accompanied by sputum discharge or nasal mucus, then you should pay attention to their color. The virus is usually accompanied by discharge of a clear color and liquid consistency. Bacterial infections are more likely to have a dark greenish or yellow-green discharge. You should not rely entirely on this sign.
- Temperature. Infections of both types are usually accompanied by fever, but with bacterial diseases it is higher and characterized by a gradual increase. With a virus, this indicator behaves in the opposite way - it gradually decreases.
- Routes of infection. Among bacterial infections, only some diseases are transmitted by contact, and for the virus this is the main route of spread.
- Development and localization. Bacterial infections tend to develop slowly, but the virus immediately manifests itself clearly. In the first case, the lesion is isolated, that is, the disease is localized in a certain area. A viral disease affects the entire body.
- Test results. One of the main indicators is the level of leukocytes and lymphocytes. Leukocytes increase with infection of any etiology, but with a bacterial infection, it is neutrophils that are increased(this is a special type of leukocyte). With a viral infection, leukocytes may be elevated, but most often they are lowered (including neutrophils) (for example, with influenza, viral hepatitis, measles, rubella, mumps, typhoid fever, leukocytes are necessarily below normal), but here with a viral infection, an increase in the number of lymphocytes is necessarily observed, and an increase in monocytes may also be observed (with, for example), therefore, the result of a general blood test is assessed comprehensively. Another analysis is a bacteriological study of biological fluid (discharge from the eye, ear, sinuses, wounds or sputum, for example). This test will identify the causative agent of the bacterial infection.
Symptoms of bacterial infections
There are many possible bacterial infections. Each has its own characteristics, and therefore the set of symptoms varies.The incubation period for bacterial infections varies widely. Some pathogens actively reproduce in a few hours, while others require several days.
Signs of a bacterial infection depend on what part of the body it affects. Intestinal diseases in this case are manifested by the following symptoms:
- elevated temperature and fever;
- abdominal pain;
- vomiting;
- diarrhea.
Children's bacterial infections are characterized by a wider range of symptoms. The thing is that almost always a bacterial infection is a continuation of a viral one. For example, a child gets sick, but under certain conditions he develops a bacterial infection as a complication of the initial disease, so the clinical picture is erased.
But still the diseases are expressed by the following symptoms:
- high temperature (more than 39°C);
- nausea and vomiting;
- coating on the tongue and tonsils;
- severe intoxication.
If, after improvement of well-being, a deterioration in the patient’s condition is observed, then most often this indicates the development of complications of a bacterial nature after suffering a viral illness.
Bacterial infections in the upper respiratory tract also often appear after a virus infection, when immunity decreases. Infection is expressed in the following symptoms:
- deterioration of health;
- pronounced lesion;
- purulent discharge;
- white coating in the throat.
Bacterial infection in women affecting the genitourinary system has the following symptoms:
- vaginal discharge - color and consistency depends on the causative agent of the infection;
- itching and burning;
- unpleasant odor;
- painful urination;
- pain during intercourse.
- pathological discharge from the urethra;
- unpleasant odor of discharge;
- painful urination, itching, burning;
- discomfort during sexual intercourse.
Diagnostics
For bacterial infections, certain tests are necessary. They are used to differentiate bacterial lesions from viral ones, as well as to determine the pathogen. The course of treatment depends on the test results.
Bacterial infections are diagnosed mainly through laboratory tests. The following methods are usually used:
- Blood test with leukocyte formula. With a bacterial infection, an increased number of neutrophils is observed. When the number of band neutrophils is increased, they speak of an acute infectious disease. But if metamyelocytes or myelocytes are detected, then the patient’s condition is characterized as dangerous and requires urgent medical attention. With the help of such diagnostics it is possible to identify the nature and stage of the disease.
- Analysis of urine. Shows whether the urinary system is affected by bacteria, and is also necessary to determine the severity of intoxication.
- Bacteriological study with antibiogram. Using this analysis, the type of infectious agent is determined and what means can be used to kill it (the so-called sensitivity of the pathogen to antibiotics is determined). These factors are important for prescribing the correct therapy.
- Serological study. Based on the identification of antibodies and antigens that interact in a specific way. For such studies, venous blood is taken. This method is effective when the pathogen cannot be isolated.
Laboratory tests are the main direction of diagnosing bacterial infections. In some cases, additional examinations are required:
- X-ray. Performed to differentiate specific processes in individual organs.
- Instrumental diagnostics. Ultrasound or laparoscopy is most often used. These methods are needed to study internal organs for specific lesions.
Prescription of correct treatment, its effectiveness and the risk of complications directly depend on the timeliness of diagnosis. You should consult a doctor at the first alarming symptoms - at the appointment the patient is always prescribed tests.
General approach to treating bacterial infections
The treatment of bacterial infections is guided by general principles. This implies a certain therapy algorithm:- Eliminate the cause of the disease.
- Cleanse the body of toxins.
- Heal organs affected by infection.
- Reduce the severity of symptoms and alleviate the condition.
As for taking medications, broad-spectrum drugs include penicillin antibiotics and 3rd generation cephalosporins. Read more about antibiotics prescribed for genitourinary infections), and for intestinal infections, but basically the treatment is carried out with the same drugs, just the dosage, duration and frequency of taking the medicine may be different.
There are a lot of antibiotics, each group of such drugs has its own mechanism of action and purpose. Self-medication at best will not bring any effect, and at worst it will lead to neglect of the disease and a number of complications, so treatment should be prescribed by a doctor depending on the nature of the disease. The patient is only obliged to follow all the doctor’s instructions and not to arbitrarily reduce the course of antibiotics and the prescribed dosage.
Let's summarize what has been said. There are a lot of bacterial infections, and the effectiveness of their treatment directly depends on identifying the causative agent of the disease. Most people are carriers of certain bacteria, but the development of infection is provoked only by certain factors. This can be avoided through preventative measures.
Next article.
Many people take antibiotics for a viral infection without a doctor's prescription out of ignorance. This results in unnecessary expenses and health problems. Pediatrician E. Komarovsky in one of his publications asks: “What should we do?” A well-known doctor suggests remembering the elementary truth: “viral infections cannot be treated with antibiotics.”
Viruses are non-cellular bodies of living nature
Among microscopic pathogens, viral infections have a special place. Russian scientists and doctors believe that viruses do not belong to microbes - a group that includes bacteria, fungi and protozoa. English-language publications classify viruses as microorganisms - creatures whose size is measured in micrometers (1 micrometer = 0.001 mm).
Features of viral particles:
- They do not have cells, cell walls, or plasma membranes.
- They consist of proteins and RNA or DNA (genetic material).
- Large viruses may contain fats and carbohydrates.
- Outside the cells they show resistance and do not die in the crater of a volcano or on a glacier.
Viruses are significantly different from bacteria; they can live and reproduce only in foreign cells. This is why antibiotics do not act on viruses, although they cause the death of bacteria.
Antibiotics are used for bacterial, some fungal and protozoal infections. The “targets” of these drugs are microbial cells, more precisely, cell walls, plasma membranes and organelles that reproduce proteins. The use of antibiotics against viruses is like shooting sparrows from a cannon. There is an exception: chloramphenicol and tetracycline can act on large viruses, similar to small cells with a diameter of 0.08–0.1 microns.
Antibiotics: yesterday and today
A large and important group of substances discovered at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries is still being replenished with new compounds. These are antibiotics that inhibit the growth, development and reproduction of bacterial cells, and less commonly, fungi and protozoa. At first, such drugs were obtained only from fungi and bacteria. Nowadays, the extensive family of antibiotics of microbial and plant origin is supplemented by semi-synthetic and synthetic antibacterial drugs.
Popular medicines are praised by some and criticized by others. Many people take antibiotics for viral infections. This method of treatment finds an army of fans and the same number of opponents. The ambivalent attitude is often associated not with the qualities of the drugs, but with ignorance of the mechanism of action on microorganisms.
Treating diseases for which antibiotics are not originally intended will not speed up recovery.
Antibacterial drugs are vital and are needed to combat bacteria that are sensitive to them. Even if the drug is chosen correctly, the result of treatment may differ from the expected effect. The main reason is the immunity of pathogens, acquired through natural selection, transmitted to new generations.
Medicines, like breeders, leave only the most resistant infectious agents alive. Increasingly, antibiotics kill beneficial microflora and have no effect on pathogens. In scientific circles, prospects are being discussed: is this or that antibiotic good, is it necessary to produce it. Restrictions are being introduced on the use of a number of drugs, up to and including a complete ban.
Treatment of sore throat and ARVI with antibiotics
When infected with rhino-, adeno-, reoviruses, parainfluenza pathogens, symptoms of acute inflammation of the nose and throat appear. Colds do not spare infants; ARVI in adults and children develops at any time of the year, but more often from November to April. Symptoms of colds and flu usually intensify in the evening, headaches, fever, runny nose, and sore throat appear.
In the dry language of numbers:
- Adults suffer from viral sore throat 2–4 times a year, small children - 6–10 times a year.
- Bacteria are the cause of throat diseases in 30% of cases, during epidemics - 50%.
- Viruses cause pharyngitis and sore throat in children in 40% of cases.
- In other cases, the causative agent of these diseases in adults and children has not been identified.
- Children are unjustifiably prescribed antibiotics for ARVI in 90–95% of cases.
- Viral infections are treated with antibiotics in 6 out of 10 adult patients.
Drinking plenty of warm fluids and antipyretics help pass the night. The next morning the eternal question arises: “What to do?” Adults most often take medications and go to work. Small children are left at home and a doctor is called, older children are taken to the clinic. After examination, the pediatrician prescribes medications and recommends home treatments. Many parents immediately scan the list to see if there is an antibiotic. They do not take into account the fact of ARVI in the child.
Doctors know that antibiotics do not treat viral respiratory tract infections, but out of habit or fear “that something might happen,” they prescribe drugs from this group.
As pediatrician E. Komarovsky notes, doctors have a standard explanation: “To prevent bacterial complications.” Such caution is justified if a small child has acute otitis media and there are signs of a bacterial infection.
What diseases must be treated with antibiotics:
- exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease;
- streptococcal tonsillitis and pharyngitis;
- acute bacterial sinusitis;
- acute otitis media;
- pneumonia.
Before treating your throat with antibacterial drugs, you must submit a throat swab to the laboratory. Wait 2-3 days, get the result and take the form with the numbers to the doctor. If pathogenic bacteria are present in the smear, the specialist selects antibiotics based on the results of microbiological culture. Strips for express analysis "Streptatest" allow you to determine in 5-10 minutes whether the disease is caused by streptococcal infection - the most common cause of purulent sore throat.
For respiratory diseases, doctors prescribe antibacterial drugs without identifying the pathogen 5 days after symptoms appear. During this time, a strong immune system begins to fight the viral infection. When treatment is ineffective, the immune defense is weak, then antibiotics are prescribed.
Viruses + bacteria
Antibiotics are designed to fight pathogenic microbes; they will not help cope with a viral infection. There is no cell wall, membrane or ribosomes for antibacterial drugs to act on. To treat a viral disease, other drugs are required: Amantodine, Acyclovir, Ribavirin, Interferon.
It happens that doctors prescribe antibiotic treatment for ARVI, and this is associated with a high probability of superinfection. This is the name given to the growth of a colony of pathogenic bacteria in viral or fungal diseases.
Viral attacks weaken the immune system, making it easier for bacterial infections and other pathogens to enter.
Treatment with antibacterial drugs is justified for yellowish-green discharge from the nose and ear, complications of viral sore throat. If a bacterial infection occurs, the temperature rises to 38°C or higher. If microbes have infected the organs of the urinary system, then turbidity and sediment appear in the urine. Infectious diseases of bacterial origin can be identified by the mucous nature of the stool, the presence of blood or pus in it.
How do antibacterial drugs work?
Antibacterial drugs find the weak points of the microbial cell and attack. Penicillins and cephalosporins act externally - they destroy the cell wall, blocking the participation of enzymes in its creation. Tetracycline, erythromycin and gentamicin bind to cell ribosomes and disrupt protein synthesis. The targets of quinolones are proteins involved in reading hereditary information from DNA.
The nucleic acids of viruses are contained inside a protein capsule (capsid). DNA or RNA penetrates into a plant, animal or human cell in various ways, after which the reproduction of new viral particles begins. Penicillins and cephalosporins will not affect the virus, because there is no cell wall and there is nothing to destroy. Tetracycline will not find the bacterial ribosome it is supposed to attack.
The virus and currently existing antibiotics are incompatible. These drugs only affect certain groups of microbes. Amoxicillin and ampicillin are used for streptococcal and pneumococcal infections. Mycoplasmas and chlamydia react to erythromycin and others.
Broad-spectrum antibacterial drugs are effective against a large group of microbes and large viruses, but there are not many of the latter.
How to properly treat with antibiotics:
- The duration of therapy depends on the disease and the drug, but not less than 5 days.
- For children under 8 years of age, antibacterial drugs are given in the form of syrup or suspension.
- Aerosol "Bioparox" contains a local antibiotic that helps cure rhinitis, sinusitis, pharyngitis and sore throat.
- Along with antibacterial drugs, medications or dietary supplements with lacto- and bifidobacteria are given to normalize the intestinal microflora.
- It is necessary to adhere to the dosage, recommendations for the method and duration of taking the antibiotic.
- If the drug is ineffective, the doctor prescribes a drug from another group of antibacterial agents.
- For allergies to penicillins, macrolides are prescribed.
Patients at doctor's appointments are often interested in which antibiotic is better. The most commonly used drugs include macrolides. They have broad antimicrobial activity: they suppress the growth and development of bacteria that affect the respiratory system, and affect chlamydia and mycoplasma.
Of the macrolides for the treatment of upper respiratory tract infections, azithromycin and clarithromycin are preferable. Azithromycin is enough to take 5 days 1 or 2 times a day for bacterial sore throat. During this time, the antibacterial substance accumulates at the site of infection and continues to act on bacteria sensitive to it.
Azithromycin additionally has an immunostimulating and anti-inflammatory effect.
It was azithromycin that pediatrician E. Komarovsky named in response to the question: “What antibiotics are recommended to be given to children with sore throat?” The drug is currently considered safe and effective, but this opinion may change in a few years. Doctor Komarovsky also discussed with the parents the problem of whether ARVI could be treated with antibiotics, and explained that much depends on the specific situation.
Problems of antibiotic therapy
Negative attitudes towards drugs are supported by materials from national and international organizations. On one of the World Consumer Rights Days, the slogan was proclaimed: “Take antibiotics off the menu!” Rospotrebnadzor experts examined 20 thousand product samples for drug content. 1.1% of antibiotics were found in milk on store shelves. The population is forced to take antibacterial substances against their will.
Disadvantages of treatment with antibiotics and consumption of products with them:
- death of conditionally pathogenic and beneficial bacteria along with pathogenic microbes;
- acquisition of drug resistance by surviving microorganisms;
- poisoning with decay products of bacterial cells;
- imbalance of microflora, dysbacteriosis;
- allergic reactions to medications;
- proliferation of pathogenic fungi;
- inflammatory diseases.
If every bacterial infection could be treated with just one antibiotic, it would be easier. However, the drug may be ineffective because the microbe is insensitive to it. When treating a viral infection, an antibiotic will not find “targets” that it should strike (cell membranes, ribosomes, plasma membranes).
There are bacteria that destroy antibacterial drugs using the enzyme beta-lactamase. Then the treatment will not lead to the death of pathogens, but will only harm beneficial microflora. Beta-hemolytic streptococcal infection is treated with cephalosporins and amoxicillin with clavulanic acid.
Resistance or tolerance of bacteria to antibiotics
Microorganisms become insensitive to substances intended to destroy them. Resistance takes decades to develop, so antibacterial substances created in the last century are now considered less effective. New drugs appear every year; most of them are not of natural origin, but are semi-synthetic or synthetic substances.
In Russia, there is a high level of pneumococcal resistance to doxycycline - 30%, and less to macrolides - 4–7%. In European countries, resistance of pneumococcus to macrolides reaches 12–58%. The frequency of occurrence of Haemophilus influenzae strains resistant to azithromycin is 1.5%.
All over the world, the immunity of group A streptococci to macrolides is increasing, but in Russia this figure is still at the level of 8%.
Refusal to take these drugs for uncomplicated forms of ARVI, pharyngitis, and sore throat of viral etiology will help reduce the negative consequences of antibiotic treatment. This is not the whim of doctors or patients, but the conclusions of experts from the World Health Organization. Antibiotics will help when the immune system cannot cope with infections. Thanks to the use of modern antibacterial drugs, recovery occurs faster and the risk of dangerous complications is reduced.
The cause of the development of various diseases in adults and children can be both various viruses and bacteria. In fact, viral pathologies and bacterial infections have many similarities, so it is important to diagnose the nature of the disease in a timely manner. This is due to the fact that the treatment of viral and bacterial diseases is carried out using various methods. It is important to know the signs of a bacterial infection, because it is treated with antibiotics.
Bacteria are microorganisms characterized by a specific cell structure. They have a poorly defined nucleus with various organelles that are covered with a membrane. If stained correctly, the bacteria can be viewed under a light microscope.
In fact, bacteria are present in large numbers in the environment, but not all of them pose a threat to human health. Certain types of bacteria live freely in the human body and do not cause any pathologies. Some bacteria can enter humans in various ways and provoke the development of complex diseases. The manifestation of certain symptoms is determined by the components of the bacterial cell. This means that living microbes release toxins that cause poisoning of the body as a result of disruption of its immune system.
A common pathogen in childhood are conditionally pathogenic microorganisms, the localization of which is the respiratory system.
Signs of a bacterial infection
The entire process of development of a bacterial disease can be divided into several stages, each of which is accompanied by the appearance of certain symptoms:
- Incubation period. At this stage, active reproduction of bacteria occurs and their preservation in the human body. Typically, no characteristic symptoms appear during the incubation period. Typically this period lasts from several hours to 2-3 weeks.
- Prodromal period. During this period, general symptoms of the disease appear, and usually the patient complains of general malaise and high body temperature.
- The height of the disease, that is, the pathology is actively developing and the infectious process reaches its peak.
- The bacterial disease enters the healing stage and the patient’s condition noticeably improves.
Various bacteria that enter the human body may be accompanied by the appearance of different symptoms. The site of infection can be one organ or the entire body. If a pathogenic microorganism enters the human body, it does not immediately cause the development of the disease. Infection usually occurs without the appearance of pronounced symptoms.
For a long time, an adult or child can only be a carrier of infection and many microorganisms live in the body for years and do not manifest themselves in any way. Their active life activity can be caused by the impact on the body of such negative factors as severe hypothermia, stressful situations and infections of viral origin.
In children, when a bacterial infection develops in the body, the following signs may appear:
- rise in body temperature above 39 degrees
- attacks of nausea and vomiting
- severe intoxication of the body
- frequent headaches
- formation of white plaque on the tonsils and tongue
- the appearance of rashes of various types
Often bacterial infections affect the female body and cause the development of pathologies of the genitourinary system. Women may experience the following diseases:
- trichomoniasis
- yeast infection
- gardnerellosis
If there is a change in the vaginal microflora, this causes the development of vaginitis. The cause of this pathological condition may be taking medications for a long time, douching and the penetration of infection into the female body during sexual intercourse. Bacterial infections in women are accompanied by the following symptoms:
- different colors and consistency
- development of itching and burning sensations
- pain during
- discomfort during sexual intercourse
With the development of a disease such as trichomoniasis, a woman may experience yellow-green or gray discharge.
Diagnostic methods
The main method for identifying infections of this nature in children and adults is to carry out. For research, material containing bacteria is collected from the patient.
If there is a suspicion of pathology of the upper respiratory tract, a sputum analysis is performed.
After this, the research material is placed in a special environment, after which the result obtained is assessed. Thanks to this study, it is possible not only to identify bacteria, but also to determine their sensitivity to antibacterial drugs.
If a bacterial infection is suspected, the patient is tested, and this analysis is one of the most important.
The fact is that the progression of a bacterial infection in the patient’s body is accompanied by an increase in the level due to an increase in the number of neutrophils. Typically, with bacterial diseases, there is an increase in the number of band neutrophils, and metamyelocytes and myelocytes may also increase.All this leads to a decrease in the relative level of white blood cells, but quite high.
Features of treatment
When diagnosing bacterial infections in children, treatment is carried out using antibacterial drugs. Thanks to them, it is possible to prevent the progression of pathology and avoid health problems. It should be remembered that treatment of bacterial infections is carried out only under the supervision of the attending physician, and it is best to avoid any self-medication.
Treatment of bacterial infections is not so easy because the body has to cope with a large number of microorganisms. Bacteria adapt too quickly to their living conditions and new drugs have to be invented. Bacteria can mutate, so many antibacterial drugs may not work on them.
In addition, the development of the same disease can be caused by various bacteria, which can only be eliminated with the help of a specific antibacterial agent.
Typically, complex therapy is used to combat bacterial infections, which includes:
- Elimination of the cause of pathology using bactericidal and bacteriostatic antibacterial drugs.
- Cleansing the patient’s body of toxins that accumulate during the progression of the infection. In addition, it is important to cure organs that have been damaged by infection.
- Carrying out symptomatic treatment to alleviate the patient’s condition and reduce the severity of symptoms. For infections of the upper respiratory system, cough medications are prescribed, and for gynecological diseases, local antibiotics are indicated.
Useful video - How to distinguish a viral infection from a bacterial one:
When treating bacterial infections, antibiotics can be taken in the form of tablets or also administered intramuscularly through injections. The growth of bacteria can be inhibited by:
- Tetracycline
- Chloramphenicol
You can destroy harmful fauna using antibiotics such as:
- Penicillin
- Rifamycin
- Aminoglycosides
Among penicillins, the following antibacterial drugs are considered the most effective:
- Amoxicillin
- Amoxicar
- Augmentin
- Amoxiclav
Today, thanks to antibacterial treatment, it is possible to get rid of various types of infections. It is important to remember that only a specialist should prescribe drugs, as bacteria can become resistant to drugs. It is necessary to resort to taking antibacterial drugs at the very beginning of the development of the disease, which will prevent the spread of infection throughout the body and speed up the healing process.
Taking antibacterial drugs when fighting bacteriological infections can cause irreversible changes in the body. In addition, some patients are prone to developing allergic reactions to certain antibiotics and this must be taken into account when prescribing medication.In order to prevent bacterial infections from entering the human body, certain precautions are recommended. To do this, you need to maintain hygiene, avoid being in places with large crowds of people, and also increase your body’s defenses.
So many words have been spoken about antibiotics, so many articles have been written, so many television programs have been produced that there is no way to even count them. How many times have they told the world that antibiotics are not used for colds, but things are still the same.
Many worried patients, trying to quickly deal with ARVI without missing a single day of work, storm pharmacies during the flu epidemic. They are tormented by one desire: to find a medicine that, as if by magic, will immediately end their suffering and restore good spirits. And often this drug, according to popular idle opinion, turns out to be antibiotics.
But, admittedly, the obsessive confusion in consumer heads has some logical explanation. The thing is that respiratory viral infections - ARVI - can be complicated by bacterial ones. For such a cold, you can not only take an antibiotic: it is simply necessary. In the memory of a person who has at least once encountered a bacterial co-infection (an associated infection that had to be treated with antibiotics), the scheme cold = antibacterial drug will forever remain. When he gets a cold again, this information will definitely “pop up”.
And now another client of the pharmacy asks to sell him the very effective antibiotic that once saved him from ARVI. Now let’s figure out how a complicated cold differs from an uncomplicated cold, and when it’s time to use antibacterial agents.
A normal cold: when is an antibiotic not needed?
And first, let's consider the elementary situation, when a cold that does not require the use of antibacterial agents proceeds “according to all the rules.” ARVI, aka acute respiratory infections, aka colds, is a respiratory viral disease, the most common infection in the world. “Catching” a respiratory virus, the number of which reaches record levels and numbers in the hundreds, is as easy as shelling pears. Moreover, colds are the norm. Potentially healthy adults can get sick up to six times a year, and children up to ten or even a little more. At the same time, it is too early to complain about poor immunity: such morbidity is completely natural.
So, a cold caught on a chilly autumn evening (as well as at any other time of the day and year) should develop approximately according to the same scenario.
The patient sequentially goes through several stages of ARVI, which look something like this: severe fatigue and loss of strength, runny nose, cough, sore throat, gradual normalization of the condition, recovery.
As a rule, 7–10 days pass from the beginning to the end of a cold. Remember the folk wisdom about treated and untreated colds? So: she is not devoid of common sense. No matter how hard you try, no matter what modern medications you swallow, most likely, you will not be able to fully recover before seven days. But after the time allotted for respiratory viruses, they die, and we recover.
After close acquaintance with respiratory viruses, temporary immunity is formed in the body. Its duration depends on the type of virus and ranges from several months to several years. True, the protection is only valid for the type of virus that caused the disease. And there are dozens and even hundreds of varieties of each respiratory virus. That’s why we get sick from ARVI often and a lot.
>>We recommend: if you are interested in effective methods of getting rid of chronic runny nose, pharyngitis, tonsillitis, bronchitis and persistent colds, then be sure to check out this site page after reading this article. The information is based on the author’s personal experience and has helped many people, we hope it will help you too. Now let's return to the article.<<
Complicated colds: when is an antibiotic needed?
Now let’s describe the pattern of a cold that is not simple, but complicated by a bacterial infection. Such an acute respiratory viral infection begins as usual: fatigue, low-grade fever (fever is possible in children), then the same cough, runny nose, sore throat, and so on. That is, at first everything goes according to plan. But after a week, when normally everything should be getting better, nothing is going anywhere. The cough becomes deeper, the throat may hurt as before or more intensely, and the temperature may well creep up. And these are the first calls that are important not to miss.
So, warning signs that may indicate a worsening cold or flu and the need for antibiotics include:
- a sharp deterioration in health against the background of recovery that has already begun;
- the appearance of a deep wet cough on the 4th–5th day of acute respiratory infections;
- a sharp rise in temperature to 38°C and higher on the 4th–5th day of illness.
In general, if you have been feeling relatively normal, having had a cold for 2-3 days, and suddenly your condition begins to worsen, you should strain yourself. When an adult, and especially a child with a cold, shows the signs that we have described, you need to ring the bells and, possibly, start taking antibiotics. But this situation is non-standard, and it does not always develop. Why does a common cold suddenly turn into a bacterial infection?
A cold turning into...pneumonia
A complicated cold is an exception to the rules established by a healthy immune system. And, as a rule, people from the risk group fall into it, whose immunity does not cope with its main task - protection from harmful microorganisms.
Thus, the greatest chances of developing a complicated cold, for which antibiotics are indicated, are in immunocompetent patients. These include:
- Small children.
Their immune system is imperfect. In addition, they have never encountered most viruses and bacteria before, which means they also do not have acquired immunity. Add to this the presence of children in closed groups and a completely understandable dislike of hand washing. By the way, the smaller the child, the more often he gets sick; - aged people.
The immune system in old age is weakened no less than in childhood. The reason for this is many chronic diseases that accumulate over the years. Therefore, people over 60 often have sudden pneumonia, which is extremely severe; - patients after organ or bone marrow transplantation.
This is a special category of patients whose immunity is closely dealt with by doctors; - people taking immunosuppressants.
In addition to the well-known immunomodulators that enhance immunity, there are also drugs with the opposite effect. Their purpose is to weaken the immune defense; - patients with cancer.
Oncology often leaves the immune system unable to adequately perform its functions. If a person takes chemotherapy, radiation or radiotherapy, one can completely forget about immunity for a while; - patients taking corticosteroid drugs for a long time;
- patients with HIV (AIDS).
In other people, the immune system should function relatively normally, and the likelihood of ARVI complications is minimal. This means that they get rid of colds without the use of antibiotics.
Complications of childhood colds
Parents have probably encountered a situation where a pediatrician prescribes antibacterial drugs for colds in children. And the obvious question immediately arises: if antibiotics are ineffective for colds, why does the doctor prescribe them? Moreover, they often help, and this help is noticeable to the naked eye! Let's try to figure out what pediatricians are guided by in such cases.
In a child's body, complications can develop very quickly. So quickly that not only the doctor, but also the mother does not have time to notice the deterioration, especially if the mother is inexperienced and has nothing to do with medicine. The picture looks something like this: just yesterday evening the baby had a 100% viral infection, accompanied by viral bronchitis and rhinitis, and in the morning - full-fledged pneumonia. Viral infection, by the way, is also here to stay. Viruses simply heal themselves, but bacteria do not.
Our hypothetical child, already suffering from pneumonia due to ARVI, continues to receive traditional cold treatment. Warm drinks and antiviral drugs for bacterial infections act like a poultice on the dying. And additional antipyretics only erase the picture of the disease and hide its true face. Pneumonia is playing out in earnest. It can only be noticed by the local doctor at the next appointment or by the mother when the symptoms become so severe that they can no longer hide behind ARVI. And only then, with a great delay, will treatment begin not for a cold, but for pneumonia - a true disease for which antibiotics are primarily needed.
Do children need antibiotics for colds?
It often happens that the gap between the actual onset of a bacterial infection due to a cold and the prescription of antibacterial drugs is a week or even more. To avoid such developments, the doctor often prefers not to wait for deterioration, but to prevent it.
First of all, pediatricians prescribe antibiotics for colds to weakened, frequently ill children whose immunity cannot cope with its task. The doctor can predict the development of complications in such cases with a fairly high degree of probability.
If the pediatrician cannot control the situation on a daily basis, then it is much safer to prescribe antibacterial drugs in advance, before a cold cough transforms into a cough due to pneumonia. In addition, sometimes children whose mothers are too young and inexperienced become victims of early prescription of antibiotics. Doctors who deeply doubt the ability of young parents to promptly notice deterioration in a child do not want to take risks.
It turns out that unnecessary antibiotics for childhood colds are a doctor’s “armor sheet”? Unfortunately, this is true. And if the doctor’s assumptions come true, then antibacterial agents will really help: they will start working and stop the developing infection in time. What if the doctor is wrong?
You may ask, is it possible to avoid unnecessary prescription of antibiotics? Unfortunately, in the domestic system of children's medical care this is often difficult to do. During a “harassment” - an epidemic of influenza and ARVI - a local pediatrician can be so busy that he would have time to look at the child at least once every few days. During this time, pneumonia or bacterial tonsillitis will have progressed far. So antibiotics are prescribed for colds left and right, and blaming the doctor for this is not entirely correct. There is a way out - private medicine is free from many of the disadvantages of public medicine. But is it available to everyone? However, this is a topic for a completely different conversation.
Macrolides, unlike penicillins, do not react to beta-lactamases. They are effective against a wide range of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, including intracellular microbes - chlamydia, mycoplasma and ureaplasma.
Among the macrolides that are most often prescribed for colds complicated by a bacterial infection, we note two of the best, most effective antibiotics.
Azithromycin
One of the most powerful drugs with a huge half-life, allowing you to take the medicine only once a day. To overcome upper respiratory tract infections due to a cold, it is enough to be treated for three days, so the standard form of the antibiotic contains only three tablets. The drug is not approved for use in children under six months of age.
Trade names of azithromycin: Azitrox, Azicide, Z-factor, Sumamed (original drug), Sumamox, Hemomycin and others.
Clarithromycin
An effective and fairly safe antibiotic that has a standard half-life and therefore, unlike Azithromycin, is used according to the standard regimen. The drug is contraindicated in children under 6 months of age. At the pharmacy you can buy clarithromycin under the names Arvicin, Klabax, Klatsid (the original, and therefore the most expensive drug), Clerimed, Kriksan, Fromilid and others.
Cephalosporins: drugs with a secret
Cephalosporin antibiotics are a huge group that includes four generations of drugs. They are effective and quite safe. However, they also have subtleties hidden from prying eyes.
Firstly, cephalosporins, like penicillins, can be destroyed by beta-lactamases, although this happens much less frequently.
Secondly, and most importantly, cephalosporin antibiotics for internal use have very low bioavailability. They are poorly absorbed in the intestine: for example, cefixime is absorbed only by 40–50%, and some drugs are even worse. Injectable cephalosporins do not have this disadvantage, but their administration is extremely painful. What's the point of injecting medications and getting a lot of negative emotions when there is a much less unpleasant alternative that is just as effective? Therefore, cephalosporin antibiotics for complicated colds are considered reserve drugs, which are used only in cases of ineffectiveness or intolerance to penicillins or macrolides.
Tabletted cephalosporins, which are prescribed for acute respiratory viral infections to combat an associated bacterial infection:
- Cefuroxime (Zinnat, Aksetin) is a second-generation antibacterial agent that can be used in children under 3 years of age, including those with complicated colds;
- Cefixime (Ixim, Pancef, Suprax) is a third-generation drug prescribed for adults and children over 6 months.
The most famous injectable cephalosporin is the third-generation drug Ceftriaxone (Madaxone, Tercef). The love that therapists and pediatricians feel for him is easy to explain. The drug works really well against bacteria that cause complications of colds (but no better than penicillins). In addition, it evokes respect and awe among patients due to its release form. Well, the doctor prescribed injections, which means they will definitely help. The doctor is great, but I, of course, will be patient. It’s much sadder when a child has to endure it.
Fans of injections need to remember: according to all safety standards accepted in world medicine, injectable antibiotics are prescribed only in the most severe cases and, as a rule, in a hospital setting.
Can other antibiotics be used for complications of a cold?
This question quite often worries active buyers. And we answer it briefly and succinctly. No, other antibacterial agents are not used for colds, pneumonia and other complications! Neither Gentamicin, nor Ciprofloxacin, nor dozens of other drugs have the slightest relation to bronchitis or otitis media. There is no need to experiment on your own body. It’s better to trust a specialist - let him figure out which antibiotic, when, how and for what cold can be prescribed. The patient’s task is only to consult a doctor in time and follow his instructions. And this is the best thing you can do for your health.