Acute infection of the digestive system - salmonellosis in children: symptoms and treatment with diet and medication. Salmonellosis symptoms in infants Bacterial infections in a child salmonella

Salmonellosis is an acute infection of the digestive system caused by Salmonella bacteria. The disease is accompanied by severe intoxication of the body and increased loss of water. In children, salmonellosis can occur like typhoid fever or with septicemia.

Most often, outbreaks of Salmonella infection occur in the warm season after eating products whose storage conditions and preparation technology have been violated. Salmonella activity causes damage to the gastrointestinal tract in children, and in complicated cases, to internal organs and the lymphatic system. Therefore, at the first signs of illness, the child must be hospitalized and take all necessary measures to combat the pathogen.

Causes and ways of infection

Salmonella is able to develop not only in the human body, but also in animals. There are over 700 species of this bacterium that can cause salmonellosis in humans. They are very stable in the external environment, but die at high temperatures. They develop especially actively in eggs, meat and dairy products, and butter. Toxins produced by bacteria damage the intestinal mucosa, increase the secretion of fluid and salts.

How is salmonellosis transmitted? A child can get infected mainly from animals, less often from another person. Waterfowl are a particularly dangerous source of salmonellosis.

Main routes of infection:

• food- bacteria enter the gastrointestinal tract of a child due to the intake of contaminated food. This happens due to insufficient heat treatment. There is also a risk of infection through unboiled water.
• Contact household- usually occurs in infancy. Salmonella is transmitted to a child through the unclean hands of medical staff or parents, through toys, pacifiers, care items, inhalation of contaminated dust.
• Transplacental- the bacterium enters the fetus in utero or through mother's milk.

Children under 2 years of age are especially susceptible to salmonella. First, the pathogen is localized in the small intestine. In the process of reproduction, it penetrates into the bloodstream and lymph flow.

Symptoms and types of disease

Since salmonellosis is a group of infections, its clinical manifestations and severity may differ depending on the form of the disease.

There are typical (gastrointestinal, septic and typhoid-like) and atypical (erased, subclinical, bacteriocarrier) forms of salmonellosis.

The incubation period of salmonellosis in children can last from a couple of hours to 7 days, depending on the form of the disease and the amount of the pathogen that has entered the body.

For any form of the disease are characteristic:

• acute onset and fever;
• frequent stools with a fetid odor;
• dehydration (dry mucous membranes and skin).

In infants, general intoxication prevails over intestinal disorders. The temperature may remain within the normal range. Children gain weight poorly, are restless, regurgitation often occurs, the fontanel sinks from dehydration.

Gastrointestinal toxic infection

The most common form in children. Different parts of the digestive organs are affected, depending on this, the infection can occur in the form of gastritis, enterocolitis, gastroenteritis.

Signs of the disease:

• temperature 39-40 o C or subfebrile;
• vomit;
• abdominal pain;
• copious loose stools with undigested food, herbs, pungent, sour smell;
• slight bloating;
• dehydration due to frequent vomiting and loose stools.

The child manifests general intoxication, the heartbeat quickens, convulsions appear, cold sweat appears. Asthenia and low blood pressure can persist for a long time after the disappearance of acute symptoms of infection.

typhoid form

The child has a fever and confusion. Attacks can occur in waves with periods of calm. They last about 14 days (as in typhoid).

Characteristic signs of salmonellosis:

• loose watery stools up to 3-5 times a day;
• bouts of vomiting;
• flatulence;
• general intoxication with malaise, weakness, headache;
• dryness and thickening of the tongue;
• hemorrhagic rashes on the skin;
• the liver may be enlarged.

septic view

It is one of the most dangerous. It is not common and mostly in infants.

Symptoms of salmonellosis in children:

• high temperature (up to 40 ° C and more);
• diarrhea, vomiting;
• damage to the brain and its membranes;
• fever with chills and excessive sweating;
• loose stools with mucus and blood;
• tachycardia.

After the disease, some children continue to release bacteria into the external environment for about a month. If such carriage is observed for more than 3 months, then the disease becomes chronic.

90-95% of children develop an acute disease process. After 5-7 days, signs of intoxication disappear. In severe cases, a violation of the stool can be observed for another month.

Possible Complications

Salmonellosis is dangerous for a child because the bacteria can spread throughout the body and form local foci of infection of internal organs. The disease significantly reduces immunity, causes exacerbation of chronic ailments or the accumulation of new ones.

Complications of salmonellosis:

• swelling of the brain and lungs;
• kidney failure;
• peritonitis;
• reactive arthritis;
• abscess of internal organs.

Parents take note! If you suspect salmonellosis, immediately show the baby to a specialist. If left untreated in the early days of illness, young children can be fatal.

Diagnostics

The child must be shown to an infectious disease specialist or gastroenterologist at the first sign of Salmonella infection. A doctor can preliminarily diagnose an acute intestinal infection. You can identify the pathogen using the following examination methods:

• analysis of feces for dysbacteriosis;
• general blood test;
• bacteriological culture of vomit;
• coprograms;
• RNGA blood.

Effective Treatments

How to treat salmonellosis? Therapy must be strictly individual. Many types of Salmonella are resistant to antibiotics, so they are prescribed in exceptional cases. The main role is given to nutrition, elimination of toxins and elimination of dehydration. In mild cases, treatment can be carried out at home, in severe cases, hospitalization of the child is required.

Rules of nutrition and diet

From the first days of illness, the child is assigned table number 4. Food should be ground and boiled.

Allowed products:

• oatmeal or rice boiled in water;
• boiled fish;
• steam cutlets;
• fruit jelly;
• meatballs;
• cottage cheese;
• hard cheese with 0% fat.

Animal fats, milk, coarse fiber are prohibited.

This diet should be followed for a month. You need to expand the menu gradually, with full recovery, switch to your usual diet.

Elimination of toxins

The first aid that must be provided to the sick is gastric lavage. This will alleviate his condition, remove some of the toxins. Self-washing is allowed only for children older than 3 years.

The procedure requires 2% sodium bicarbonate solution or water (2-3 l). The liquid should be warm (about 20 o C). The child should drink a glass of liquid. Then he needs to induce vomiting by pressing on the root of the tongue with his fingertips. Repeat until the rinse water is clear.

Dehydration Correction

A sick child after gastric lavage is given oral rehydration. To do this, prepare a solution from the powder:

• Oralita;
• Regidron;
• Glucosolan.

The child should drink a solution of ½-1 teaspoon every 5 minutes. With a mild course of the disease, you need to drink 30-40 ml of solution per 1 kg of weight per day. With severe intoxication - 70 ml per 1 kg of weight. It is necessary to replenish water-salt losses within 2-3 days until the signs of toxicosis disappear.

With frequently repeated vomiting and the inability to administer the solution orally, rehydration is carried out intravenously with a glucose solution. The amount of fluid that was excreted with diarrhea and vomiting should be replenished in full.

On the page, read about the symptoms and treatment of conjunctivitis in a child.

Drug therapy

In the case of severe forms of salmonellosis, after detecting the sensitivity of salmonella, antibiotic therapy is performed. The doctor may prescribe antibiotics of the following groups:

• Penicillins (Amoxiclav, Ampicillin, Flemoxin, etc.);
• Cephalosporins (Cefix, Ceftriaxone);
• Aminoglycosides (Netilmecin);
• Carbopenems (Meropenem).

Enterosorbents:

• Smecta;
• Polysorb;
• Atoxil.

To normalize the intestinal microflora, the intake of probiotics is indicated:

• Duphalac;
• Bificol;
• Linex.

Enzymes to improve digestion:

• Mezim;
• Festal;
• Enzistal.

Surveillance of those who have been ill

If a child has been ill with salmonellosis, he is put on a dispensary record. Monthly it is necessary to take an analysis of the material for bakposev. If the result is negative for the presence of salmonella, the child is removed from the register. He can visit children's institutions.

Those who have been in contact with the infected are observed for 7 days. They also conduct a bacteriological analysis of feces. If the analysis is negative, the person is considered healthy. Since the source of salmonellosis is mainly contaminated food, it is subjected to research. Disinfection is carried out in the focus of salmonellosis.

Preventive measures

• Food must be carefully thermally processed, especially products of animal origin.
• If there is already a carrier of the infection in the house, he needs to allocate separate hygiene products and utensils.
• Do not allow the child to take things from the floor and dirty toys into his mouth.
• Toys need to be washed more often with soap.
• Do not swim in suspicious and dirty water bodies.
• Limit the contact of the child with farm animals (ducks, chickens).

Salmonellosis in most cases ends with recovery without serious consequences. A dangerous disease is for infants and debilitated children. Therefore, you should especially carefully monitor their nutrition. Before giving any product to a child (especially meat and confectionery products), you need to check its good quality, conditions and shelf life.

Video. Famous children's doctor Komarovsky and salmonellosis:

• The main causes of infection
• Diagnostic methods
• Treatment
• Prevention

Almost every second child spends the lion's share of his free time on the street. Here he plays with stray animals and other people's toys, eats food shared with him by friends with dirty hands, and does many other things that are harmful to his fragile immunity.

Therefore, it is not surprising that salmonellosis is much more common in children than in adults, and knowing how to deal with this infection is the responsibility of every good parent.

The main causes of infection

The first thing that needs to be clarified before talking about how to cure salmonellosis in a child is the causes of the disease. This knowledge will not only help protect the baby from re-infection, but also help in its treatment.

The source of infection are:

1. Food products, the process of storage and / or heat treatment of which has been violated.
2. Houseware. For example, dirty toys or things.
3. Contacts with raw water. Equally dangerous is its consumption inside and bathing in untested reservoirs.
4. Livestock and wild animals in which the carriage of salmonellosis is not even accompanied by the disease itself.

Some parents, paying too much attention to the child, forget that they themselves can become a carrier of infection. A vivid example of this is newborns, who often come into contact with the pathogen transplacentally (that is, while still in the womb).

In the first months of life, babies have no contact with almost any of what is described above. However, since infants' immunity is still rather weak, salmonellosis can provoke even the slightest contact with an infected person, whose illness can also occur in an asymptomatic form.

Good to know. Salmonella is an extremely hardy bacterium. So, once in the soil, it remains active for up to 1.5 years, and in raw water - up to 5 months. In cheeses, it "lives" up to a year, in milk - no more than a month, in kefir - up to two months, and in butter - up to four. As for meat and sausage products, here the average value is 2-4 months, for frozen meat - half a year, for poultry - more than a year.

Types of salmonellosis and their symptoms

Having learned how salmonellosis is transmitted, you can go directly to its symptoms. The disease can proceed in different ways, so it is customary to distinguish three forms of its manifestation.

1. Gastrointestinal (localized) form

In children, this type of salmonellosis is most common. Its severity directly depends on the scale of intoxication and water and electrolyte losses (dehydration).

Common symptoms include a sharp rise in temperature to at least 37.5 ° C, mild fever, chills, headaches and body aches, and “brokenness” of the body as a whole.

This form corresponds to 3 varieties of the disease, differing in the severity of their course:

Gastroenteric salmonellosis

It appears after a couple of hours from the moment of infection and proceeds quite sharply. In addition to the above symptoms, the patient also has:

• spastic pains in the abdomen (in the area of ​​the epigastric and umbilical regions);
• repeated nausea and vomiting;
• diarrhea, during which the feces acquire a greenish tint and a watery, frothy texture.

The temperature in this form rises quickly, but not significantly. Almost immediately, the patient develops bloating, accompanied by rumbling in the intestines. In especially acute cases, cyanosis (cyanosis of the skin and / or mucous membranes) and the occurrence of clonic convulsions in the region of the lower extremities are observed.

Gastroenterocolitic salmonellosis

At the initial stage, this type of disease proceeds in exactly the same way as the previous one. Differences appear approximately 2-3 days after infection.

In a child, the volume of bowel movements is significantly reduced, and mucus (sometimes blood) appears in the feces. The very act of defecation is increasingly accompanied by tenesmus (painful false urges). On palpation, a spasm of the large intestine and its general painful condition are clearly felt.

Often, gastroenterocolitic salmonellosis is confused with dysentery, which occurs in an acute form.

Gastritis salmonellosis

It is difficult to say exactly how much this form is being treated (because the nature of the course of the disease manifests itself individually), while listing its characteristic features is much easier. These include:

• no diarrhea;
• abrupt and acute onset of the process;
• insignificance of intoxication;
• pain localized in the epigastric region;
• recurring vomiting.

This type of salmonellosis in children is rare, but they fight it mostly successfully.

2. Generalized form

In many cases, the flow of the disease into this form is facilitated by insufficiently effective treatment of salmonellosis in children in the gastroenteric stage. It takes quite a long time and is problematic.

The main feature of the generalized form is the occurrence of purulent foci in the lungs (which contributes to the development of pleurisy and pneumonia), heart (the first step to endocarditis), kidneys (which subsequently affect pyelitis or cystitis) and muscles (where phlegmon and abscesses are threatened).

It is divided into 2 varieties:

Typhoid-like salmonellosis

This type of disease can occur without the symptoms characteristic of gastroenteritis. In other words, symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea appear only for the first few days, and then completely disappear.

At the same time, the child is noted:

• undulating temperature drops;
• regular headaches;
• interruptions in sleep and, as a result, lethargy and weakness;
• hepatolienal syndrome (enlargement of the spleen and liver);
• general intoxication of the body and the manifestation of a hemorrhagic rash.

The complexity of treatment is due to the difficulties of diagnosis. The clinical picture is in many ways similar to the course of typhoid fever, and therefore there is a high risk of prescribing the wrong treatment. Only additional diagnostics can help in this situation, which often takes time, which the child no longer has.

Septic salmonellosis

It is characteristic mainly for infants and newborns. At the initial stage, symptoms characteristic of gastroenteritis are clearly visible, which are replaced by remitting fever (temperature changes that constantly fluctuate between 1-2.5 degrees).

Also, the baby has tachycardia, sweating increases, myalgia begins (muscle pain associated with the fact that the cells are constantly in good shape). There are cases when hepatosplenomegaly is diagnosed (a one-time, significant increase in the liver and spleen).

3. Bacterial excretory form

This form of the disease is remarkable in that during its course, the patient has no clinical symptoms. It is detected only by diagnostics and is divided into:

• acute

Isolation of salmonella in convalescents (recovered children) lasts 15-90 days.

• Transient

Isolation of Salmonella is present, however, at the time of the examination, and for 3 months before it, it was noted no more than 1-2 times. And serological tests also showed a negative result.

• Chronic

Carrier status is confirmed for more than 3 months.

Features of symptoms in newborns

In children under one year old, the symptoms of salmonellosis manifest themselves somewhat differently than in the rest. Here, the signs of intoxication come to the fore:

• excessive anxiety and sleep disturbance;
• frequent regurgitation and bloating;
• dehydration and causeless cooling of the limbs;
• hypotrophy and retraction of the fontanel.

At the same time, the baby's body temperature can remain within the normal range for up to several days (although sometimes it rises to 39 ° C almost immediately).

Vomiting, diarrhea and the rest of the symptoms described above also do not immediately make themselves felt. Diarrhea manifests itself in all its glory for 3-4 days from the moment of infection. The stools are watery and greenish in color. On the seventh day, blood streaks are found in the feces. Left untreated at this stage, it is predominantly fatal.

Good to know. The incubation period of the disease in newborns ranges from a couple of hours to 2-4 days. Therefore, so that the child does not suffer from complications later, it is worth showing it to the doctor at the slightest suspicion of infection.

Diagnostic methods

In a number of ways, salmonellosis is similar to a number of other acute intestinal infections. Therefore, the first thing to do in order for the treatment to be effective is to make sure the accuracy of the proposed diagnosis. After all, while you do not know, but only assume what your child is sick with. The main assistant in this matter is the diagnostics prescribed by the attending physician at the first appointment.

Depending on the type of disease, as well as on the stage of its course, it is possible to distinguish different types of how children are tested for salmonellosis:

• Bacterial culture of feces and vomit

If there are suspicions that the disease has passed into a generalized form, urine, bile, washings of the stomach and intestines are also used. Among the strengths of the analysis is its high sensitivity. It allows not only to identify infectious agents, but also to assess their number, activity and resistance to various antibiotics. The main disadvantage of the method is its duration (up to 10 days), while any delay can cause irreversible complications in the child's body.

• Express Diagnostics

Immunofluorescence kits and latex agglutination kits are commercially available today. And therefore, having found signs of salmonellosis in a child, before going to the doctor, you can independently check it for the reliability of the diagnosis. In the medical environment for express diagnostics, a test for ELISA, RIA, RKA, RLA is used.

• Serological blood test for the presence of antibodies

This study is carried out when it is already known for sure that the child is infected in order to determine the success of the prescribed course of treatment. For the first time, blood sampling is performed a week after the diagnosis of salmonellosis and 10 days later. The procedure is repeated at the end of inpatient treatment. Doctors are interested in the growth of antibody titer, the minimum diagnostic value of which is 1:200.

Depending on the type of disease and the stage of its course, tests are prescribed for children on an individual basis. However, if all the symptoms of an epidemiological outbreak of salmonellosis are present, in addition to them, a bacteriological analysis of the remains of contaminated food and washings from the dishes in which it was located is also carried out.

Good to know. More often than others, children under the age of 2 years are susceptible to salmonellosis, and the bulk of outbreaks of the disease occur in the summer-autumn season.

Treatment

Now that we know both how salmonellosis manifests itself and how it is diagnosed, it's time to talk about treatment. If in adults it (in the majority of cases) does not require specific actions and is limited only to taking drugs, then in the case of children, such a number will not work.

So, the treatment of infants should be carried out strictly within the framework of hospitalization. Otherwise, without timely medical care, the baby risks developing cerebral edema and dying.

Medical therapy

By nature, salmonella is a bacteria. Therefore, it would be logical to assume that it should be treated with various antibacterial drugs, right?

Arguing in this way, you risk not only not curing your child, but also causing much more significant harm to him. The fact is that the symptoms of salmonellosis, typhoid fever and a number of other infections are very similar. And medicines for salmonellosis for children are quite different from the same remedies for dysentery.

Even doctors will be able to unequivocally determine what kind of ailment struck your crumbs only after a thorough diagnosis. And improperly prescribed treatment will only provoke an exacerbation.

Remember, only a doctor can prescribe antibiotics for salmonellosis! You only need to deliver the baby to the pediatrician as quickly as possible or call him at home.

Independent measures in the fight against the disease

As already mentioned, the causative agent of salmonellosis is extremely specific and is characterized by increased resistance to cold and a number of antibiotics. Therefore, even drugs such as Enterofuril cannot always help. However, this does not mean at all that you need to be inactive until the doctor arrives.

In some cases, the infection manifests itself in just a couple of hours, and rapid dehydration of the body can cause irreparable harm to the child. As we have already found out, we cannot stuff him with antibiotics, however, it is quite possible to alleviate the condition of the baby by preventing his dehydration.

This can be done either with the help of specialized oral rehydration powders, which can be easily found in every pharmacy, or using the following recipe:

• in clean still water (1 l), dissolve baking soda (1 tsp), then sugar (2 tsp), and then salt (1 tsp). Mix the resulting saline solution thoroughly and solder the child to them until the ambulance arrives.

This drink does not taste very pleasant, so if your baby flatly refuses to drink it, offer him any other drink, be it water, tea or compote. From liquids containing various dyes and chemicals (from the same soda) should be.

If it is not possible to give a child a drink in the traditional way, for example, if dehydration has overcome a monthly baby, an ordinary syringe will come to the rescue (naturally, without a needle!). Fill it with the solution described above and, before the ambulance arrives, carefully pour it into the corner of the baby's mouth. Be sure to keep your head down so it doesn't choke.

Nuances of nutrition during and after treatment

What can a child eat with salmonellosis? This issue is no less important than the others discussed in this article. Proper nutrition correction contributes not only to a speedy recovery, but also to the restoration of undermined immunity.

The optimal product for children in their first year of life has been and remains unpasteurized breast milk. It not only easily fills the need of a weakened body for trace elements and vitamins, but also provides it with proteins, carbohydrates, fats and a number of protective, biologically active substances.

If the age of the little one has already exceeded the mark of 4 months, and he himself feeds by artificial feeding, then for the first 1-2 weeks his menu includes:

• fermented milk mixtures;
• 10% rice and / or buckwheat porridge brewed in water;
• vegetable puree.

In the future, the doctor analyzes the combined results of treatment and diet, after which he makes a verdict on how effective the diet is and adjusts the course (as a rule, in the direction of expanding the range of dishes allowed for consumption).

The diet of older children who fell ill just the other day is carefully mashed, easily digestible food that has undergone mandatory heat treatment. These can be soups, and diverse vegetable dishes, and boiled rice, etc. It is allowed to include meat and fish in the menu, but only on condition that they were steamed.

The following fall under the ban:

• fermented milk products that enhance peristalsis (wave-like contraction of the walls) of the intestine;
• flour products made from rye;
• any sweets and pickles;
• vegetables and fruits served raw;
• berries and various spices.

The duration of the course is 27-30 days from the date of diagnosis of the disease. However, depending on the complexity of its course to restore the child's strength, nutritional adjustments can continue after his recovery.

Since the disease is quite specific, the diet after salmonellosis is prescribed individually by the attending doctor. However, in general terms:

• exclusion from the diet for a certain period are subject to: dairy products, fatty and spicy foods, fresh fruits and vegetables, sweets, some types of legumes, cabbage and juices;
• the basis of the menu for this time should be: dairy-free cereals, soups with meat, but not cooked on meat broth (i.e., the meat is cooked separately and then added to the already prepared soup), soufflé from low-fat varieties of poultry and meat, baked fruits ( like baked apples or bananas).

If, among other things, the child suffers from food allergies, fermentopathy or dysbacteriosis, his diet for salmonellosis should be adjusted for these diseases. All foods with a high content of allergens are added to the list of prohibited foods, and the list of mandatory dishes is supplemented by various decoctions, vitamins and other means used in phage and immunotherapy.

Good to know. The previously popular "water-tea", starvation diet is now recognized as ineffective. However, in the first five days, doctors advise reducing food intake by 5-15%.

Consequences and threats to the health of the child

Why is salmonellosis dangerous in children? It is this question that first arises in parents whose baby is faced with this disease. As a rule, if the appeal to the doctor was timely, the disease does not cause any complications. However, if a baby had a chance to encounter it, whose immunity is not strong enough (for example, a baby), or the treatment was not prompt enough, the consequences can be serious.

We have already mentioned that the course of the disease is accompanied by vomiting, diarrhea and other unpleasant symptoms. However, even after recovery, the child faces a number of complications.

1. Prolonged dehydration leads to interruptions in the functioning of the renal channels (renal failure) and contributes to the accumulation of nitrogenous waste in the patient's blood.
2. Bacterial excretion lasting over 3 months after recovery is a clear sign that the disease has had too much effect on the body, and the child now needs treatment for chronic salmonellosis.
3. Prolonged intoxication negatively affects the work of the cardiovascular system. In especially advanced cases, it causes cerebral edema.
4. The consequences of salmonellosis can also be expressed in inflammation of various internal organs, since salmonella spreads throughout the body through the bloodstream.
5. In young patients suffering from chronic diseases, relapses provoked by immunodeficiency are not uncommon.

However, do not forget that in addition to them, the disease also has social consequences.

For example, if there is a suspicion that a child is a carrier of bacteria, the entrance to public places is closed for him. And if in the case of an amusement park or a swimming pool this will not be much of a problem, then a ban on attending a school or kindergarten can serve as a reason for lagging behind the program and biased attitude.

Prevention

Everyone knows that avoiding the disease is much better than dealing with all sorts of its consequences. It is not difficult to prevent the first entry of salmonella into the body or the recurrence of salmonellosis.

For many, especially young and always busy parents, the question is different, are you ready to devote enough time to your child in order to protect him from this and a number of other unpleasant diseases? After all, then you have to:

• Regularly organize wet cleaning in the house and clean not only the rooms themselves, but also the children's toys in them.
• Refuse to visit prohibited water bodies and places with a high content of dust.
• Carefully iron not only the things of the baby, but also your clothes with which he can come into contact.
• Until the baby realizes the importance and significance of personal hygiene, do not let him out of sight. And also to control everything that he pulls into his mouth.
• Minimize contact of the child with farm and wild animals (goats, pigeons, pigs and other potential carriers of Salmonella).
• Store products of animal origin separately from the rest and feed them to children only after thorough heat treatment.
• Refuse fast food and snacks that are harmful to the young body and for a number of other reasons.
• Cut meat on a separate board and wash your hands thoroughly before touching other ingredients of the dish at the end of cutting.
• Purchase products only from certified outlets. Store eggs for no more than 20 days, and homemade mayonnaise for no more than a day and in a tightly closed container.
• Teach the little one to hygiene from an early age and follow its rules yourself. Wash your hands not only exclusively before eating, but also at the end of the meal, after a walk, clean not only clothes, but also toys, do not pick up food from the floor, etc.

It must be understood that salmonellosis in a child can manifest itself even if all of the above rules are observed. Prevention only reduces the likelihood of the disease, and is not a panacea for it. However, sticking to it is much better than fighting the disease for a long time, and then also improving the work of the body depleted by it after recovery.

Do you have any questions? Want to learn more about how to treat salmonellosis in children? Leave comments, let's discuss.

Salmonellosis in children is a disease of the digestive system, the development of which is associated with infection of the body with Salmonella bacteria. The pathology proceeds acutely with severe intoxication and dehydration. Cases of contacting a doctor with salmonellosis become more frequent in the warm months of the year. They are explained by eating foods that have expired. The most sensitive patients are children under 2 years of age.

Why does salmonellosis develop?

For the development of salmonellosis in the body, there must be certain conditions. These are:

• the child's tendency to allergies;
• frequent morbidity;
• weak immunity at an early age;
• damage to the gastrointestinal tract by microbes that came with poor-quality food.

The causes of diseases are salmonella - gram-negative mobile microbes that are resistant to various physico-chemical factors. The strains tolerate frost and drought well, persist in dust and feces. They exist for a long time in the soil and water bodies and take root in meat and dairy products.

Animals, waterfowl and sick people become sources of infection for a child. The pathogen is transmitted in several ways.

1. Air-dust - by inhalation of contaminated dust.
2. Food, if the baby consumes milk, meat or eggs without proper heat treatment or raw water.
3. Contact household. This type of infection often develops in infants when parents or medical staff care for them with unwashed hands. Germs can be found on pacifiers, toys, and other accessories.
4. Transplacental. Infection of the child occurs in utero if the pregnant woman is sick with salmonellosis.

Clinical features of salmonellosis

Symptoms of salmonellosis in children do not immediately become pronounced. Many factors influence the incubation period, therefore, parents can notice a significant deterioration in the health of the baby only after 3 days from the moment of infection. What signs the disease will manifest depends on the general condition of the child, his age and the stage of salmonellosis.

• Newborns. In the first month of life, there is no clear evidence of gastrointestinal damage, temperature indicators remain normal. Mothers note the refusal of the baby to eat and the lack of weight. The skin turns pale, the tummy swells, belching comes out of the mouth. The baby is constantly worried.
• Babies. Early symptoms of salmonellosis infection in children under one year old include vomiting and increased stools up to 7 r. per day, poor appetite and a jump in temperature to high levels. If left untreated, diarrhea worsens and causes dehydration.
• Preschoolers and older children. Salmonellosis develops acutely with a sharp increase in body temperature (38 - 38.5 ° C), abdominal pain, repeated vomiting and diarrhea. Children complain of decreased appetite and general weakness. Delayed or inadequate therapy leads to dehydration, acute renal failure and toxic shock.

The famous pediatrician Komarovsky draws the attention of parents to the external manifestations of salmonellosis. The condition of children deteriorates sharply, the body reacts to microbes with severe intoxication. If you suspect that the baby has become a victim of salmonella, urgently go to the clinic or call an ambulance.

Methods for diagnosing salmonellosis

The primary diagnosis after a general examination is an acute intestinal infection. The final verdict is made by the infectious disease specialist or gastroenterologist based on the results of blood and urine tests and bacteriological culture of feces. The tasks of diagnostic measures include the isolation of the pathogen with the definition of its type and the examination of all persons in contact with the child.

Making an incorrect diagnosis and neglecting the child's condition give quite serious complications:

1. reactive arthritis;
2. convulsive syndrome;
3. kidney failure;
4. infectious-toxic shock;
5. swelling of the lungs or brain.

How to treat children with salmonellosis

Drug treatment of salmonellosis in children is prescribed strictly individually and without the involvement of folk methods. With a disease of moderate and high severity, the patient is placed in a hospital. In mild forms of salmonellosis, therapy is carried out at home.

With food contamination, treatment begins with gastric lavage. Sodium bicarbonate solution contributes to the partial elimination of toxins from the body and the elimination of intoxication. A 2% concentrate of the substance is diluted with 2-3 liters of water at a temperature of 18-20°C. Hemosorption, or blood purification, is carried out using the drugs Sorbilact, Reosorbilact, Reopoliglyukin.

The state of dehydration is eliminated by the use of rehydration solutions:

• Oralite;
• Regidron;
• Glucosolan.

The child is drunk with solutions at the rate of 40 - 70 ml of the product for each kilogram of body weight. With severe intoxication without dehydration, the dose is reduced to 30-40 ml.

The use of antibiotics for the treatment of children from salmonellosis is resorted to only in severe cases. First determine the sensitivity of the detected Salmonella. Based on the data obtained, a suitable drug is selected. Usually this is a group of cephalosporins that stop repeated vomiting. Of the intestinal antiseptics, small patients are prescribed Enterofuril or Ersefuril.

Carriers of salmonella and older children are prescribed:

1. probiotics;
2. immune lactoglobulins;
3. bacteriophages are specific anti-salmonella agents.

With salmonellosis, baby food should be sparing, protecting the intestinal mucosa from strong mechanical and chemical effects. Complete exclusion from the diet are subject to:

• whole milk;
• coarse fiber vegetables;
• animal fats;
• marinades, spices, smoked meats, seasonings.

Useful for a child affected by salmonella will be:

• cottage cheese;
• low-fat cheese;
• boiled fish;
• fruit jelly;
• steam cutlets and meatballs;
• oatmeal and rice porridge on water and vegetable broths.

The dietary diet must be followed for 4 weeks from the onset of the disease.

Our expert comments

1. Remember that the consequences of salmonellosis undermine the immune system, attracting secondary infection or exacerbation of chronic pathologies. Salmonella remaining in the intestines spread throughout the body and form local foci of inflammation. A sick child can subsequently suffer from angina, otitis or pneumonia for a long time.
2. Observe the rules of personal hygiene and do not violate the technology of cooking. High-temperature processing of animal products. Do not give your child raw eggs, and wash the shell thoroughly before preparing omelettes and scrambled eggs.
3. To prevent salmonellosis infection, store meat in the freezer. Get a separate board for cutting game and chickens.

With a timely visit to the doctor, the prognosis for the treatment of salmonellosis is favorable. Therapy takes place in 5 - 10 days, but immunity against salmonella is not developed. Therefore, the child can get sick again.

Doctor talks about the danger of salmonellosis for a child

Salmonellosis in children is an acute infectious disease of the digestive system that occurs as a result of infection with Salmonella bacteria. The disease is accompanied by dehydration and severe intoxication, sometimes occurs with septicemia (in infants) or typhoid (in older children).

Salmonellosis develops in the form of isolated cases or outbreaks. Most often, cases of salmonellosis are recorded in the summer due to frequent violations of food storage conditions. Read more about what salmonellosis is, what are its causes, how to treat it and how to cure it, read our article.

Causes of the disease and ways of transmission of the pathogen

The causative agent of the disease - salmonella, affects not only people, but also animals. It is stable in the external environment, tolerates low temperatures and the action of many antibacterial drugs, but quickly dies when boiled and disinfectants are used. Salmonella actively multiply in animal products - milk, meat, butter, eggs.

The source of infection for a child is mainly animals, less often infection occurs from a sick person. Waterfowl are the most dangerous.

The main ways of transmission of the pathogen:

1. Food - when eating dishes from eggs, milk, meat, which are not thermally processed immediately before use (soufflé, cakes, salads). There is also a risk of infection when drinking unboiled contaminated water.
2. Contact-household - the main route of transmission of salmonellosis in infancy. A child can become infected through the dirty hands of parents or medical personnel, changing tables, care items, nipples, toys, towels.
3. By inhalation of contaminated dust.
4. Transplacental - the pathogen is transmitted in utero from mother to child.

Children under 2 years of age are most susceptible to salmonellosis.

The place of initial localization of salmonella is the small intestine. During the incubation period, the bacterium multiplies and spreads to the lymph nodes and bloodstream.

Types and forms of the disease

Depending on the clinical picture and localization of the pathogen, salmonellosis is divided into:

1. Gastrointestinal:

• gastric;
• gastroenterocolitic;
• gastroenteric.

1. Generalized:

• typhoid;
• septic.

1. Bacterioexcretion:

• acute;
• transient;
• chronic.

Symptoms of the disease in children

The incubation period for salmonellosis ranges from several hours to 5 days. Symptoms vary depending on the clinical form of the disease. The main signs of any form of salmonellosis are:

• acute onset with fever (lasting from 5-7 days to 2-3 weeks);
• frequent fetid stools (normalizes after 7-10 days);
• signs of dehydration (dry mucous membranes and skin).

Features of the clinical picture in infants and newborns

In young children, symptoms of general intoxication predominate over the symptoms of intestinal disorders.

Body temperature may remain normal. Hypotrophy is observed in children, they do not gain weight well.

Babies are restless, often spit up, the stomach is swollen, the extremities are cold.

Dehydration is manifested by dry skin, mucous membranes, tongue, oliguria, retraction of the fontanel.

Gastrointestinal form

Most common among children. In children older than 2 years, it occurs in the form of gastritis or gastroenteritis. Symptoms:

• epigastric pain;
• heat;
• general malaise, weakness;
• frequent vomiting;
• frequent profuse diarrhea with particles of undigested food;
• tongue dry, coated with thick coating;
• slight flatulence.

The gastrointestinal form in infants occurs in the form of enteritis. Signs:

• stomach ache;
• episodic vomiting, nausea;
• diarrhea up to 5 - 10 times a day; stools are mushy or liquid, continuous, with an admixture of mucus, greenery, white lumps with a sharp sour smell;
• bloating and rumbling in the abdomen;
• subfebrile body temperature.

The colitis form in children is rarely recorded and has a clinical picture of colitis. Main features:

• acute onset with symptoms of intoxication;
• pain in the large intestine;
• liquid green stools streaked with blood and mucus.

typhoid form

Characteristic signs:

• dyspeptic symptoms (diarrhea, vomiting, flatulence);
• persistent or fluctuating fever;
• symptoms of general intoxication (malaise, headache, weakness);
• hemorrhagic rash on the skin;
• hepatosplenomegaly.

septic form

More common in newborns and infants. Symptoms:

• dyspeptic phenomena;
• fever with severe chills and profuse sweating;
• hepatolienal syndrome;
• tachycardia.

After salmonellosis, some children continue to release the pathogen into the environment for a month. If bacterial excretion lasts more than 3 months, it is considered chronic.

The danger of salmonellosis in childhood

The disease can have serious complications with a high probability of death:

1. infectious-toxic shock;
2. cerebral edema;
3. pulmonary edema;
4. kidney failure;
5. convulsive syndrome;
6. reactive arthritis;
7. purulent complications.

Diagnosis of salmonellosis

When the first signs of salmonellosis are detected, parents should contact an infectious disease specialist or gastroenterologist to confirm the diagnosis. The doctor uses the following examination methods:

• inspection;
• bacteriological culture of vomit, feces, intestinal and stomach washings;
• analysis of feces for dysbacteriosis;
• coprogram;
• general blood analysis;
• RNGA of blood - detection of antibodies to salmonella.

Treatment of salmonellosis in children

Therapy for a mild form of salmonellosis is carried out at home. Children with a severe course of the disease and infants are subject to hospitalization.

Treatment of the disease includes diet therapy, measures aimed at correcting dehydration and cleansing the body of toxins.

The child's nutrition should consist of mashed and boiled foods (diet No. 4). Exclude from the diet:

• animal fats;
• whole milk;
• vegetables with coarse fiber.

The baby can be fed:

• oatmeal or rice porridge in water or vegetable broth;
• boiled fish;
• steam cutlets, meatballs;
• fruit jelly;
• cottage cheese, low-fat cheeses.

The diet continues 28 - 30 days from the onset of the disease.

Removal of toxins from the body

In order to cleanse the body, apply:

1. Gastric lavage with water or sodium bicarbonate solution.
2. Hemosorption with drugs Rheosorbilact, Sorbilact, Reopoliglyukin. The drugs are administered intravenously-drip after correction of dehydration.

Dehydration Correction

1. Regidron, Glucosolan, Oralit are administered orally at the rate of 40-70 ml per 1 kg of body weight per day (depending on the degree of dehydration). The solution is given in fractional portions (1 tsp every 5 minutes) during the day.
2. Intravenous administration of glucose solution, physiological saline - if oral rehydration is not possible.

With a generalized form, antibiotics are additionally prescribed - Levomycetin, Doxycycline.

With the gastrointestinal form, children are shown taking enzymes - Enzistal, Festal.

With prolonged bacterial carriage, the following is prescribed:

1. means to increase immunity;
2. bacteriophages;
3. probiotics - Bifikol, Bifidumbacterin.

Treatment prognosis

With timely treatment to the doctor, the prognosis for recovery is favorable. Most children tolerate salmonellosis without consequences or complications. A dangerous disease can be for infants and debilitated children.

How to prevent salmonellosis

Measures to prevent salmonellosis:

1. Eat only well-thermally processed foods (meat, eggs).
2. If there is a patient with salmonellosis at home, provide him with individual hygiene and tableware.
3. During wet cleaning, it is also necessary to wash children's toys.
4. Make sure that the baby does not take various objects from the floor into his mouth.
5. Do not swim in prohibited waters.
6. Limit or exclude contact of the child with pigeons, chickens and other farm animals.

Expert advice

1. Gastric lavage in a child can be done in this way: offer to drink a glass of liquid, then press your finger on the tip of the tongue, causing vomiting. The rinsing continues until the rinsing waters are clear. Remember that gastric lavage on your own at home should not be done for children under 3 years old! It is undesirable to use a spoon to induce a gag reflex, since metal can damage the soft tissues of the oral cavity.
2. Self-medication and treatment with folk methods for salmonellosis is unacceptable.
3. For prophylactic purposes, a salmonella bacteriophage can be prescribed to family members of a sick child.
4. After the illness, the child develops immunity, which lasts up to 12 months.
5. Food prepared for a child should not be stored. Otherwise, it must be reheated to a temperature of 70 C.

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Salmonellosis symptoms in children

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One of the most common dangerous intestinal diseases is salmonellosis. Symptoms and treatment in adult patients are practically no different from the signs and treatment of the disease in children. But still, the course of the disease may have its own characteristics depending on the age of the patient.

What is salmonellosis?

How to treat salmonellosis, it is important to know even for those who have never encountered such a problem. After all, the disease has become so "famous" throughout the globe that every year the number of people who have been infected is steadily increasing. To understand the nuances of treating a disease, you need to know what kind of pathology it is, how it manifests itself and what consequences it is fraught with.

Salmonellosis belongs to the class of acute infectious diseases provoked by pathogenic microorganisms. In particular, the causative agent of this disease is salmonella. In most cases, with timely diagnosis and timely therapy, the prognosis for recovery is quite favorable.

How does infection occur?

Salmonellosis in children, the symptoms and treatment of which raise a lot of questions from parents, proceeds in the form of dysfunction of the digestive tract. The most common manifestations are gastroenteritis and colitis. It is not difficult to become infected with this disease, especially since the source of infection is often the people themselves, as well as birds and animals. Signs of salmonellosis in humans (how to treat the disease - only a doctor will answer this question, self-medication can be dangerous) most often appear in the hot summer season.

In addition, salmonella often settles in the human body after eating contaminated foods. The harmful microorganism can be found in meat, milk, butter or dirty untreated water. With insufficient heat treatment, bacteria remain in the product, entering the gastrointestinal tract. It is almost impossible to discern the presence of salmonella, for example, in a piece of meat: it does not have the slightest effect on the taste of contaminated products or their appearance.

Who is at risk?

In order for a pathogenic bacterium to enter the body through the oral-fecal route, it is enough simply not to wash your hands once after using the toilet or upon returning home from the street. It is not surprising that the question of how to treat salmonellosis is of most concern to parents. Children under the age of 12 are the main risk group for infection, since they most often do not follow the basic rules of personal hygiene. Infant infections are most malleable, since babies do not yet have time to develop strong immunity.

Incubation period and manifestations of salmonellosis

4 days after infection, salmonellosis will begin to manifest itself. Symptoms and treatment in adults are usually determined by the presence of an incubation period during which certain signs of the disease may occur. The absence of pronounced symptoms can be called one of the main reasons for the impossibility of timely early therapy.

Meanwhile, after a 4-day latent phase of an infectious disease, patients at any age begin to be disturbed by painful unpleasant manifestations similar to signs of food poisoning, including:

• pain and pain in the abdomen;
• flatulence, constant feeling of bloating;
• prolonged diarrhea accompanied by a fetid odor;
• the possible presence of blood or mucus in the feces;
• persistent vomiting, nausea;
• dehydration of the body;
• refusal to eat due to lack of appetite;
• high body temperature;
• feeling of ache in muscles and bones;
• mild neurological symptoms.

The last group of signs of infection include dizziness, migraine and sleep disturbances. If any of the above symptoms appear, it is important to isolate the patient from other family members as soon as possible. The predominant part of intestinal infections is characterized by a high degree of spread of the disease.

Features of children's symptoms

Salmonellosis in children has a distinctive feature. Symptoms and treatment largely depend on dehydration. In childhood, this sign of infection is considered the most dangerous. In babies under 1 year old, dehydration from salmonellosis can develop in a matter of hours. In this case, a group of additional symptoms appears:

• dryness in the mouth;
• lack of tears during crying;
• general weakness of the body;
• pallor of the skin;
• cold extremities;
• drowsiness.

Hospitalization and diagnosis

For adults, the state of dehydration is also a danger. In severe cases, with a complicated course of the disease, the patient may even fall into a coma, therefore, at the first sign of a significant loss of fluid, urgent hospitalization is necessary, especially for pregnant women and the elderly.

Before treating salmonellosis, it is important to do all the necessary laboratory tests. The doctor will give the patient a referral for a stool test, a biochemical and a clinical blood test. Further actions are possible only after the doctor makes an accurate diagnosis and confirms salmonellosis. From what the infection occurred, it can also matter for a specialist, therefore, often with this infection, the remains of undigested foods in the esophagus are taken for research.

Drinking plenty of salmonella

Before starting a serious drug therapy aimed at the maximum elimination of pathogenic bacteria in the patient's body, it is necessary to adjust the diet and drinking regimen. The primary task of doctors in inpatient facilities where salmonellosis is treated is to restore the patient's fluid and electrolyte balance. Dehydration can be cured by drinking plenty of fluids on a regular basis. As a rule, doctors recommend:

• weak tea (black or green) without sugar;
• mineral water in small sips;
• saline solution.

Diet for intestinal infections

Dieting is an equally important fundamental step in the treatment of salmonellosis. The task of a limited diet is to restore the full functioning of the digestive organs. Therefore, any products that can irritate the patient's gastrointestinal tract are completely excluded from the daily menu until complete recovery. Among them:

• raw vegetables and fruits (you can only eat boiled, steamed, stewed and baked);
• any bread (white and black);
• mushrooms:
• whole milk;
• animal fats;
• seafood;
• sausages, semi-finished products, fast food;
• confectionery;
• carbonated drinks, coffee, alcohol.

Drug therapy for adults

Since it is impossible to treat salmonellosis without drugs, it is worth considering in detail the list of drugs prescribed to patients. On average, drug therapy for an intestinal infection caused by salmonella rarely lasts more than 10 days. Meanwhile, how much salmonellosis is treated depends largely on the patient's condition.

As already mentioned, at the beginning of treatment it is extremely important to eliminate dehydration, which occurs due to intense vomiting and diarrhea. A drug such as Loperamide will help slow down the activity of the intestines. Manufacturers do not recommend taking it for more than 5 days.

An antibiotic for salmonellosis is prescribed in the case when the disease is severe. The drug is first administered to the patient intravenously. After relief, they switch to oral administration or intramuscular injections. The most common antibacterial drugs are:

• "Azithromycin".
• "Ciprofloxacin".
• "Cefotaxime".
• "Ceftriaxone".

Cleansing the body of bacteria

For headaches and high fever, Ibuprofen, Paracetamol are prescribed. Cleansing the intestines with an enema is considered effective and useful for salmonellosis. In addition, sorbents, which are considered indispensable for intestinal infections, will help remove all toxins from the body. The most famous drugs can be called Enterosgel, Smecta, activated carbon.

For the subsequent normalization of the activity of the organs of the digestive system, the doctor prescribes enzyme-containing preparations (Festal, Mezim, Creon). After undergoing antibiotic treatment, it is imperative to drink a course of probiotics, which will help restore the disturbed microflora in the intestine. It is necessary to take such medicines for a long time, at least 2-3 weeks. Effective means, which include live bacteria, are Lactobacterin, Bifidumbacterin, Acipol.

The nuances of treating children from salmonellosis

As such, there is no cure for salmonellosis for the treatment of children. The same drugs are used as for adult patients, but in a different dosage. First of all, it is necessary to solder the sick child. To remove all kinds of toxins from the body, it is advisable to give a teaspoon of water or other drink every 5 minutes. In cases of severe dehydration, doctors may prescribe glucose drips.

Antibiotics and antipyretics for a child can only be prescribed by the attending doctor. In no case should you self-medicate. The restrictions that apply to adult patients fully apply to children. It is necessary for a child to adhere to a diet for as long as possible, since it will be difficult for a weakened baby's body to cope with a sharp load on the digestive system.

Folk recipes for intestinal infections

Folk remedies for salmonellosis, unfortunately, do not guarantee a 100% positive result. Meanwhile, in combination with drug therapy and diet, homemade recipes for getting rid of an intestinal infection can be an additional option that speeds up treatment. However, it is advisable to approach the use of agents that are absolutely safe at first glance with caution. It is advisable to use at least one of the following recipes only after consulting a doctor.

1. Plantain infusion. You can cure salmonellosis with herbal medicine if you prepare it at the rate of: 1 tbsp. l. crushed leaves a glass of boiling water. It is necessary to infuse such an infusion for 10-15 minutes, after which you should drink homemade medicine in small sips.
2. Walnut tincture is considered effective against intestinal infection. To prepare it, you will need to take a glass of peeled fruits and 2 glasses of vodka. Put the medicine in a dark place for 3-4 days. It is necessary to use the resulting remedy every 2 hours, 5 drops for children (diluted in 1 tablespoon of boiled water) and 10 drops for adults.
3. To maintain the overall resistance of the body, the most effective remedy is an infusion of chamomile officinalis. For 1 st. l. collection requires 1 cup of boiling water. In a metal container, put the medicine on a slow fire and cook for about 5 minutes. When the broth has cooled and infused, you can use it. For an adult patient, the medicine should be taken at least 4 times a day, 2 tbsp. l. after meal.
4. Essential peppermint oil will help eliminate stomach pain with salmonellosis. It is applied externally, a few drops are enough, after which the product is rubbed into the skin with gentle circular movements. Such a massage can also be done to improve intestinal motility.

Possible complications of salmonellosis

The symptoms of the disease cannot be ignored. Any intestinal infection provoked by a pathogenic microorganism is dangerous to the health and life of the patient. Untimely belated therapy to eliminate bacteria in the body is fraught with negative dangerous consequences, including:

• heart and kidney failure;
• sharp jumps in blood pressure;
• respiratory arrest, collapse.

In addition, purulent complications can occur from all internal organs and systems. With salmonellosis, these are often:

• peritonitis;
• appendicitis;
• arthritis.

At an advanced stage of the disease, bacteria, reaching the meninges through the bloodstream, can provoke inflammation and encephalopathy. Infectious-toxic shock, as well as exacerbation of chronic diseases (pancreatitis, cholecystitis) are rare in patients, but such complications in most cases can end in failure. Rarely, salmonella causes problems with blood clotting.

The children's body is most susceptible to various infections and the effects of negative factors. This is due to the immune system, which has a weak resistance and protection. Often in childhood there is such an unpleasant infectious disease as salmonellosis. And this is not surprising. Children often play in the street, pick up homeless animals, put dirty toys in their mouths, all this leads to various infectious infections, including salmonellosis. But if the treatment of this disease is not started in time, serious consequences can occur. Therefore, you need to know the main signs of salmonellosis in children, which will help you quickly determine the presence of this disease and conduct timely treatment.

What is salmonellosis

Salmonellosis in children is one of the most severe and common intestinal infections. which causes dehydration and weakening of the whole organism. Salmonella bacteria are the main source of infection.

Often there is salmonellosis in children under one year old. Children at this age are 5-6 times more likely to be affected by this disease. The main outbreaks of the disease occur in summer and autumn, when it is hot outside.

Factors of occurrence and ways of infection

Salmonellosis can develop not only in the human body, but the disease is often found in pets. There are about 700 types of pathogens that can provoke this disease in humans. These bacteria are quite resistant to the environment, but they can die at elevated temperatures.. The active development of bacteria occurs in eggs, in meat and dairy products, in oil. Harmful substances that bacteria secrete have a destructive effect on the intestinal mucosa, and also increase the secretion of fluids and salts.

How is salmonellosis transmitted? What are the ways of getting this infection? A newborn and an older child can become infected from pets; in rare situations, infection can occur from adults.

Identify the main sources of infection:

• food type. The pathogen enters the gastrointestinal tract of the child during the consumption of contaminated food. This is usually due to the low heat treatment of food. Also, infection can occur during the use of untreated water.
• Contact household. Usually this route of infection occurs in infants. Infection can occur through the unclean hands of medical staff or parents, through toys, pacifiers, various care products, as well as through the inhalation of dust particles.
• Transplacental. This type of infection involves the infection of a pregnant or lactating woman and, as a result, an unborn child. Pathogens can enter the fetus in utero or through the mother's breast milk.

The highest sensitivity to salmonellosis in children aged 3 months to 2-3 years. The main localization of the pathogen is the region of the rectum. During their reproduction, bacteria enter the bloodstream and lymph flow.

Common symptoms of salmonellosis

Salmonellosis in a child can be manifested by a group of infections that have different signs of manifestation and severity of the course. It all depends on the form of the disease.

There are usually two forms of salmonellosis:

1. Typical shape. It is divided into subspecies of infection - gastrointestinal, septic, typhoid;
2. atypical form. Subspecies of infection - erased, subclinical, bacteriocarrier.

The incubation period for salmonellosis in children can last from 2 hours to a week.. The duration of the incubation period depends on the level of damage, on the form of the disease and the number of bacteria that have entered the body.

For any form of the disease, the following symptoms are characteristic:

1. Acute start.
2. Fever state.
3. Frequent stools accompanied by a fetid odor.
4. Dehydration. Usually, in this condition, dry mucous membranes and skin are observed.

If this lesion occurs in an infant, then the newborn may experience pain in the tummy due to indigestion. Failure of the gastrointestinal tract of infants occurs due to general intoxication. Wherein body temperature may be within acceptable limits. In children, there is a slow weight gain, they become restless, there may be constant regurgitation, and the fontanel may also sink from dehydration.

Symptoms depending on the form of the disease

The symptoms of salmonellosis in children can vary. Usually, the signs of this infectious lesion depend on the type and extent of the lesion. Each variety of forms of this pathology proceeds differently and may have certain characteristic features.

Gastrointestinal toxic infection

In most cases, gastrointestinal salmonellosis occurs in infants and children under 1 year of age.. With this type of pathology, the internal organs of the digestive system are damaged. Manifested in the form of gastritis, enterocolitis, gastroenteritis.

The first signs of this type of lesion may be as follows:

• an increase in body temperature to 39-40 degrees or it can go into a subfebrile form;
• the occurrence of vomiting;
• pain in the abdomen;
• there may be abundant liquid stools, in which the presence of particles of undigested food is possible. The structure of the chair has a greenish tint, accompanied by a sour smell;
• bloating;
• a state of dehydration due to frequent vomiting and diarrhea.

Besides, Escherichia coli salmonella in children causes general intoxication, palpitations. Sometimes there may be convulsions and cold sweats. The state of asthenia and low blood pressure may persist for a long time after the acute symptoms have completely disappeared.

typhoid type

With this type of disease a child from one year to 3 years may have fever and stupefaction. This condition may take up to 14 days to appear. Seizures can come and go.

Signs accompanying this condition:

1. Loose stools with a watery structure, which can occur 3-5 times a day.
2. Flatulence.
3. Intoxication with malaise, state of weakness and headaches.
4. Dryness appears in the mouth, and a thickening of the tongue may also occur.
5. Rashes with hemorrhagic character appear on the skin.
6. The liver is enlarged.

septic form

This form is quite rare, mainly salmonellosis in infants occurs in a septic form.

What are the symptoms of septicemia?

• An increase in body temperature up to 40 degrees and above.
• Vomiting and diarrhea, loose stools may be with mucus and blood clots.
• Damage to the brain and its membranes.
• Fever and excessive sweating often occur;
• Increased heart rate.

After a complete recovery, children can shed infection bacteria for a month. If such carriage is observed for more than three months, then the consequences of salmonellosis in children become chronic.

What are the possible complications

Is salmonellosis dangerous? The main danger of this disease is that pathogenic organisms can spread throughout the body and cause the formation of local foci of infectious lesions on the internal organs. This disease causes a decrease in the immune system, in addition, with this disease, an exacerbation of chronic pathologies and a layering of new ones occur.

So why is salmonellosis dangerous? With this disease, the following complications may occur:

1. Edema of the brain and lungs.
2. Renal failure.
3. Peritonitis.
4. Abscess of internal organs.

Features of diagnostics

At the first symptoms of salmonellosis in a child, it is recommended to show it to an infectious disease specialist or a gastroenterologist. It is important that the diagnosis is carried out as early as possible, this will help to identify the disease in a timely manner and carry out the necessary treatment.

In order to make a diagnosis, the doctor conducts the following types of examinations:

• Analysis of feces, which determines the presence of dysbacteriosis.
• General blood analysis.
• Bakposev of vomit.
• Coprogram.
• RNHA - examination of the reaction of indirect hemagglutination of blood.

Treatment

After a child has been diagnosed with salmonellosis, treatment should be started, it is not easy to cure salmonellosis in a child, but it is necessary, since this disease can cause serious consequences or become chronic.

It is important that therapeutic therapy for each patient is carried out individually, because this disease occurs differently for everyone and has some distinctive features depending on the form of the disease. In addition, many types of pathogens have increased resistance to antibiotics, so they are prescribed only in exceptional cases. The main treatment should be directed to proper and healthy nutrition, as well as to the elimination of dehydration. If there are mild signs of infection, then treatment can be carried out at home. If there are complications, then hospitalization of the patient is indicated, followed by treatment in a hospital.

How to treat a child with nutrition? Children who are 2-3 years old and younger should be fed only natural foods. From the first days of the disease, it is recommended to follow the diet of table number 4. Be sure the food must be mashed and boiled.

Permitted products include the following:

1. Oatmeal or boiled rice. They should be cooked in water.
2. Boiled fish.
3. Steamed meatballs.
4. Kissels on a fruit basis.
5. Meatballs.
6. Cottage cheese.
7. Hard cheese with a fat content of 0%.

It is forbidden to consume fats of animal origin, milk, coarse fiber.

The diet should be followed for 30 days. Food should be expanded gradually, it is allowed to add some products. After a month, you can switch to your usual diet, but on condition that all signs of infection have completely disappeared.

How to remove toxins

A person with salmonellosis should be given first aid - gastric lavage. This procedure will alleviate the condition, as well as remove toxic elements from the body that have a toxic effect. Self-washing can be done by children over 3 years old.

Features of home cleaning:

1. For cleansing, you will need a 2% sodium bicarbonate solution or water (2-3 liters).
2. The liquid for cleansing should be warm, its temperature should be about 20 degrees Celsius.
3. Next, you need to give the child a glass of water so that he drinks it.
4. You can induce vomiting by pressing on the root of the tongue.
5. Flushing is carried out until the water is completely clear..

How to correct dehydration

Oral rehydration after gastric lavage. Drinking solutions are made for the rehydration procedure, it is possible to use the following preparations:

• "Oralit";
• "Rehydron";
• Glucosolan.

Features of the use of these solutions:

1. It is usually recommended to give the child half or a full teaspoon of the solution every 5 minutes.
2. During a mild form of the disease, it is necessary to take about 30-40 ml of solution per 1 kilogram of weight per day.
3. In severe form, it is indicated to take 70 ml per 1 kilogram of weight.
4. Replenishment of water-salt reserves is carried out within 2-3 days until the complete disappearance of all symptoms of intoxication.

If salmonellosis is accompanied by frequent vomiting, which makes it impossible to drink these solutions, then in these cases rehydration is carried out intravenously. For intravenous administration, glucose is used.

Medical treatment

If the infectious lesion is severe, and if Salmonella hypersensitivity to drugs is detected, then antibiotics for salmonellosis in children are the priority choice of therapy. Antibiotic agents of different groups are prescribed:

• penicillins - amoxiclav, ampicillin, flemoxin, etc.;
• cephalosporins - cefix, ceftriaxone;
• aminoglycosides - netilmicin;
• carbapenems - meropenem.

Additionally, the doctor may prescribe the use of enterosorbents - smecta, atoxyl, polysorb.

Since antibiotics can cause various digestive disorders, prebiotics must be prescribed to normalize the state of the intestinal microflora. The most effective peribotics include duphalac, linex, bifikol.

The treatment should be entrusted to the attending physician, who will optimally select the medicines, including during the recovery period, and also prescribe free prescription drugs for children.

Further observation

Be sure to monitor the patient's condition for three months after a full course of treatment. Every month it is necessary to carry out bakposev. If a negative result for salmonella is detected, then the child is removed from the register.

It is necessary to check people who have been in contact with the patient, they are monitored for 7 days. Bacteriological analysis of feces is taken from people who have been in contact with the patient. If the results are negative, then the person is considered healthy.

How to treat at home

Treatment of salmonellosis in children at home is carried out only in cases where the disease is mild. However, it is still recommended to consult with your doctor first. How is salmonellosis treated at home? In addition to antibiotics and drugs, folk remedies can be used at home.

An effective remedy is considered to be a tincture based on chamomile flowers, which is prepared according to the following scheme:

1. Pour 50 grams of dried chamomile flowers into the pan.
2. Pour chamomile with a glass of hot water.
3. We put on fire, boil and boil for 5 minutes.
4. Then everything is infused for 4 hours.
5. After that, the broth is filtered.

Ready tincture should be given to the child 100 ml several times a day.

Prevention

Prevention of salmonellosis in children will help to avoid the appearance of this disease:

• All food must be thoroughly cooked during cooking, especially animal products.
• If there is a carrier of infection in the house, then separate hygiene products and utensils should be allocated for it.
• In no case should the child take dirty toys, objects from the floor into his mouth.
• All toys must be washed with soap.
• Do not swim in dirty waters.
• It is necessary to limit the contact of children with poultry - chickens, ducks, geese.

If you follow all the recommendations, you can avoid contracting this infection. It should be borne in mind that salmonellosis is a dangerous infectious disease that can cause serious complications in children, so it is important to start treating this disease as early as possible.

If signs of a disease called salmonellosis appear, the symptoms in children progress rapidly, and there is already a chronic pathology. It is required to act immediately, and the small patient will be treated in the infectious diseases hospital. In a weakened body, dehydration develops, it is necessary to take antibiotics to exterminate the pathogenic flora. If there are signs of salmonellosis in a child, it is important to understand that this is a dangerous infectious disease, and it needs to be treated urgently.

What is salmonellosis in children

The disease is caused by salmonella bacteria, which penetrate the child's body and provoke symptoms of dehydration, intoxication. In infants, salmonellosis occurs with septicemia, in older children it develops like typhus. Carriers of the infection are contaminated food and animals. Bacteria are stable in the environment, immune to low temperatures, the action of certain antibiotics. The pathogenic flora dies during boiling and after the use of disinfectants. The patient is under medical supervision until complete recovery.

Symptoms of salmonellosis in children

After diagnosing salmonellosis and determining the specific form of a characteristic ailment, it is required to start intensive therapy in a timely manner. The incubation period of salmonellosis in children lasts from several hours to 5 days, after which the child is disturbed by pronounced symptoms of intoxication, and the quality of life is reduced. The intestinal tract is especially affected, the stomach hurts a lot. Other symptoms are:

• persistent fever (up to 5-7 days);
• diarrhea with liquid feces of a greenish tint and fetid odor;
• dryness of mucous membranes and skin.

Gastrointestinal form

With intestinal infections and progressive salmonellosis, the gastrointestinal form is considered the most common, which in patients from 2 years of age occurs in the form of gastritis or gastroenteritis. The main complaint of the child is that the stomach hurts, the fever worries, bouts of vomiting become more frequent. There are other changes in the general well-being of the patient:

• diarrhea develops, where particles of undigested food come out with feces;
• a dry tongue is observed, on which a white coating is visible;
• spastic pain in the abdomen;
• moderate flatulence in acute intestinal disorders.

typhoid form

This kind of disease occurs more often in older children, is not accompanied by symptoms of intoxication. Studying the clinical picture, one can confuse the specified diagnosis with typhoid fever, therefore, the diagnosis is more often complicated, the treatment does not begin in time. After extensive intestinal damage, the characteristic manifestations of salmonellosis are presented below:

• regular migraine attacks;
• temperature fluctuations;
• enlargement of the spleen and liver;
• chronic insomnia;
• the appearance of a hemorrhagic rash;
• weakness and lethargy;
• capricious behavior.

septic form

Newborns and infants, which are characterized by manifestations of gastroenteritis, suffer from this type of salmonellosis. A dangerous complication in the absence of timely therapy is the death of a clinical patient. A characteristic sign of gastroenteritis is fever, additional symptoms are as follows:

• migraine attacks;
• increased sweating;
• muscle pain;
• enlargement of the liver and spleen;
• poor sleep, insomnia;
• attacks of tachycardia;
• emotional instability.

First symptoms

A child with infection begins indigestion, which develops into severe symptoms of dyspepsia. This is flatulence, increased gas formation, acute diarrhea, pain in the abdomen. Salmonellosis will definitely be accompanied by vomiting, which causes complete dehydration of the child's body. It is important to normalize water metabolism with medication. Stool with salmonellosis is liquid, has a greenish tint, a fetid odor. Here are other symptoms:

• frequent bowel movements;
• recurrent abdominal pain;
• acute intestinal colic;
• heat;
• increased nervousness;
• poor baby sleep
• reduced physical activity.

Symptoms in children under one year old

The disease will manifest itself after 2-3 days from the moment of Salmonella infection, which requires immediate hospitalization. It is difficult for a baby’s weak immunity to resist pathogenic bacteria on its own, therefore, medication is necessary - taking antibiotics. The main task of parents is to stop frequent vomiting, restore the water balance of the child's body. Before treating salmonellosis, the disease must be diagnosed clinically. Attention should be paid to the following symptoms in the child's body:

• an increase in body temperature to the level of 40 degrees;
• bloating, painful for the child on palpation;
• liquid green stool, foamy in consistency;
• thickening of the tongue due to increased dryness of the mucous membranes;
• pathological enlargement of the liver in size.

Symptoms of chronic salmonellosis

If you ignore the obvious manifestations of the acute stage of the disease, salmonellosis is rapidly acquiring a chronic form, which is difficult to treat effectively. Signs of salmonellosis in children in this case are presented below, they are distinguished by their moderation, the frequency of relapses under the influence of pathogenic factors. This:

• minor jumps in temperature;
• regular digestive problems;
• indigestion;
• periodic bouts of vomiting;
• paroxysmal headaches.

Signs of salmonellosis

The focus of pathology is the gastrointestinal tract. The patient is characterized by acute food poisoning, or a pathogenic infection enters the child's body with breast milk. Extensive intoxication of the liver and spleen predominates, so even a newborn patient is prescribed antibiotics. It is difficult to call a quick treatment, so the task of parents is to know how salmonellosis manifests itself - symptoms in children. The clinical outcome in a particular clinical picture depends on the availability of such knowledge. The characteristic signs of salmonellosis are as follows:

• fetid stool;
• change in color and consistency of feces;
• cramps in the abdomen;
• frequent bouts of vomiting, nausea;
• increase in body temperature.

Chair

If salmonellosis develops, specific symptoms in children appear after 1-3 days from the moment of infection with bacteria. First of all, it is liquid stool, in the consistency of which there are pieces of undigested food. This suggests that the affected digestive organs cannot cope with the received load, there is dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract. Stool with salmonellosis is liquid, has a greenish tint, can foam, smells unpleasant. It is difficult not to notice such a symptom, especially since the situation is only getting worse every hour, while it is supplemented by acute bouts of abdominal pain.

Treatment of salmonellosis in children

Such a disease is difficult for children to tolerate, and for the successful treatment of salmonellosis, a diet, antibiotics are prescribed without fail, and the basics of symptomatic therapy are appropriate. The prescription of medications depends on how the characteristic ailment manifests itself, what is the age of the small patient, whether the child has a pronounced tendency to an allergic reaction. Complex therapy is:

1. Diet. It is shown to exclude fats of animal origin, whole milk, vegetables from coarse fiber from the daily diet. It is recommended to choose oatmeal and rice porridge, steamed fish and meatballs, low-fat dairy products and cheese in the daily menu. The duration of the diet is 28-30 days.
2. antibiotic therapy. Since pathogenic bacteria are prone to spontaneous reproduction and spread, it is necessary to take antibiotics. Especially effective in the generalized form of salmonellosis is the appointment of Levomycetin, Doxycycline.
3. symptomatic treatment. Powder for the preparation of saline solution Regidron, Glucosolan inside from the following calculation helps from dehydration of the body: 40-70 ml per 1 kg of weight per day. The child must take the prepared liquid in portions throughout the day. If the use of oral rehydration is not possible, doctors give the child intravenous glucose, saline. With the gastrointestinal form of salmonellosis, doctors recommend taking enzyme preparations Enzistal, Festal.
4. Recovery therapy. In addition to taking vitamins, the pharmacological prescription of natural bacteriophages and probiotics (Bifikol, Bifidumbacterin) is also appropriate for children. This is an effective way to quickly restore the intestinal microflora, normalize loose stools, and get rid of diarrhea.
5. Gastric lavage. To force a gag reflex in a child, he must be allowed to drink a full glass of liquid, then press the tip of the tongue with a finger. It is strictly forbidden to carry out such a procedure on your own in childhood up to 3 years, otherwise you can unknowingly injure the oral mucosa.

Video

Salmonellosis is not a "childhood disease" and can develop at any age, but the disease is especially dangerous for young children. Symptoms of salmonellosis in children pose a threat to life, in addition, the disease has serious complications that can be fatal. The article will tell about how salmonellosis manifests itself in a child, why infection occurs and what drugs are prescribed to treat the disease.

Salmonellosis in children: features

Salmonellosis is an infectious intestinal disease that has an acute onset and a severe course. The disease is accompanied by severe symptoms of intoxication and dehydration.

The causative agent is a bacterium that mainly affects the small intestine - salmonella. The harmful microorganism belongs to the rod-shaped anaerobes. In the environment, it remains viable for a long time, for example, in water, a bacterium can exist for about 5 months, and in soil for about a year and a half.

Salmonella-contaminated foods are the main danger to humans. In livestock meat, the bacterium can remain viable for about 6 months, and in chicken carcasses for more than a year. Infected milk is a source of salmonellosis for 20 days, and kefir for about 30 days. After salmonella infection, butter remains a source of infection for humans for 4 months. Temperatures above 70 degrees are detrimental to bacteria. When the product is boiled, salmonella dies within 6-7 minutes.

Note: a salmonella-contaminated food product does not change its taste, so it is not possible to learn about its danger during its use.

Outbreaks of salmonellosis in children, as a rule, are massively recorded in the summer-autumn period. This is due to the violation of sanitary and hygienic standards in the hot season.

According to medical data, salmonellosis in infants is observed 6 times more often than in children older than the first year of life. In infants, the disease proceeds with septicemia (blood poisoning), and in older children, salmonellosis develops like typhoid.

Typical symptoms of salmonellosis in children

Signs of salmonellosis in a child can appear both after 5-6 hours, and after 5-6 days from the moment of infection. That's how long the incubation period is. Its duration depends on many factors, including the way the pathogen enters the body and individual susceptibility. After the incubation period, symptoms of malaise appear, depending on the age of the patient and the type of disease.

In newborns:

• symptoms of intestinal damage do not appear;
• body temperature does not rise;
• appetite decreases;
• there is a loss in weight;
• there is bloating, belching;
• blanching of the skin is observed;
• there are signs of anxiety.

In infants of the first year of life, the following symptoms of salmonellosis are observed:

• repeated vomiting;
• frequent bowel movements;
• increase in body temperature;
• refusal to eat;
• general deterioration of well-being.

In children of primary school and preschool age, salmonellosis manifests itself:

• severe pain in the abdomen;
• rise in temperature to 39 degrees;
• recurring episodes of vomiting;
• frequent loose stools;
• general weakness;
• decrease in appetite.

Important! In the absence of treatment, the patient develops signs of dehydration and intoxication of the body.

Gastrointestinal salmonellosis

As a rule, the disease develops according to the type of gastrointestinal toxic infection, with damage to the digestive tract. In this case, the symptoms of malaise appear sharply, suddenly. The patient's body temperature rises, aches, weakness, nausea appear, vomiting is observed. The child feels pain in the abdomen, mainly in its upper part and the navel. Soon he develops diarrhea, the stool becomes watery, fetid, has a greenish tint and a frothy consistency.

When examining a patient, the following signs of the disease can be noticed:

• pale skin;
• dryness of the tongue, the appearance of plaque on it;
• rumbling in the stomach, its swelling;
• moderate pain with pressure on the abdomen.

Typhoid-like salmonellosis

With the course of the disease by the type of typhoid, the following symptoms are observed in children:

• loose stools up to 5 times a day;
• flatulence, rumbling in the stomach;
• vomit;
• dry mouth, thickening of the tongue;
• skin rash;
• an increase in the size of the liver;
• weakness, headache.

Septic type of salmonellosis

This type of disease is the least common. Infants are most susceptible to its development. The septic type is characterized by the following symptoms:

• an increase in temperature to critical levels (40 degrees and above);
• repeated vomiting;
• loose stools, the presence of mucus and blood in the stool;
• cardiopalmus;
• increased sweating;
• muscle pain;
• sleep disturbance.

Causes and ways of infection

The cause of salmonellosis is the ingestion of Salmonella bacteria into the child's body. The likelihood of developing the disease increases if the baby has a tendency to allergies, weak immunity, and often suffers from infectious diseases.

Bacteria most often enter the body with water or food. The main sources of salmonellosis are chicken meat and eggs, milk, butter. If they are not properly heat treated during cooking, the bacteria do not die and enter the digestive tract through the mouth. In the small intestine, Salmonella actively multiply, during which ulcers and erosions form on the inner surface of the intestine, and tissue necrosis occurs.

In addition to salmonella-contaminated foods, the source of the disease can be another person infected with salmonella. It is this pathway that becomes the main way of transmission of infection in infants of the first year of life. Infection can occur due to non-compliance with hygiene standards by parents, loved ones and medical workers in contact with the child. Newborns can become infected with salmonellosis from a mother who had the disease during pregnancy. In addition, the air-dust transmission route of infection is possible - the baby inhales dust particles in which salmonella are present.

Note: Salmonella can be found in the body not only in humans, but also in pets, while they may not show signs of illness. This is the so-called carrier. The development of salmonellosis in children is possible after contact with a sick animal.

Disease danger

Salmonellosis in children without proper and timely treatment can result in serious complications and even death. That is why it is so important to know how the disease manifests itself, and in case of its occurrence, seek medical help. The causative agent of the disease is able to spread throughout the body through the bloodstream, which can provoke the formation of foci of infection in other vital organs: the kidneys, lungs, and brain.

Possible consequences of salmonellosis in children:

• the occurrence of seizures;
• swelling of the brain and lungs;
• kidney failure;
• reactive form of arthritis;
• peritonitis;
• development of abscesses on the internal organs;
• death.

Salmonella Control Methods

Treatment of salmonellosis in children at home is possible only with a mild course of the disease. Moderate severity and severe cases require a mandatory stay of the patient in the hospital. Even if the treatment is carried out at home, it must be prescribed and monitored by a doctor.

• gastric lavage;
• taking medication to kill salmonella;
• taking medications to restore the functioning of the digestive tract;
• removal of toxins from the body;
• dieting;
• maintaining a drinking regimen.

Important! Gastric lavage in children should be carried out by a medical professional. Children under 3 years of age do not wash.

Medicines

The child is prescribed antibiotics that have a detrimental effect on salmonella. It can be Levomycetin or Doxycycline. As a symptomatic therapy, appoint:

Diet

If the child is not breastfed, his diet is adjusted. The diet for salmonellosis in children involves the exclusion from the diet of animal fats, milk and dairy products, pickled, spicy, rough, hard to digest food, sweets, semi-finished products.

Important! If the child refuses to eat, do not force him. The main thing is that he drinks enough fluids. The primary task of parents is to give water to the baby.

The child needs to be soldered with water, herbal teas, compote. Drinking drinks and water in one gulp and in large quantities is contraindicated, as this will provoke another bout of vomiting. The baby should drink in small sips, but often.

If there is an appetite, the child can be offered to eat boiled rice or oatmeal, mashed potatoes (without butter and milk), boiled zucchini and low-fat fish, jelly, biscuit cookies, crackers.

After stabilization of the baby's condition, he should follow the diet for at least 3 more weeks.

Prevention of salmonellosis in children, which consists in observing the rules of personal hygiene, attentive and responsible attitude to the process of cooking and choosing food for the child, washing hands after contact with pets, will protect the children's body from such a terrible enemy as salmonella.