If you go to the hospital today, most people who visit hospital is either suffering from one bacteria infection or the other. Staphylococcus aureus a bacteria infection which use to be rare in our environment is now the trending disease among young people in our country today.
Well, I can say that a lot of things that can cause bacteria infection is everywhere including on the things we use every single day.
Today, I will be talking on a particular bacteria named Bartonella bacilliformis.
I will be discussing how this gram negative bacteria affects human and how we can go about preventing it.
Bartonella bacilliformis
This is a gram negative aerobic bacteria caused by the bites of sand flies. This bacteria is motile in nature with a length of 2-3um.
Bartonella bacilliformis was discovered by a microbiologist Alberto Barton in 1905, Though was not published until 1909. Barton called this bacteria endoglobular structures, reason being that it lives or resides in the red blood cells.
This bacteria can be very deadly and is associated with one of the leading cause of death among individuals infected.
This bacteria causes intravascular hemolytic anemia which simply means that any person affected has decrease or breakdown in the red blood cells.
Bartonella bacilliformis symptoms includes high fever, anaemia and transient immunosuppression. And can lead to thrombocytopenia with a blood smear showing anisomacrocytosis.
anisomacrocytosis simply means a group of red blood cells that are unequal in sizes. This can as well be used to discover a person with this disease.
When this disease infects the endothelial cells, it causes a chronic manifestation called verruga peruana. This verruga peruana leads to skin eruption and lot more.
Like I said earlier, this disease can lead to immunosuppression.
When a person is immunosuppressed a lot of factors plays a role, most diseases affects the person due to his or her decrease level of antibody capable of fighting against any disease.
This can as well lead to death if the patient is not being treated adequately.
Bartonella bacilliformis has two phases which includes oroya fever and Verruga peruana phase.
Oroya fever: During this phase, fever, headache, muscle aches, abdominal pain, and severe anemia may occur. Complications may occur in up to 70 percent of patients with Oroya fever, including secondary infections and cardiopulmonary complications such as heart failure, pericardial effusion, pulmonary edema, and cardiogenic shock.
Verruga peruana (Peruvian warts): During this later phase, growths form under the skin and develop into red-to-purple vascular sores that can become raw or bleed
Looking at phases above, you can be able to understand that this disease is very dangerous and devastating.
prevention
Possible ways of preventing this disease is by using a EPA registered repellent net. This net helps to prevent the bite of sandflies and makes you less susceptible to the bite of this flies.
Wearing of long-sleeved shirts and pants we prevent you from being beaten by this virus.
Treatment
Before now, Bartonella bacilliformis treatment is based on blood transfusion. Most people who has this disease then where being transfused due to the rate at which this disease destroys the red cells.
Nowadays, this disease is being treated with antibiotics. Let's take a good look at the following below.
Infection with B. bacilliformis requires antibiotic treatment. A number of antibiotics are effective against Bartonella infections, including penicillins, tetracyclines, cephalosporins, and aminoglycosides. More than one antibiotic may be used. Healthcare providers should consult with an expert in infectious diseases regarding treatment options
The above antibiotics has been proven as the right antibiotics for the treatment of Bartonella bacilliformis.
Conclusion
Bartonella bacilliformis is a disease no one should ever joke with. It is a disease that can cause or lead to death if adequate measures are not being taken care of.
The most dangerous part of this disease, is it's ability to break down the red blood cells therefore making the person anaemic.
The moment we understand the mechanism of action of this disease the better for our survival.