Respiratory Chlamydia: Symptoms And Treatment, Which Is Effective

2023 Author: Riley Dean | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-11-27 09:15

Chlamydia infection of the airways is called respiratory chlamydia. When the name of the bacterium is mentioned, one immediately recalls that such an infection is sexually transmitted, but this particular type of chlamydia belongs to the aerosol transmission mechanism.

Content

1 Features of the disease
2 Ways of transmission
3 Signs of illness
4 Diagnosis and treatment of infection in adults
5 Treatment and prevention of pulmonary chlamydia in children

Features of the disease

This type of disease has certain strains of bacteria that can be easily obtained by just inhaling the contaminated air. Chlamydia of this type enter the body through the lungs from an infected person, because microorganisms cannot stay in the environment for a long time without a host.

Very often, children who have a low, still fragile immunity are exposed to the disease. The danger is that the symptoms of the disease do not appear immediately after infection - this factor affects the process of treatment and recovery.

Ways of transmission

Chlamydia is known as a sexually transmitted disease. However, pulmonary chlamydia has a different transmission mechanism. Being in a closed room with a carrier of the bacteria for a long time, a person can easily catch airborne infection.

The incubation period for the development of chlamydia reaches 1 month, during which signs of the disease can be overlooked. The cause of the appearance of respiratory chlamydia in children is the infection of the mother while carrying the child. Moving along the infected birth canal, the baby runs the risk of contracting an infection. In addition, an obstetrician who gives birth to a woman in whose body chlamydia has penetrated can introduce bacteria to a child.

Signs of illness

The picture of symptoms that respiratory chlamydia gives is very similar to other acute respiratory diseases. The first signs, characteristic of the disease:

runny nose;
cough;
temperature increase;
breathing cramps.

As you can see, the invasion can be easily confused with commonplace ARVI and flu. Inexperienced doctors often confuse these diseases, prescribing drugs to eliminate visible symptoms, implying treatment for the common cold.

Delay in appropriate treatment aimed at eliminating the infection, both in adults and in children, can provoke the development of pneumonia in the body. It is very important to carry out timely diagnostics in order to detect chlamydia and prescribe competent treatment.

Typical symptoms of pulmonary chlamydia in children:

enlarged lymph nodes in the behind-the-ear region;
dry cough;
dyspnea;
with the progression of the disease - vomiting and severe bouts of coughing.

In addition, a sick baby's liver and spleen increase, and the risk of developing gastroenterological diseases increases.

Diagnosis and treatment of infection in adults

Diagnosis of the disease of respiratory chlamydia is carried out by taking a smear from the pharynx and further examining it using the method of bacterioscopy. Thus, it is possible to reliably determine the presence of chlamydia in the mucous membrane.

Modern doctors use an integrated approach to the treatment of pulmonary chlamydia disease - this is how you can achieve positive results. The treatment regimen includes the use of antibiotics of the macrolide, tetracyclines, fluoroquinolones groups. As additional drugs, drugs are prescribed to cough up phlegm or to cough.

In treatment, specialists use the following antibacterial agents:

Azithromycin - contraindicated in pregnancy, liver and kidney disease. The standard dosage is 1 r. per day one hour before meals;
Clarithromycin - should not be taken with breastfeeding and in the first trimester of pregnancy, dosage - 1-2 tablets twice a day. The drug is suitable for children over 12 years old;
Doxycycline - inhibits protein synthesis of infectious agents. It has some contraindications, but it is effective in treating chlamydia.

An infectious disease, respiratory chlamydia, cannot be cured with the help of folk remedies, because only drugs that have a detrimental effect on bacteria give an effect. At home, only the symptoms of the disease can be eliminated during treatment: to overcome cough and runny nose. Before taking such measures, a doctor's consultation is required without fail.

Treatment and prevention of pulmonary chlamydia in children

Frequent coughing fits in a baby are an alarming sign of deteriorating health that requires attention. Most doctors prescribe an antibiotic from the macrolide group, which are well tolerated by children.

If chlamydial pneumonia is present in the lungs, children are given intravenous antibiotic injections.

In complicated forms and in acute stages, doctors prescribe several drugs for a more effective effect on chlamydia. The course of antibiotic treatment is 10 days or 2 weeks.

Pulmonary chlamydia spreads the infection through the respiratory tract, which can be eliminated with Erespal syrup. The medicine has an anti-inflammatory effect on the bronchi, and the baby will not be capricious, as when using pills. This drug is contraindicated in children under 2 years of age, and the dosage is prescribed by the attending physician individually.

Compliance with simple rules will help limit the spread of chlamydia by airborne droplets:

if a person has contracted an infection, it is very important to ventilate the room regularly;
it is advisable to limit the patient's communication with other people in order to prevent the risk of transmission of infection;
only a qualified doctor will be able to prescribe the correct treatment;
screening is shown to pregnant women;
contact with domestic and wild birds is not recommended.

It will not be superfluous to direct your energies to strengthening the immune system. To prevent bacteria from entering the child's body, take good care of his hand hygiene, provide the baby with proper nutrition and appropriate active rest.