Atypical pneumonia: prevention, symptoms, treatment

Atypical pneumonia is one of the most common and dangerous diseases, often threatening human life. This infectious disease caused by atypical pathogens in the respiratory tract, often accompanied by severe complications with a fatal outcome.

The term "atypical pneumonia" in medicine appeared in the late thirties of the twentieth century and implied the difference between such pneumonia and pneumococcal disease. In 10 years (in the late 40's), the first causative agent determining the atypical orientation of this disease was revealed, and in the future the list was replenished with several more forms of atypical pneumonia.

The disease was called SARS - "severe acute respiratory syndrome". More often than others, the disease became tourists and doctors. Among the first victims of the disease is SARS, the Italian doctor Carlo Urbani, an expert of the World Health Organization for Infectious Diseases. He then worked in Southeast Asia - Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and was the first to identify a new disease.

Currently, the current situation in the world with this disease is deteriorating. Atypical pneumonia, except for the above-mentioned countries, has been observed in Australia, China, Brazil, Singapore, Canada, USA, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Japan, Romania, Switzerland, France, Spain, Sweden, South Africa, Thailand, Kuwait, Mongolia, Philippines.

Infection is transmitted, usually by airborne droplets, often - in close contact with the patient. The incubation period lasts 3-10 days.

Atypical pneumonia: symptoms

The disease with atypical pneumonia begins acutely: the temperature can rise above 38C. The patient begins to experience weakness, malaise, muscle and headaches, chills, palpitations. The general condition begins to worsen, the weakness grows, the inflammation of the lungs begins, accompanied by a dry cough and a throat swelling, breathing becomes rapid and difficult. Sometimes diarrhea, nausea, vomiting is possible.

Atypical pneumonia: treatment

Medicines that effectively affect against SARS have not yet been found. At the heart of modern treatment is the use of antiviral drugs and symptomatic therapy (high doses of vitamins, expectorants and antitussives, antibiotics).

Atypical pneumonia poses a serious threat to the life of the patient, so when you have similar symptoms, you should always seek medical help from a local doctor or call an ambulance crew on duty. Before the arrival of the doctor, the patient must be isolated in a separate room and allocated to him for private use utensils and hygiene items.

The family members caring for the sick must wear a protective mask (4-layer gauze dressing), glasses and rubber gloves. In the room where the patient is lying, it is often necessary to do a wet cleaning, using disinfectants, and to ventilate. The utensils and hygiene items of the patient should also be disinfected by boiling, in the course of 15 minutes, in water or a soda solution. After the patient is hospitalized, it is necessary to disinfect the apartment by inviting the specialists of the state sanitary epidemiological supervision.

The more obvious is the importance of preventive measures to prevent the disease. For prevention, it is recommended to regularly do wet cleaning and airing the living quarters, do hardening, observe the well-known rules of personal hygiene, take vitamins and fortifying agents. It is necessary to have in the house a stock of disinfectants (sulfochlorantin, chloric lime, chloramine, etc.).

Atypical pneumonia is most widespread in Southeast Asia, so it is not advisable to visit the countries of this region, especially China, without urgent need.