Ways of transmission of infection: how to protect yourself from the disease? How to prevent the infection of trees with tinder fungi For the prevention of infections that have a contact-household spread.

Sex with herpes in the active phase of this disease is unacceptable due to the high risk of infection of the sexual partner. It is also possible to cause a re-exacerbation of a herpes infection in a partner if he has previously experienced manifestations of the infection.

sex and herpes

The herpes simplex virus can be transmitted through kissing and during sexual intercourse. Therefore, it is important to take precautions during the appearance of characteristic rashes in the lips and in the intimate area.

With genital herpes

V incubation period and at the stage of occurrence of a blistering rash on the genitals, you should refrain from sex.

Herpes type 2 in 99% of cases is transmitted sexually.

You can’t have sex even at the stage when the sores dry up and become covered with a crust. It is necessary to refrain from sex for another 1 week after the disappearance of external signs of herpes, which means that the infection has passed into an inactive phase.

On the lips

Vesicles in the lips are the reason to exclude oral caresses. If you have sex without kissing, then the risk of infection is minimal.

For herpes zoster

Having sex with a partner who has the characteristic rashes on her body, you can only get chickenpox in the absence of immunity to it. Shingles is not transmitted during sexual intercourse.

Both diseases are caused by herpes type 3. After chickenpox transferred in childhood, the virus remains in the body in a latent state in the nerve ganglia, without manifesting itself for a long time. The immune system suppressed the replication of virions, which led to the production of antibodies. Weakening of the immune system causes a rash. But sex with a partner affected by this type of herpes will be safe if you have developed immunity to chicken pox.

oral sex

With oral-genital contact, you can become infected with herpes that affects the intimate area if the herpes on the partner's lips is in the active phase.

There are cases of mutual infection.

The man was infected with a genital herpes infection during a blowjob, as his partner had severe herpes sores on her lips.

After that, the man infected his partner with genital herpes during the incubation period of this infection; the woman discovered a change in the localization of the blistering rash: the symptoms appeared already on the labia, and not in the mouth area.

How to live with herpes?

Cold on the lip. How to prevent and treat herpes

How to avoid infection?

The use of latex contraceptives does not reduce the risk of infection. The virus can spread to unprotected areas by direct contact with the affected area (groin in men, buttocks and labia in women). A condom can protect against infection at the initial stage of the disease (when there are no external signs of infection) - during this period, a large number of virions are found in semen and in vaginal secretions.

The virus can be transmitted even if both partners use antiherpetic drugs in different dosage forms. Acyclovir and Valaciclovir only suppress the reproduction of the virus. In this case, the infection is in the active phase, but attacks healthy cells of the body with less aggressiveness. Therefore, this method can be effective for people with strong immunity.

Douching with Miramistin will help destroy the virus if you use an antiseptic solution in the first 2 hours after intercourse.

But the use of the drug may not bring the desired result.

Prevention measures include:

1. Refusal of sex during the period of illness.
2. Avoid promiscuity.
3. With a tendency to recurrence of herpes, it is recommended to refuse sex in the presence of provoking factors for the development of the disease: hypothermia, severe stress, colds. During the incubation period, there is a high risk of partner infection.

herpes after sex

If herpes appears after oral sex or traditional sexual intercourse, the following tests should be taken:

1. Blood test to determine the type of viral infection PCR method. ELISA is also required to detect antibodies to the virus.
2. Analysis for syphilis, tk. venereal diseases have a similar clinical picture.

Treatment of genital herpes in most cases is carried out as follows:

Do not self-medicate. If you have got herpes, then only a doctor can prescribe the exact dosage, frequency and time interval for taking medications.

Salmonellosis. How to prevent infection?

Salmonellosis is an acute infectious disease caused by various bacteria of the genus Salmonella, with a primary lesion of the gastrointestinal tract.

The main source of infection are cattle, pigs, sheep, chickens, ducks, geese, dogs, cats, rodents. A sick person or carrier also plays a certain role in the spread of infection. Human infection occurs when eating animal products: eggs, fish, meat of cattle, pigs, poultry, cooked in violation of technology.

The main signs of the disease appear after 6 hours - 3 days (more often on the first day) after eating infected food. The disease begins acutely with a rise in body temperature to 39-40 degrees, weakness, headache, chills, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea appear. The stool is frequent, watery, sometimes with an admixture of mucus, rarely blood. The disease is especially severe in young children and the elderly.

To prevent salmonellosis, it is necessary:

do not buy products in spontaneous markets, from individuals who cannot confirm their quality and safety;

Avoid contact between raw and cooked foods. Separate raw meat, poultry, eggs from foods that are eaten without heat treatment, during their purchase in the store, storage in the refrigerator, on the kitchen table. Such contamination can be overt (when raw foods come into contact with cooked food) or latent (when the same cutting boards and knives are used for raw and cooked foods);

store food properly. In the refrigerator at a temperature of +2°C - +6°C, the duration of storage of dishes from meat, poultry (jellies, jellies, jellied meats, brawns) should not exceed 12 hours; premium boiled sausages - 72 hours; 2 grades - 48 hours; liver sausages - 48 hours; salads - 12 hours. It is better not to store food for children at all;

thoroughly boil or fry products from meat, poultry, eggs. The readiness of meat and poultry products is determined by the release of colorless juice at the puncture site;

do not use expired products, limit the use of soft-boiled eggs, fried eggs;

reheat previously cooked food to a temperature of at least + 70 ° C. This is the best measure of protection against microorganisms that could multiply in food during storage (proper storage inhibits the growth of microbes, but does not destroy them);

wash hands as often as possible, always after each visit to the toilet, before preparing and eating food, after contact with animals. When preparing food, wash your hands after every break and after handling raw foods such as meat or poultry;

Compliance with the above rules is a reliable protection against salmonellosis diseases!

Overview

Knowing the basic rules of hygiene, you can easily protect yourself and loved ones from many unpleasant, dangerous and even fatal infections. Below are the main ways infections enter the body and how to avoid them.

Air drop mechanism

The transmission of microbes and viruses occurs with the smallest droplets of saliva and nasal mucus, which are released by a sick person during a conversation, sneezing or coughing and are in the air for some time. This is how many infections are transmitted, for example, influenza, tuberculosis, diphtheria, measles, chicken pox, meningococcal meningitis, etc.

The most dangerous airborne route of transmission of diseases indoors and outdoors in spring and autumn. And winter frosts and hot summer sun, on the contrary, reduce its effectiveness.

A variation of this method is the air-dust transmission route, when microbes in dust suspended in the air become the source of infection. For example, tularemia, ornithosis, legionellosis, hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome can be transmitted.

To protect against airborne infections, there are several rules:

1. Keep your distance. The farther you are from a sick person, the less likely you are to "catch an infection." Stay away from coughing, sneezing and sniffing, even if it's your family and friends. It is desirable to isolate a sick person in a separate room. It is useful to frequently ventilate and quartzize the room where the sick person is located (treat with ultraviolet light) - for this you can purchase a household UV lamp for home use. Some help can be provided by the use of aroma lamps with oils of coniferous species, tea tree, eucalyptus or monarda.

2. Create a barrier. To protect against volatile microbes and viruses during short-term contact with a patient, in most cases a 6-fold gauze bandage or a disposable mask, which are sold in a pharmacy, is sufficient. Remember that the same mask can only be used for two hours.

3. Lubricate your nose. To do this, you can use pharmacy products: oxolinic ointment, gel or Viferon ointment. These drugs have a combined effect: they enhance local and general immunity and have an antiviral effect. If there is a high probability of becoming infected, after returning home, wash your face, rinse your mouth, and also rinse your nose with warm, slightly salted water in order to quickly remove microbes and viruses that have fallen on it from the mucous membranes and skin.

Fecal-oral mechanism

The causative agents of the disease are excreted with feces (feces, urine, vomit) of animals and humans and enter the soil and water. Further, if hygiene rules are not followed, microbes and viruses can enter the body in different ways:

• through dirty hands - while eating (dysentery).
• food way - through contaminated foods: poorly washed fruits and vegetables (hepatitis A, botulism), eggs (for example, with salmonellosis).
• waterway - through polluted feces, poor quality water, for example, with cholera.
• flies and domestic cockroaches often become participants in the fecal-oral mechanism of transmission of infection, which carry pathogens on their bodies, for example, with polio.

A surge in diseases with a fecal-oral transmission mechanism is usually observed in the summer, when best conditions to keep microbes in environment and the spread of flies.

To protect yourself from unpleasant "surprises", follow these rules:

1. Always wash your hands with soap and water before eating and after going to the toilet. Try not to eat outside and discourage your children from chewing cookies and candies while playing in the sandbox, on a walk or in transport.

2. All fruits and vegetables should be thoroughly washed before eating. Such delicate fruits as grapes, berries, ripe peaches, etc. can be rinsed in warm water with the addition of a small amount of potassium permanganate (until pink). Be especially careful when processing dried fruits and nuts that are sold without shells - they are the source of many intestinal infections, including polio. Dried fruits can be scalded with boiling water or steamed for 5-10 minutes in the oven. It is convenient to roast nuts in a dry frying pan.

3. Going on vacation to the southern countries, do not eat raw water and home-made soft drinks offered by the local population, and do not order drinks with ice. It is advisable to use only bottled water from well-known manufacturers.

V middle lane In our country, avoid drinking water from local reservoirs without first boiling, which often happens during picnics or hiking trips.

Contact household way

Transmission of infections during close contact in everyday life (in the family, group kindergarten and etc.). Household items (door and furniture handles, kitchen utensils, toys), towels and bedding, personal hygiene products (toothbrush, comb, etc.) become the source of infection. This is how many intestinal and respiratory infections, syphilis, etc. are transmitted.

For the prevention of infections that have a contact-household route of spread:

1. Never share personal hygiene items such as a toothbrush, comb, razor. Avoid using shared towels in cafes, canteens, baths (the same applies to slippers, slates and other bath accessories).

2. While relaxing in water parks, baths, saunas, on the beach, sit down on sun loungers, benches, chairs, shelves, put a personal towel or rug.

Sexual way

Transmission of diseases during sexual contact (for example, with sexually transmitted diseases, hepatitis C, AIDS, etc.).

As a rule, the likelihood of sexual transmission depends on the state of health of the genitals. Intact mucous membranes are one of the protective barriers for bacteria, viruses and pathogenic fungi. When microtrauma or inflammation appears on the skin or mucous membranes, their protective properties are sharply reduced.

Therefore, the risk of sexually transmitted infection increases with rough or intense sexual contact, with inflammatory diseases (vaginitis, urethritis, etc.), in the presence of chronic infections (candidiasis, chlamydia, etc.) and vaginal dysbacteriosis in women (vaginosis), as well as against the background of AIDS or other immunodeficiency conditions.

To protect against genital infections:

1. Be selective in sexual contacts.

2. Use barrier contraceptives (condoms) correctly.

3. Treat urinary tract infections promptly.

4. Maintain personal hygiene.

There are also methods of emergency prevention of genital infections - these are the measures that are likely to help prevent infection in the first hours after unprotected intercourse:

1. You need to urinate.

2. Wash your hands thoroughly, and then thoroughly wash the genitals, perineum and inner thighs with soap (preferably household).

3. After that, treat the skin of the genitals, perineum and thighs with a cotton swab, abundantly dipped in a solution of antiseptics, which can be bought at a pharmacy without a prescription:

• 0.05% solution of chlorhexidine digluconate (gibitan);
• 0.01% Miramistin solution (septic tank);
• 10% betadine solution.

4. Men are recommended to inject into the urethra (urethral opening) 1-2 ml of an antiseptic solution (the above solutions of chlorhexidine or miramistin). After that, it is advisable not to urinate for 1-2 hours.

5. Women are recommended douching (washing the vagina) with chlorhexidine or miramistin (150-200 ml), as well as introducing 1 ml of one of these solutions into the urethra. Instead of douching, you can use vaginal suppositories: "Pharmotex", "Hexicon", "Betadine".

6. It is necessary to change contaminated underwear or, if this is not possible, isolate the genitals from it with a clean gauze pad.

Emergency prophylaxis significantly reduces the likelihood of contracting infections, however, for more reliable protection, it is recommended to consult a doctor in the coming days. The doctor after examination and examination, with your consent, may prescribe postcoital prophylaxis or preventive treatment. It's a trick medicines against HIV and / or causative agents of syphilis, if there was a high risk of contracting these infections during intercourse.

parenteral mechanism

Transmission of infections through biological fluids, mainly blood, as well as saliva, genital tract secretions, sweat, semen, etc. Infection usually occurs when performing medical or cosmetic procedures, less often through close contact (kiss, handshake, intimate caresses, etc.). ). This route of transmission is typical for scabies, herpes, hepatitis B and C, syphilis, HIV infection, etc.

Sometimes, within the framework of this transmission route, infection is considered during the bite of various animals, when saliva gets under the skin of a person (for example, with rabies).

Prevention of parenteral infections is mainly the concern of medical professionals, as well as employees of beauty salons, who must properly sterilize their instruments. However, there are a few tips that you can follow to reduce the risk of infection yourself:

1. Do not go to dubious establishments for manicure, pedicure, piercing and tattoo services, as well as other invasive cosmetic procedures.

2. Be careful when handling syringes and needles.

3. Avoid contact with objects contaminated with other people's blood and other liquids, if necessary, wear gloves.

4. If an accident occurs (a prick with a used needle, for example), you should see a doctor as soon as possible for preventive (prophylactic) treatment and further monitoring.

5. After being bitten by a dog, cat or any wild animal, be sure to go to the emergency room, even if the wound is very small. With saliva and particles of earth, pathogens of deadly infections: rabies and tetanus can enter the wound. With the help of the introduction of special serums and toxoid, it is possible to prevent the development of these diseases.

Most vector-borne diseases are carried by flies, mosquitoes, bedbugs and ticks, less often by other insects. These diseases are most prevalent in tropical countries. As a rule, the local population gets sick in a mild form, while visitors, on the contrary, endure the disease very hard. Therefore, when going on vacation, you need to take care of prevention: necessary vaccinations, repellents, mosquito nets and curtains. Transmissible diseases include malaria, typhus, tularemia, etc.

wound path

With a wound route of transmission of infection, the disease develops after spores of pathogenic microbes that are in the soil or on the jaws, claws, needles and other parts of animals, snakes, fish, insects, spiders, centipedes enter the wound. This is how tetanus, gas gangrene, etc. are transmitted. Therefore, all wounds received in the "field" conditions must be shown to the doctor in the emergency room so that he can carry out the necessary treatment.

vertical path

Transmission of infection from mother to fetus during pregnancy. This path is typical for rubella, hepatitis, herpes, cytomegalovirus infection, toxoplasmosis, syphilis, etc. The likelihood of vertical transmission increases with various pathologies of the placenta - a child's place through which the baby receives nutrition from the mother.

The only reliable way to protect against vertical transmission of diseases is their early treatment at the stage of pregnancy planning.

All materials on the site have been checked by doctors. However, even the most reliable article does not allow taking into account all the features of the disease in a particular person. Therefore, the information posted on our website cannot replace a visit to the doctor, but only complements it. Articles are prepared for informational purposes and are advisory in nature. If symptoms appear, please consult a doctor.

Immunity and infections

The immune system is, of course, very important in preventing the development of infections.. But, unfortunately, even the most healthy person with a strong immune system becomes a target for microbes that the body's defenses cannot cope with. Especially in the case of dangerous infections, such as encephalitis, diphtheria or tetanus. Therefore, the prevention of infectious diseases always includes a whole range of measures at once. There are three main directions.

The fight against pathogens, that is, using the comparison with a fortress, the destruction of enemies before they get to the walls and gates or just trying to take them by attack.

This includes measures such as:

• sterilization of medical instruments, dressings and even premises (for example, using quartz treatment);
• treatment of household items, clothing by boiling or antiseptics;
• urgent treatment of skin lesions with antiseptic agents;
• pasteurization of food and water through sterilization,
• in the case of epidemics in their foci, roads, soil, and surrounding objects are sometimes disinfected.

At the household level, the fight against germs consists in maintaining the cleanliness of the house, bed linen, clothes, toys and utensils, as well as hygiene in food preparation.

Protection against the penetration of microbes into the body, that is, additional strengthening of walls and other vulnerabilities. These measures depend on the mode of transmission of a particular infection.

Infection protection

To protect against airborne diseases It is recommended to wear protective masks, especially during the epidemic. It is necessary to regularly ventilate the premises, use disinfection methods (air ozonizers, spraying aromatic oils with an antiseptic effect). During outbreaks of such diseases, crowded places should be avoided, and patients should cover their mouths with a handkerchief when coughing and sneezing.

In order for microbes not to have time to penetrate through the mucous membranes, rinse your mouth more often and rinse your nose with antiseptic solutions, at least with salt water or chamomile infusion. Regularly carry out wet cleaning, as dust can also contain pathogens.

To protect against diseases transmitted by the alimentary route, that is, through food and water, wash your hands regularly with soap, follow the rules of food preparation (we will talk about them later), make sure that flies and other insects, which almost always carry infections, do not land on food.

Do not purchase products on trays and in dubious establishments; in stores, always look at the storage conditions of products and their expiration date. Do not drink raw water, including tap water.

To avoid contact infections, wash your hands thoroughly after traveling on public transport and generally being in public places. Do not use someone else's clothes, linen, towels, shoes, combs. The most reliable way to protect against sexually transmitted infections today (except for complete abstinence and unconditional mutual fidelity) is the use of condoms. They do not give a 100% guarantee, but they reduce the risk of infection hundreds of times.

When visiting doctors, treatment rooms, manicure and pedicure salons always carefully make sure that all the tools used are either disposable, opened in front of you, or sterilized, which, of course, is more difficult to track. Just avoid questionable establishments.

To prevent endoinfections, treat the diseases that have arisen in time so that the pathogens do not spread throughout the body. Remember that a carious tooth or tonsillitis can cause severe infectious diseases of the kidneys and heart.

The impact on one's own body, that is, the maintenance of the fortress walls themselves and other fortifications inside the fortress.

What does this direction include?

• Maintaining and strengthening immunity. To do this, you need to eat right, observe the regime of work and rest, get enough sleep, give up bad habits, do not abuse medicines unnecessarily, move more. Hardening is another way to boost the immune system, but it only works if it's done right, no frills, and regularly. But with medicines for immunity (immunomodulators), including herbal ones (echinacea, ginseng, eleutherococcus, etc.), you need to be very careful. Our immune system does not like rough interventions, it cannot be overclocked, otherwise the risk of allergic and autoimmune diseases increases.
• Vaccination (vaccinations) - a proven and reliable way to protect against dangerous infections. This method has no alternative, it creates a strong immunity to diseases. This will be discussed in more detail later, but remember: failure to vaccinate, especially in children, is fraught with serious, life-threatening infections.

As you can see, the fight against infections is a whole range of measures, and only the observance of all of them allows you to minimize the risk of infection and diseases.

Maintain protective barriers!

Before getting into the body, any pathogen must overcome several barriers. If you keep them in order, the likelihood of infection will decrease, although, once again, the full prevention of infections is always complex.

What can you do to ensure that the defensive lines of your body work as efficiently as possible?

Maintain good skin condition. The skin provides mechanical protection against microbes, sebum and sweat have bactericidal properties. Good bacteria prevent the growth of pathogens, so you should not get too carried away with washing and cleaning, especially with antibacterial soaps, scrubs and hot water. The other extreme is dirt, as dead skin particles, fat, sweat and dust become a breeding ground for microbes.

You need to find a middle ground - wash your face with warm water and mild detergents. Infections are difficult to penetrate through the skin without damage, but injuries happen all the time in our lives. Even if it's just a small scratch, be sure to treat it with an antiseptic to close the entrance to the pathogen.

Maintain the health of the mucous membranes of the nose, mouth, eyes, genitals. The mucosa, in addition to mechanical protection, secretes special compounds, such as lysozyme, that dissolve microbes. The surface of the respiratory mucosa includes special outgrowths - cilia, which make quick outward movements, removing foreign objects.

The enemies of the mucosa are smoking, alcohol, injuries, the causes of which may be, for example, picking the nose or biting the cheeks and tongue, drug abuse, too cold or hot food.

Watch closely for dangerous symptoms such as increased dryness of the mouth and eyes, poor stomach function, accompanied by belching, heaviness in the abdomen, diarrhea, retention or discoloration of urine. All these signs indicate that something is wrong in the body, and the chemical barrier is not working as it should, which means that the likelihood of infection increases.

If you notice these symptoms, contact the appropriate specialist to find out what is causing them (there can be many, from endocrine disorders to stone formation). With problems with saliva, you need to visit a dentist, with dry eyes - an ophthalmologist, a gastroenterologist deals with the stomach, and problems with urine are the competence of a urologist.

Until quite recently, it was a 100% fatal disease. Before the invention of antibiotics, it was only possible to save the life of a person who had sepsis by amputating the affected limb (if he was “lucky” with such a location). Now the chances of survival with the appearance of sepsis in a patient are much greater, but they increase even more with the earliest possible diagnosis.

What causes sepsis

Purulent microorganisms that enter the blood cause the formation of toxins that cause severe poisoning of the body, known as blood poisoning. A symptom (one of the first) in this case is an increase in temperature, but it is also characteristic of a mass of other diseases, which is why the correct diagnosis is often made with a delay. It has long been clear how to treat blood poisoning with antibiotics, but they are not very useful for the body, so it is better to try to avoid sepsis.

Better to prevent than to cure

Teaching parents of children to cleanliness, diligent treatment of even the smallest abrasions are aimed, among other things, at preventing such a danger as blood poisoning. A symptom in the form of a frequent pulse in parallel with a high temperature should alert anyone who has recently had a broken and not carefully treated skin cover. Disinfection of even a minor scratch is mandatory! And if the wound is deep enough, and even particles of dirt, dust, small stones, animal hair got into it, it is strongly recommended to consult a doctor. It is possible to “catch” sepsis with careless sterilization of medical instruments in the event of an operation, but here one already has to believe in the conscientiousness of physicians. But the health of your own organs (both respiratory, genitourinary, and digestive) depends only on you and will give an additional guarantee against infection.

Signs of sepsis

Even after receiving a very small wound, it is better to carefully monitor it for some time to make sure that blood poisoning has not begun. Symptom - swelling around the damaged area, which is accompanied by a temperature and should make you immediately run to the hospital. If all this is accompanied by hardening of the site of injury, discoloration of the skin, rashes (perhaps even all over the body), your suspicions may begin to grow into certainties. Most likely, negligence led to trouble, and you (another) confirming this - swollen lymph nodes. However, the most frightening sign is if purple “snakes” begin to crawl from the wound. This suggests that sepsis is no longer limited to trauma, it has begun to spread steadily throughout the body, and your life is already directly dependent on the experience and speed of the doctors.

Sepsis treatment

Now that you have read how to recognize blood poisoning, you can talk about its treatment. First of all, we must remember that the trouble is not treated at home, artisanal or folk methods: only in the hospital, only by doctors. And only after the necessary tests, which will clarify which bacteria caused sepsis. According to the results of studies, antibiotics are prescribed in large quantities, which are most effective against a particular pathogen. Often, a drip is required. At the same time, a thorough cleaning of the wound is carried out and necrotic tissues are removed (naturally, if there is free access to the wound). To increase, special nutrition, vitamins, special serums are prescribed. And only then - drugs that will weaken the harmful effects of antibiotics.

But it is better not to bring a possible disaster to such proportions. It is quite possible to carry antiseptic wet wipes in your bag to treat minor scratches and abrasions. In case of more serious injuries, you should immediately contact the clinic.