What is respiratory chlamydia. Chlamydia of the respiratory system Respiratory chlamydia symptoms in women

Date: 01.07.2020

Urogenital (genitourinary) chlamydia is a sexually transmitted infection caused by Chlamydia trachomatis. The problem of urogenital chlamydia is very acute today. In recent years, there has been an increase in chlamydia both among the sexually active adult population (men and women from 20 to 40 years old) and among adolescents. Early sexual intercourse, unprotected sex with casual partners, lack of awareness of the possible consequences of such relationships put chlamydia in one of the first places in the list of genital infections. Almost 90 million people are infected with chlamydia every year. Persons with reduced immunity are especially susceptible to chlamydia. In 40% of cases, chlamydial infection becomes the cause of various gynecological diseases, in 50% - tubal peritoneal infertility... Chlamydia is often combined with other genital infections: gardnerellosis, ureaplasmosis, trichomoniasis, gonorrhea, syphilis, mycoplasmosis, thrush. The combination of several infections aggravates the course of each other and lengthens the treatment. Women are more susceptible to chlamydia.

There are only three types of chlamydia that are dangerous to humans:

sexually transmitted disease and conjunctivitis are caused by chlamydia Chlamydia trachomatis;
the pathogen Chlamydia pneumoniae provokes the development of pulmonary chlamydia, pneumonia;
under the influence of Chlamydia psittaci, psittacosis is formed, which proceeds as pneumonia.

Pulmonary chlamydia negatively affects the respiratory organs, provoking the development of bronchial asthma, affecting the lungs after that. In this case, the disease can occur in two forms. With latent chlamydia is outside the cell, and accordingly there is no growth and reproduction. However, it is able to infect other cells and be transmitted to people around it.

Diseases caused by the pathogens of Chlamydia pneumoniae fall into a group collectively called pseudo-chlamydia. In adults and children, infection occurs by airborne droplets during a conversation with an infected person, when he sneezes, coughs. In this case, the human body is highly sensitive to pulmonary chlamydia. In about 20-50% of cases with chlamydia that has entered the body, antibodies are produced that remain in the bloodstream after the illness.

Chronic respiratory chlamydia in children and adults develops over a fairly long period, which can be several years. However, pneumonia is formed in only 10% of those affected. It should be noted that the ways of transmission of chlamydial infection are not limited to only one airborne method, the pathogen is able to penetrate the body:

Through dirty hands, household items. In this case, we are talking about a contact-household method.
If an infected person does not want to use barrier contraceptives, during intercourse, chlamydia enters the victim sexually.
Vertical transmission refers to the infection of a baby during birth when the mother has pulmonary chlamydia.

Enough 48 hours for the infection to provoke disruptions in the functionality of the body's systems. Infection of the upper respiratory tract provokes the appearance of a painful cough against the background of disrupted work of the ciliated epithelium, designed to remove mucus through the throat. The general state of health of the victim is noticeably deteriorating, the temperature may rise, with an exacerbation of the disease, consciousness may become cloudy.

Babies after a year are especially susceptible to infection and are very sensitive to the effects of pathogens. In the case of pulmonary chlamydia, children develop a persistent cough for a week, which often spills over into inflammatory processes in the lungs and protracted bronchitis. The main danger is that the pathology begins to develop like a common cold, therefore, diagnosis at an early stage is difficult.

In adults, the general picture differs little from children - the chlamydial pathogen enters the body, causing symptoms resembling pneumonia or obstructive bronchitis in the acute stage.

Extrapulmonary forms of the disease

In children and adults, a pathology such as respiratory chlamydia is often diagnosed. In this disease, the organs of vision, bronchi, trachea and lung tissue are affected. Chlamydia is often detected in newborn babies.

Along with typical pathogens, atypical microbes can cause pneumonia and bronchitis. These include chlamydia. These are microorganisms that have the properties of bacteria and viruses. Respiratory chlamydia differs from the urogenital mechanism and possible routes of infection. With this pathology, infection most often occurs through contaminated objects and an aerogenic mechanism.

Chlamydial infection can lead to acute respiratory infections, conjunctivitis, laryngotracheitis (combined inflammation of the trachea and bronchi), pneumonia and asthma. Otherwise, this disease is called psittacosis. In the absence of proper treatment, complications develop in the form of meningitis, enlargement of the liver and spleen, heart failure and thromboembolism.

The causative agents of the disease in adults and children are Chlamydia trachomatis, pneumoniae and psittaci.

Human infection occurs by aerogenic (through the air), contact-household (through household items) and fecal-oral mechanisms. The most common way of airborne infection.

Chlamydia can be transmitted by dirty hands, toys, dishes, dust, food, bird feces and feathers. Babies can become infected during childbirth.

The risk group includes children, poultry workers, rural residents, employees of pet shops and laboratories. A sick person is a source of infection. The causative agents of respiratory chlamydia have the following features:

Once in the body, chlamydia begins to multiply actively, causing inflammation of the respiratory tract. Initially, the larynx and trachea are affected, and then the bronchi and lung tissue.

Pulmonary chlamydia often develops. The symptoms of the disease are determined by the type of pathogen. Chlamydia pneumoniae pneumonia is diagnosed between the ages of 5–35 years. The disease is characterized by gradual development. Less often, an acute course is observed. It has the following symptoms:

fever;
cough;
weakness;
headache and muscle pain;
dyspnea;
grunting breath;
vomiting;
mild cyanosis of the skin;
rapid breathing.

Signs of intoxication of the body appear already on the 3rd day of the disease. In the subacute course of chlamydial pneumonia, symptoms that resemble acute respiratory infections first appear. These include chills, rhinorrhea, sore throat, and coughing. When listening to the lungs, wheezing is determined. With this form of pneumonia, the symptoms of respiratory failure are mild.

If the causative agent of the disease is Chlamydia trachomatis, then pneumonia most often develops gradually. Often it is preceded by conjunctivitis. Chlamydia of the lungs is manifested by dry, paroxysmal cough, tachypnea, vomiting, cyanosis, an increase in respiratory rate up to 50–70 per minute and increasing shortness of breath. There are no reprises. Often, these people have an enlarged liver.

Pulmonary chlamydia like ornithosis develops after a short incubation period. Prodromal phenomena are possible in the form of nausea, lack of appetite and subfebrile body temperature. Then the following symptoms occur:

fever up to 40 ºC;
dry mouth;
thirst;
muscle and joint pain;
chest pain;
productive cough with discharge of mucopurulent sputum;
rashes;
nosebleeds;
signs of conjunctivitis;
hepatomegaly;
headache;
weakness;
sleep disturbance;
depression.

The signs of intoxication are very pronounced. In severe cases, delusions and hallucinations may appear. With the meningeal form of psittacosis, symptoms of asthenization, arterial hypotension, nausea, vomiting and headache appear. Sometimes there are signs of dysfunction of the digestive system in the form of constipation, diarrhea and abdominal pain. The disease can last for a month or more.

You need to know not only the reasons for the development of respiratory chlamydia, but also how the inflammation of the bronchi proceeds. This pathology begins gradually. The general condition of patients most often does not suffer. Chlamydial bronchitis is characterized by a dry, paroxysmal cough and wheezing. The patients' sleep and appetite persist.

In the presence of chlamydia in the bronchi, the cough is dry at first. It gets worse at night. Coughing tense the abdominal muscles, resulting in pain. If the treatment is not carried out, then after 5-7 days it becomes productive. The attacks disappear. With bronchitis, shortness of breath does not occur. The disease lasts 10-14 days.

With respiratory chlamydia in babies, not only the respiratory system is affected, but also the eyes. Conjunctivitis develops. It has the following symptoms:

redness of both eyes;
enlargement of the parotid lymph nodes;
swelling of the eyelids;
mucous discharge;
lacrimation;
photophobia.

Conjunctivitis is often associated with blepharitis. Along with the eyes, the organ of hearing can be affected.

Complications

Chlamydiae in the lungs and other organs often cause complications. The following consequences are possible:

otitis;
sinusitis;
eustachitis;
reactive arthritis;
respiratory failure;
impaired liver function;
pleurisy;
pneumothorax;
the formation of abscesses;
inflammation of the heart muscle;
endocarditis;
meningoencephalitis;
bronchial asthma;
COPD;
hepatitis;
DIC syndrome;
polyneuropathy;
hemolytic anemia;
keratitis;
vegetative-vascular dystonia;
iridocyclitis.

Rare complications of chlamydial pneumonia (psittacosis) include thyroiditis and miscarriage. Deaths are possible. Most often they are observed in old age in weakened people. There is evidence that the presence of respiratory chlamydia increases the risk of stroke, atherosclerosis and Alzheimer's disease. Sometimes, against the background of this pathology, the work of the organs of the digestive tract is disrupted.

Diagnosis of respiratory chlamydia can be difficult due to the presence of catarrhal symptoms and mild signs of intoxication. SARS is often misdiagnosed. To identify respiratory chlamydia, the following tests will be needed:

percussion and auscultation of the lungs and heart;
measurement of body temperature, respiratory rate, pressure and pulse;
radiography of the lungs;
linked immunosorbent assay;
microscopic examination of sputum;
polymerase chain reaction;
study of biopsies;
general clinical tests of blood and urine;
bronchoscopy.

With the development of complications, a biochemical blood test, electrocardiography, ultrasound, electroencephalography and tomography may be required. If meningeal symptoms are present, a spinal tap is done. When examining the lungs, the following changes are possible:

harsh, bronchial, or impaired vesicular breathing;
dullness of percussion sound;
focal, segmental or lobar infiltration;
moist and crepitant wheezing.

Most often, bilateral damage is observed. The final diagnosis is made after the detection of specific antibodies to chlamydia or the genome of the pathogen. Immunological analysis is very informative. In respiratory chlamydia, an increase in the titer of IgA, IgG, IgM in the blood of patients is observed. To detect them, an enzyme immunoassay and a microimmunofluorescence reaction are carried out.

How to treat the problem

With the development of respiratory chlamydia, etiotropic, symptomatic and pathogenetic therapy is carried out. Macrolides are the drugs of choice. These include Azithromycin Forte, Sumamed, Azitrox, Sumatrolide Solution Tablets, Erythromycin-Lect, Wilprafen, Spiramycin-Vero and Rovamycin. In severe cases, drugs are given intramuscularly or intravenously.

In respiratory chlamydia, mucolytics, expectorant drugs, and immunomodulators are often prescribed. For severe fever, antipyretics (Panadol) are indicated. In the presence of chlamydia in the mucous membranes of the bronchi, inhalation is useful. Sometimes vibration massage and bronchial lavage are required.

For conjunctivitis, antibacterial drops and ointments are used. In severe cases, detoxification therapy is performed. During the rehabilitation period, exercise therapy, breathing exercises and physiotherapy are prescribed. Thus, the appearance of signs of respiratory chlamydia in the form of cough, runny nose and sore throat is the reason for going to the doctor and examination.

A cough in a child and in an adult is not always a sign of a cold alone, the underlying disease that it accompanies can be much more dangerous.

Pulmonary chlamydia is an infectious pathology that affects the respiratory system.

The formation of respiratory chlamydia begins when Chlamydia pneumoniae enters the cells, and is accompanied by a dry, violent cough.

General information

Pulmonary chlamydia negatively affects the respiratory organs, provoking the development of bronchial asthma, affecting the lungs after that. In this case, the disease can occur in two forms.

When latent chlamydia is outside the cell, there is no growth and reproduction. However, it is capable of infecting other cells, being transmitted to people around it.

When active, the cell is infected with chlamydia and that, being inside, gradually destroys tissues. Inflammatory processes in this case proceed very quickly.

In adults and children, infection occurs by airborne droplets during a conversation with an infected person, when he sneezes, coughs. In this case, the human body is highly sensitive to pulmonary chlamydia.

Macrolides

ARI (ARVI), in which there is a prolonged cough, runny nose, pain in the joints. This form of the disease has a long course and often turns into chronic chlamydia.
Laryngotracheitis, characterized by inflammation of the larynx and trachea, swelling of the mucous membrane, shortness of breath. The disease manifests itself in an increase in lymph nodes, a barking cough, an increase in temperature.
Bronchitis or asthma with chlamydia are manifested in the form of cough, shortness of breath, asthma attacks. Often an immediate medical appointment is required.
Pneumonia characterized by a severe course. It is observed when there are chlamydia in the lungs, symptoms in adults are manifested in the form of severe cough, wheezing, sputum with impurities of pus, acidosis, pain in the chest.

Reactive arthritis, in which chlamydia affects the joints of the limbs, as well as the temporomandibular joints. With untimely treatment, polyarthritis develops. Pathology begins to manifest itself one month after infection. Signs of its manifestation are joint swelling, an increase in its size, and redness of the skin. Over time, body temperature increases, weakness, back pain appears.
Conjunctivitis, manifested in photophobia, swelling of the eyelids, redness of the eyes, purulent discharge.
Pyelonephritis, which is chronic. Chlamydia manifests itself in the form of pain in the kidney area, itching when urinating, frequent urge, increased blood pressure.
Urethritis, which is manifested by symptoms such as purulent discharge from the urethra, the development of cystitis or prostatitis. Over time, the urethra narrows, epididymitis, vulvitis and so on appear.
Lymphadenitis, characterized by a strong increase in lymph nodes, which is accompanied by pain.

Symptoms of pulmonary chlamydia

As for the symptoms, they can be quite diverse - or completely absent if the respiratory infection is latent. The main signs that indicate an imminent danger to a child or adult include:

The appearance of a strong, persistent cough.
Weakness and general malaise.
The child becomes moody and whiny.
A rise in temperature can also be considered a symptom.
There is nausea and vomiting, cyanosis and shortness of breath.
Excessive enlargement of the spleen and liver is observed.

With respiratory chlamydia, inflammation of the bronchi is often observed, but the main symptom is a dry cough. An increase in temperature is observed quite rarely, appetite is not disturbed, insomnia does not occur. When listening, wheezing is observed in the lungs, although there are no signs of bronchial obstruction. The duration of the pathology is from one and a half to two weeks.

If there are no contraindications or other negative factors, the treatment is carried out according to a verified scheme - with the help of antibiotics from a number of macrolides.

Depending on the type of disease, drugs are prescribed in one form or another. For example, for chlamydial conjunctivitis, ointments or drops are the best option, for the rest - injections (intramuscular or intravenous).

With a complicated form of the disease, or its severe course, it will be advisable to use combination therapy, which implies the use of several drugs at the same time.

The course of treatment in most cases does not exceed 2 weeks.

To reduce the swelling of the respiratory tract, as well as to better remove the resulting sputum, it is recommended to take Erespal in the form of a syrup. In case of relapse, complex therapy is supplemented with immunomodulators.

The dosage and regimen of use should be calculated exclusively by the attending physician, in order to avoid complications and recurrence of pathology.

Preventive procedures include regularly examining future women in labor for chlamydia and prescribing treatment for it, if necessary. After the birth of the baby, he is provided with complete sterility during care and maximum isolation.

The same measures must be followed at home.

Respiratory chlamydia in a child is a disease most commonly caused by adult negligence.

Given that active prevention has not yet been developed, parents need to carefully monitor their health in order to save their child from the consequences of this pathology.

Diagnosis of pathology

To detect pulmonary chlamydia, the doctor prescribes the patient a microbiological examination, chest radiography, blood tests (general and serological), PCR, ELISA, and so on. Also, for an accurate diagnosis, a smear is taken from the pharynx for bacterioscopy. Differential diagnostics is of no small importance.

The treatment of the disease is preceded by a diagnosis carried out in two ways:

The genetic component of chlamydia in the separated sputum is determined. In the presence of DNA of pathogens, we can talk about the fact of infection.
Revealed specific antibodies present in the blood of the victim - IgA, IgM. They are formed in the body at an early stage of the development of the disease and disappear after effective therapy. If only the IgG type is found, they speak of a previous infection.

Treatment principles

After examination and diagnosis, treatment of respiratory chlamydia in children and adults is carried out jointly by a pulmonologist with a therapist, in some cases, consultation of an immunologist is required. Pulmonary chlamydia requires the mandatory use of antimicrobial drugs in the treatment process: macrolides, fluoroquinolones, tetracyclines.

The periods of therapy range from 10 days to three weeks - the type of disease, acute or chronic, plays the main role in determining the duration of the course. With a mild course, one drug may be enough, however, with a complicated process, various means are combined to eliminate the inflammatory process and kill chlamydia.

When conjunctivitis is attached, antimicrobial agents are used in the form of ointments; in the presence of chlamydial pneumonia, intramuscular or intravenous injections are prescribed. If there is a recurrent course of pulmonary chlamydia, it is necessary to prescribe immunostimulating therapy.

Without fail, children and adults should take multivitamins, immunity-strengthening agents. When the upper respiratory tract is affected when coughing, drugs are used to better discharge sputum - for example, Erespal. To prevent the development of dysbiosis or to eliminate its consequences, the use of probiotics is prescribed.

Clinical manifestations

Chlamydia symptoms vary. In some cases, the disease is latent. Man is a carrier. The main signs of pulmonary disease may include:

cough;
malaise;
tearfulness (in children);
increased body temperature;
cyanosis;
nausea;
vomiting;
enlargement of the liver and spleen;
shortness of breath.

In children and adults, the bronchi are often inflamed with chlamydia. Most often, this pathology is diagnosed in infants. Symptoms appear gradually. The temperature rarely rises. Most often, it remains within the normal range. The main symptom is a dry, paroxysmal cough. Gradually, the cough becomes productive.

In the event that the lungs become inflamed with chlamydia, the symptoms will be somewhat different. Patients may complain about:

cough;
vomiting;
discoloration of the skin;
severe shortness of breath.

The cough is dry at first, then gradually becomes paroxysmal, with sputum secretion. The general state of health remains satisfactory. Against the background of shortness of breath, children breathe very often. Tachypnea is observed. The respiratory rate in this case is about 50-70 per minute. Wheezing is heard when breathing. In severe cases, the liver and spleen enlarge simultaneously with pneumonia.

The pulmonary type of chlamydia is more typical for children than for adults. Often, the respiratory form of the disease proceeds as conjunctivitis, affecting the baby's eyes. The causative agent is the same. Conjunctivitis in children is manifested by reddening of the eyes and the presence of purulent discharge. When examining the conjunctiva, follicles can be found. Keratitis often develops.

Drugs for treatment

With the development of respiratory chlamydia, antimicrobial drugs of a wide spectrum are often used, combined with antifungal agents. Cifazolin may be prescribed, whose effectiveness has been tested by time, Clarithromycin or Erythromycin. These drugs are relatively safe and are well tolerated by babies when used.

Sumamed has a minimum number of contraindications, so it is used for therapy in different age groups. It is allowed to take the medicine even in the absence of obvious symptoms, while using Sumamed you can practically not worry about side effects, since they are minimized.

It should be remembered that when taking the drug, omissions are not allowed, since this approach can eliminate the effectiveness of treatment and it will be necessary to prescribe a second course, often using other drugs. The therapy in which Sumamed is used is carried out using a universal scheme - the victim uses only one capsule per week. The duration of treatment in this case is 21 days, the dosage should be selected on an individual basis.

Antibiotics included in the tetracycline group - and this is Doxycycline or Tetracycline - are not prescribed to patients who are less than 14 years old. However, these drugs are great for adults. The group of fluoroquinolones includes Levofloxacin and Ciprofloxacin, they are prescribed in case of intolerance to tetracyclines or macrolides.

In the case of a decrease in immunity, immunomodulatory drugs are used together with vitamin complexes, most often they are prescribed:

Immunal - alcohol is part of this immunomodulatory agent for adult patients, so after taking the drug, driving is prohibited, especially since this substance is absorbed quickly enough.
Bestim is another immunomodulatory drug that is prescribed when immunity is reduced.
The vitamin complex Vitrum includes a huge amount of vitamins with useful minerals. It is used to eliminate vitamin deficiency and is prescribed for both adults and children.
Medicinal vitamin remedy Alphabet helps to stimulate certain processes in the body that contribute to the overall growth of immunity.

Cough drugs for this pathology are used after the diagnosis and for a short period of time. Expectorants are used exclusively with antimicrobial drugs or after a course of treatment with them under the strict supervision of the attending specialist.

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Most people know that chlamydia is a type of STD. But there are times when a pathogenic bacterium enters the human body by airborne droplets, affecting the respiratory system. In this case, they talk about such an ailment as respiratory chlamydia. Respiratory chlamydia is one of the strains of this type of bacteria, they usually affect children, in adults this form of the disease is very rare. In frequent cases, pathology affects the respiratory system from birth.

Macrolides and fluoroquinolones create high concentrations in the lung tissue. If chlamydial infection
lungs proceeds in a mild form, you can use tableted or encapsulated forms of drugs for internal use.

From the macrolides, we isolate josamycin, which must be taken 0.5 g 3-4 times a day. There are also dispersible tablets of this drug. The daily dose in this case is 1-2 g and is taken twice a day.

Diagnostic measures

Diagnosis of respiratory chlamydia is difficult due to the fact that a smear from the mucous membrane may not reveal the pathogen. This is observed because chlamydia develops inside cells. The most reliable and informative diagnostic method is PCR or serological testing by ELISA.

30-60 days after treatment, a control diagnostic study of PCR and ELISA is performed.

The human body does not develop immunity against chlamydia bacteria, so re-infection is possible.

The causative agents of respiratory chlamydia are bacteria of a special subspecies, which mainly affect only the respiratory system. But sometimes the causative agent of the disease can cause extrapulmonary manifestations.

These manifestations include:

conjunctivitis - occurs in 17% of cases of pulmonary chlamydia;
inflammation of the kidneys - 13%;
urethritis - 7%;

Preventive measures are primarily aimed at increasing human immunity. You must also follow the rules of hygiene, eat well.

To prevent mass infection, it is important to adhere to the following recommendations:

During treatment, the patient should be isolated from society, and family members should undergo a thorough examination.
Follow all the recommendations of the attending physician.
Ventilate and disinfect the premises regularly.
Start treatment immediately after confirming the diagnosis.
Pregnant women are advised to undergo screening diagnostics.

Modern clinicians have to treat many diseases, including the recently identified respiratory chlamydia. For a long time it was believed that chlamydia affects only the genitourinary apparatus, but recent observations have shown that these microorganisms also affect the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract.

Statistics indicate that this disease occurs more often in women than in men, but children also often suffer from respiratory chlamydia.

Causes and ways of infection

The main transmission path is airborne, however, chlamydia pneumoniae is transmitted by household and vertical contact, as well as sexually.

In newborns, the infection is most often transmitted from an infected mother during childbirth, when the baby comes into contact with the mucous membrane of the birth canal. If basic medical rules are not followed, infection is possible when a child comes into contact with the hands of medical personnel, through non-sterile medical instruments.

Symptoms of the disease

At first glance, the clinical manifestations of the pulmonary form are difficult to distinguish from severe pathologies of the respiratory system, and sometimes the symptoms are presented latently.

The main signs of respiratory chlamydia are:

Fever
Complaints of fatigue and general malaise
Feeling short of air
Cyanosis
Cough
Expansion of the boundaries of the liver and spleen

In a more severe form, when lung tissue is drawn into the pathological process, patients complain of severe shortness of breath and paroxysmal cough. Against the background of a feeling of a strong lack of air, tachypnoe develops - the respiratory rate is 50-70 per minute... A dry, hacking cough often provokes vomiting. Enlargement of the liver and spleen is characteristic of a severe course of the disease.

In adults, the respiratory type of chlamydia is less common than in children. Most often, in babies, the disease affects several organ systems, including the respiratory system, developing at 4-12 weeks.

The disease occurs in two main forms:

With a predominant lesion of the bronchi.
With involvement in the pathology of the lung tissue.

The first option is called chlamydialbronchitis, which is characterized by a measured and light flow. The temperature is normal, sleep and appetite are not affected. At first, a dry cough appears, which changes to a wet one. On auscultation, moist medium-bubble rales are heard, there are no signs of bronchial obstruction.

Chlamydial pneumonia is also characterized by a gradual onset of symptoms, the cough is paroxysmal. There is general cyanosis, severe shortness of breath and vomiting.

In the most severe cases, the course of the disease can aggravate the addition of viral and bacterial etiology, followed by the development of suppuration of the lung tissue and damage to the pleura - the membrane covering the lungs. There are signs of bronchial obstruction. But, as a rule, this is extremely rare.

Diagnostics

The similarity of the clinical manifestations of respiratory chlamydia with classical diseases of the respiratory system and the smoothness of symptoms do not always allow even a preliminary diagnosis to be correctly made without laboratory research methods.

In the general analysis of blood, there is severe leukocytosis(up to 20 * 109), eosinophilia (up to 10-15%); a sharp increase in ESR (40-60 mm / h).

Taking mucosal smears will not give any results, because chlamydia pneumoniae is located inside the cells.

The most informative methods are:

PCR - polymerase chain reaction.
ELISA - enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

The first method is able to identify the pathogen in the test material - for example, blood or mucosal cell. The second method determines the presence of specific antibodies to chlamydia in the blood.

Special express tests can be purchased in modern pharmacies, but they are inaccurate and uninformative.

The healing process

In the treatment of respiratory chlamydia, the main direction of therapy is the elimination of the pathogen. First of all, antibiotics are prescribed - most often macrolides are the drugs of choice:

Erythromycin.
Azithromycin.
Clarithromycin.

The number of side effects of these drugs is minimal, so they are often prescribed to children.

In adults, treatment is carried out with tetracycline agents, for example. It is important to remember that this group of antibiotics is contraindicated for pregnant and lactating women, children under fourteen years of age. With intolerance to macrolides and tetracyclines, the doctor prescribes fluoroquinolone antibiotics.

The treatment process is as follows:

Taking antibiotics by mouth... The dosage is calculated based on the patient's weight and age. The duration of therapy is 10-14 days.
When the condition worsens, drugs are prescribed intravenously... In severe cases, a combination therapy of two or more antibiotics is carried out.

Intravenous drug administration is most often prescribed for the treatment of respiratory chlamydia in children.

With a dry cough, therapy is carried out with antitussive drugs for 3-4 days, then replacing them with expectorants. When edema, bronchial obstruction are detected, erespal syrup is prescribed, which relieves spasm of the bronchi and dilutes the secretion.

Prevention

Timely identification of the pathogen and isolation of patients is the main method of prevention. Careful monitoring in perinatal centers helps prevent infection of babies with a pathogen.

Description

Respiratory chlamydia is very different from other forms of the disease, because its occurrence is provoked by other types of pathogen. The most common bacteria that cause disease are Chlamydia trachomatis, Chlamydia pneumoniae, and Chlamydia psittaci. All this causes difficulties in treatment, since different types of bacteria react in their own way to antibacterial drugs.

This pathology is most often found in children, parents always confuse the signs of its manifestation with the symptoms of acute respiratory infections or acute respiratory viral infections. The child becomes infected either in the womb when the birth canal passes, or through contact with a carrier of the infection in the hospital. This pathology spreads throughout the human body, affecting various organs and tissues.

Ways of transmission of the disease

The ways of transmission of the disease are also different, the infection can enter the human body, in particular the lungs, in different ways:

Airborne, in which pathogenic bacteria enter the body when a person inhales air. When a person coughs or coughs, he releases aerosols with bacteria into the environment. Chlamydiae, which are in the air, join these aerosols, they enter the bronchi, and then the lungs of a person when he inhales. Then microorganisms multiply, provoking the formation of a pathological process in the body.
Antenatal infection, in which the pathogen is transmitted from a mother infected with urogenital chlamydia until the moment of delivery. To prevent this from happening, during pregnancy, women conduct a study for the presence of various infections in the body. If chlamydia is found, antibiotic treatment is given. The newborn baby is also examined.
The household contact route, in which the mucous membranes of the eyes are most often affected. Infection can occur through contact with household items, linen, contaminated hands of another person. But all this happens extremely rarely, since in the external environment the bacterium dies very quickly.
Contact with sick birds. In this case, domestic and wild birds are the source of infection; workers of farms and poultry farms are mainly susceptible to the disease.

Adults only get sick with this ailment if their immune system is severely impaired. At risk among adults are the elderly, HIV-infected and patients with cancer.

The reasons

The bacteria that cause the development of respiratory chlamydia are known in all countries of the world. The disease is mainly exposed to children during childbirth of a woman with this pathology. It is not uncommon for children to become infected from healthcare workers through their hands that have not been disinfected, as well as through clothes and toys. Bacteria such as Chlamydia trachomatis, Chlamydia pneumoniae, or Chlamydia psittaci are most commonly airborne.

The bacteria settle on the mucous membrane, and then spread to all cells, where they multiply. After that, the number of bacteria in the body quadruples. Chlamydiae destroy cells, the infection begins to spread to all organs. Most often, chlamydia is observed in the lungs, they gradually begin to destroy them. For the development of respiratory chlamydia, two days must pass from the moment of infection.

One of the reasons for the development of pathology is a decrease in immunity. This may be due to a lack of vitamins in the body, as well as seasonal factors. Therefore, doctors recommend including fresh vegetables and fruits in the diet.

Symptoms and Signs

Regardless of how a person contracted this ailment, respiratory chlamydia symptoms are different. It depends, first of all, at what level the mucous membrane will be affected. The incubation period of the disease can last up to two weeks, after which the first signs of pathology appear, which are similar to those in ARVI. First, the temperature rises, a slight cough, a runny nose appears. Over time, the cough intensifies, respiratory tract spasms are observed. The signs of the disease gradually increase, if the disease is not treated in time, the infection will provoke the development of pneumonia.

In children, the disease develops gradually. First, the child has a sore throat, mucus accumulates in the nose, and then the lungs become infected, pulmonary chlamydia develops, which is the most dangerous form of the disease, accompanied by various complications.

There are no specific symptoms for this disease. Therefore, his treatment is read in the same way as with ARVI, in some cases the ailment is completely cured.

Signs of pathology in children

This disease in children occurs in the form of:

Chlamydial conjunctivitis, which affects the eyes of the child. The main symptom here is a change in the eyeball, the appearance of redness in both eyes and purulent discharge, while the state of health remains normal. Lymph nodes in the area of the auricles are often enlarged. If you do not carry out treatment, the symptoms disappear after a month, and the disease becomes chronic.
Chlamydial bronchitis, which affects the airways. This form of the disease is most commonly seen in newborn babies. The body temperature does not increase, but a dry cough appears, which is characterized by prolonged attacks. After this, the child's well-being worsens.
Chlamydial pneumonia, in which the lungs become infected. Pulmonary chlamydia symptoms are pronounced. The child develops a severe cough, accompanied by vomiting and cyanosis, and shortness of breath gradually appears. This form of the disease is very complex and poses a danger to a young organism. In some cases, the disease leads to the development of pleurisy, pneumothorax and others.

With any form of this disease, an increase in the liver and spleen is observed, and enterocolitis often develops. The disease can go away on its own, without any treatment.

Nosological forms of the disease in adults

First, the pathology develops in the form of ARVI, then rhinopharyngitis, tracheitis, bronchitis and pneumonia. Chlamydia in the lungs after a while cause intoxication of the whole organism. Thus, respiratory chlamydia manifests itself as:

ARI (ARVI), in which there is a prolonged cough, runny nose, pain in the joints. This form of the disease has a long course and often turns into chronic chlamydia.
Laryngotracheitis, characterized by inflammation of the larynx and trachea, swelling of the mucous membrane, shortness of breath. The disease manifests itself in an increase in lymph nodes, a barking cough, an increase in temperature.
Bronchitis or asthma with chlamydia are manifested in the form of cough, shortness of breath, asthma attacks. Often an immediate medical appointment is required.
Pneumonia characterized by a severe course. It is observed when there are chlamydia in the lungs, symptoms in adults are manifested in the form of severe cough, wheezing, sputum with impurities of pus, acidosis, pain in the chest.

Extrapulmonary forms of the disease

Respiratory chlamydia can also affect other organs and systems of the human body. It can act as:

Reactive arthritis, in which chlamydia affects the joints of the limbs, as well as the temporomandibular joints. With untimely treatment, polyarthritis develops. Pathology begins to manifest itself one month after infection. Signs of its manifestation are joint swelling, an increase in its size, and redness of the skin. Over time, body temperature increases, weakness, back pain appears.
Conjunctivitis, manifested in photophobia, swelling of the eyelids, redness of the eyes, purulent discharge.
Pyelonephritis, which is chronic. Chlamydia manifests itself in the form of pain in the kidney area, itching when urinating, frequent urge, increased blood pressure.
Urethritis, which is manifested by symptoms such as purulent discharge from the urethra, the development of cystitis or prostatitis. Over time, the urethra narrows, epididymitis, vulvitis and so on appear.
Lymphadenitis, characterized by a strong increase in lymph nodes, which is accompanied by pain.

Diagnostics

Diagnosis of pathology

Treatment

Drugs for treatment

After the diagnosis is made, the doctor prescribes complex therapy, which includes taking antibiotics, enzymes and vitamins, immunomodulators. In all countries of the world, respiratory chlamydia treatment involves macrolide antibacterial drugs.

With an advanced and acute form of the disease, the doctor prescribes one macrolide drug, and the other a biseptol one. The course of treatment is usually about fourteen days. The drug "Erespal" is used as a pathogenetic therapy. It helps to eliminate puffiness, regulate the viscosity and volume of sputum. In case of relapses of the disease, use "Pentoxil", "Likopid" and so on.

Forecast and prevention

Disease prevention

A cough in a child and in an adult is not always a sign of a cold alone; often the cause of its development may be a long-term infection with chlamydia. The formation of respiratory chlamydia begins when Chlamydia pneumoniae penetrates into the cells, which is accompanied by a dry strong cough, runny nose, hoarseness, and fever.

Pulmonary chlamydia is a life-threatening condition, since pneumonia can develop in a short time with all the ensuing consequences.

What is the infection?

There are only three types of chlamydia that are dangerous to humans:

sexually transmitted disease and conjunctivitis are caused by chlamydia Chlamydia trachomatis;
the pathogen Chlamydia pneumoniae provokes the development of pulmonary chlamydia, pneumonia;
under the influence of Chlamydia psittaci, psittacosis is formed, which proceeds as pneumonia.

Pulmonary chlamydia can take two forms.

In the latent form, chlamydia is located outside the cell, and accordingly there is no growth and reproduction. However, it is capable of infecting other cells, being transmitted to people around it.
In the active form, the cell is infected with chlamydia, which gradually destroys it. Inflammatory processes in this case proceed very quickly.

How can you get infected?

Through dirty hands, household items. In this case, we are talking about a contact-household method.
If an infected person does not want to use barrier contraceptives, during intercourse, chlamydia enters the victim sexually.
Vertical transmission refers to the infection of a baby during birth when the mother has pulmonary chlamydia.

Proven fact. Usually, pulmonary chlamydia in the older age group manifests itself against the background of weak immunity, while women are more likely to be infected than the stronger sex.

In adults, the general picture differs little from children - the chlamydial pathogen enters the body, causing symptoms resembling pneumonia or obstructive bronchitis in the acute stage.

Stages of development of the disease and its symptoms

When infected with respiratory chlamydia, the first stage is the introduction of pathological microorganisms into the human body, and at first the pathogens live outside the cell. The initial stage is called infectious; as it develops, it passes into the reticular phase. During this period, the cell is populated by the pathogen and its active reproduction. In this case, chlamydia in the lungs triple, or even quadruple their number.

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Features of chlamydia trachomatis (chlamydia trachomatis)

Two or three days after infection with chlamydia, the cell is destroyed and pathological microorganisms are released into the surrounding tissues, the bloodstream. As you can see, several hours are enough for the development of respiratory chlamydial pathologies. At the same time, quite often newborn children have to deal with a generalized infection when the lesion affects various organs. In some cases, respiratory pathologies directly affect the lung tissue.

As for the symptoms, they can be quite diverse - or completely absent if the respiratory infection is latent. The main signs that indicate an imminent danger to a child or adult include:

The appearance of a strong, persistent cough.
Weakness and general malaise.
The child becomes moody and whiny.
The respiratory rate increases.
A rise in temperature can also be considered a symptom.
There is nausea and vomiting, cyanosis and shortness of breath.
Excessive enlargement of the spleen and liver is observed.

With respiratory chlamydia, inflammation of the upper respiratory tract - bronchi is often observed, the main symptom is dry cough. An increase in temperature is observed quite rarely, appetite is not disturbed, insomnia does not occur. When listening, wheezing is observed in the lungs, although there are no signs of bronchial obstruction. The duration of the pathology is from one and a half to two weeks.

Pneumonia

With inflammatory processes in the lung tissues, the signs of the disease are somewhat different, the victims may complain of coughing, vomiting, increased shortness of breath and a change in skin tone. The cough at the beginning of the development of the pathology is dry, but the sputum is separated gradually. In general, the condition is satisfactory. As a result of shortness of breath, children and adults begin to breathe in and out much more often - about 50-70 times / minute. At the same time, wheezing appears in the pulmonary region. In especially severe cases, in addition to inflammatory processes, symptoms are an increase in the liver and spleen.

The pulmonary form of chlamydia is more common in children than in adults. Often, the result of the respiratory form is the course of the disease according to the conjunctival type, while the organs of vision are affected. There is redness of the eyes, purulent discharge, examination of the conjunctiva can reveal the presence of follicles, the formation of keratitis is possible.

Diagnostics

The treatment of the disease is preceded by a diagnosis carried out in two ways:

The genetic component of chlamydia in the separated sputum is determined. In the presence of DNA of pathogens, we can talk about the fact of infection.
Revealed specific antibodies present in the blood of the victim - IgA, IgM. They are formed in the body at an early stage of the development of the disease and disappear after effective therapy. If only the IgG type is found, they speak of a previous infection.

Treatment principles

The periods of chlamydia therapy are from 10 days to three weeks - the type of disease, acute or chronic, plays the main role in determining the duration of the course. With a mild course, one drug may be enough, however, with a complicated process, various means are combined to eliminate the inflammatory process and kill chlamydia. As a rule, macrolides are prescribed simultaneously with Biseptol and other sulfa drugs. The duration of such treatment reaches 10-14 days.

Respiratory chlamydia occurs in adults and children, the disease affects the respiratory system and human well-being. When the respiratory center is affected by chlamydia, a number of characteristic symptoms occur, as well as concomitant diseases that affect the quality of life.

Causative agent of the disease

Chlamydia of the respiratory tract is an infectious disease. The causative agent of the disorder is the microbe Chlamydia.

The disease seriously affects the condition of the bronchi, in connection with which bronchial asthma or bronchitis appears. The violation then spreads to the lungs.

The respiratory form of the disease has an inactive and active form. In the first case, chlamydia is outside the cells, where they cannot multiply or grow. With inactive chlamydia, a person does not experience discomfort, but is a carrier of the disease.

Signs and symptoms

In most cases, respiratory chlamydia has vivid symptoms, but it does not have specific signs, therefore it is often confused with other lung diseases and attempts are made to cure it on its own.

The main signs of the disease:

In its acute form, the disease lasts for 2-3 weeks, chronic respiratory chlamydia regularly bothers a person.

Treatment of respiratory chlamydia in adults

Therapy to eliminate chlamydia is prescribed by the attending physician. Elimination of the disease is carried out by antibiotics from the macrolide group. Most often, sumamed, erythromycin or azithromycin are prescribed.

Erespal is used to relieve coughing and normalize breathing. The syrup has a decongestant effect, which allows the bronchi to expand. It also needs to be taken to reduce the viscosity of sputum and remove obstruction.

The dangerous form of respiratory chlamydia is treated with intravenous drugs. A complicated disease progresses faster, so the person is admitted to a hospital and the progress of treatment is monitored. When symptoms improve, men and women are given drugs in the form of medication.

The treatment course of taking medications to eliminate respiratory chlamydia lasts longer than other forms of the disease. In addition to antibacterial agents, multivitamins, probiotics and agents that stimulate the immune system are prescribed.

Respiratory chlamydia in children

Babies older than a year are more susceptible to disease than others, since they have a high sensitivity to chlamydia. It will be quite easy to diagnose respiratory chlamydia in a child, since the baby will suffer from a severe cough. It will last for more than a week, and over time can lead to pneumonia or bronchitis.

At the initial stage of development, chlamydia will not differ from the common cold, so many parents make the mistake of trying to eliminate the disease on their own. Dr. Komarovsky (a well-known pediatrician and TV presenter) always draws the attention of adults in his show that even a banal rhinitis cannot be treated on its own.

The disease is transmitted by contact or airborne droplets. More often, infection occurs through saliva or personal hygiene items. Therefore, babies who constantly pull small objects into their mouths are at risk. Respiratory chlamydia spreads quickly, if at least one student is found to have it in school or kindergarten, then more than half of the children will most likely get sick with it.

Numerous studies in the field of microbiology have led to the fact that macrolide antibiotics are more effective against childhood chlamydia. Your doctor may recommend pills, intramuscular or intravenous injections. In difficult cases, when chlamydia affects several internal organs at once, a combination of 2 or more drugs is used to ensure the normalization of the health of the little patient.

Diagnosis

When diagnosing respiratory chlamydia, a smear is taken from the mucous membrane, but it does not always reveal the pathogen. This is due to the fact that chlamydia develops inside the cells, therefore the most reliable analysis is the OCP or serological ELISA.

For the PCR, blood or sputum is taken from the lungs. ELISA analysis allows you to determine the presence of antibodies that our body produces during the fight against chlamydia. In addition, there are express tests, but they have low reliability.

In young children, the disease is usually diagnosed with treatment for conjunctivitis or bronchitis.

An agonizing cough, general malaise and moodiness of the child become a good reason to show him to the doctor and prescribe a comprehensive examination.

Prevention measures

After an adult or a child gets sick with respiratory chlamydia, his immune system will weaken and there will be a high likelihood of re-infection. Therefore, it is better to think about prevention in advance.

To prevent illness, it is enough to follow simple rules:

carefully monitor personal hygiene;
regularly undergo a complete examination (at least once a year);
lead a healthy lifestyle and eat right to strengthen the immune system;
do not contact a sick person;
completely treat all diseases, regardless of the presence or absence of symptoms.

There are no specific measures for the prevention of respiratory chlamydia. To protect yourself from this disease and severe consequences, it is enough to lead a healthy lifestyle and consult a doctor for medical help in a timely manner.