Pus (Latin pus) is a secretion formed at sites of bacterial infections. The cause of the formation of pus is inflammation - pus testifies to the local immune system's fight against pathogens. There are many forms of purulent infections of varying severity - from minor skin lesions to extensive infections of internal organs. The most serious purulent infections require intensive treatment. Find out what pus is made of, how pus is made, what is the treatment of purulent infections, and when should the presence of pus be a cause for concern?

Oil(Latinpus ) is evidence of the activity of our immune system. The formation of pus is a complex process that requires pathogens - most often bacteria - to come into contact with the cells of the immune system. For pus to be produced, a bacterial infection must occur in our body.

The place and reasons for its formation can be various - disruption of the skin, temporary weakening of immunity or chronic diseases can open the way for bacteria to our body. The presence of pathogens in our tissues is immediately noticed by the cells of the immune system.

A response to infection, i.e. inflammation, arises. Its severity depends on the size of the infection and the current efficiency of the immune system. Inflammation can be local or generalized, in which case it causes systemic symptoms such as fever and weakness. Any inflammation, regardless of its severity, is characterized by the influx of immune system cells to the site of infection. The clash between the immune system and pathogens begins. Crude oil is, in a way, its by-product.

Oil - what does it consist of?

Oil consists of dead cells of the immune system - mainly neutrophils, whose main task is to fight bacteria in our body. In addition to the "used" neutrophils, the pus also contains the remains of defeated bacteria and their toxins, as well as the remains of infected tissue. So oil is not a product of bacteria, but an expression of our body's response to their presence.

Types of pyogenic bacteria

Does pus come from any inflammation caused by bacteria? The answer is no - to the formation of oilso-calledpyogenic bacteria . Their common feature is the production of large amounts of toxins that damage immune cells and tissues at the site of infection.

Dead cell debris is the main component of pus produced during infection. There are many species of pyogenic bacteria, and some of them can physiologically inhabit the surface of our skin (includingStreptococcus pyogenes- pyogenic streptococcus). Interestingly, although pus is most often formed in the course of bacterial infections, its source can also be other infections (e.g. fungal or protozoal).

Oil - properties

Oil is a liquid substance of high density and viscosity. The properties of the oil, such as its smell and color, may vary depending on the type of infection and the pathogens causing it. Oil is usually yellowish in color, although it can also be white, greenish and even brown.

The pus is greenish due to the presence of myeloperoxidase, a substance used by neutrophils to kill bacteria. In the case of infection with the so-called with a stick of blue oil (LatinPseudomonas aeruginosa ), the oil turns blue. This is due to the presence of a unique pigment - pyocyanin, produced exclusively by this type of bacteria.

Oil - types of purulent infections

Purulent infections in our body can have various symptoms and course - from small and self-limiting foci, to diffuse and often dangerous infections. In terms of pathomorphology, we distinguish the following types of purulent lesions:

Abscess

An abscess(Latinabscessus ) is a restricted reservoir of oil surrounded by a purse. Abscesses can have different sizes and locations - there are both subcutaneous abscesses and abscesses of deep organs, and even bones. An abscess usually causes both local (pain, swelling, redness) and systemic symptoms (fever, weakness).

Abscesses can be difficult to treat - the main problem of therapy is a significant reduction in the penetration of drugs into the abscess. For this reason, the vast majority of abscesses require surgical treatment (more in point 4 - treatment of purulent infections)

Ropniak

Ropniakiem(Latinempyema ) is a collection of pus inside the space available in the body. Unlike an abscess, an empyema is not limited by its own capsule, but fills the natural cavities of the body. The empyema is therefore more diffuse. Examples of locations of abscesses are the pleural cavity, the peritoneal cavity, the gallbladder or the spaces between the meninges of the brain.

Ropowica

Phlegmon(Latinphlegmona ) is a diffuse purulent infection of soft tissues. Phlegmon is poorly limited and may spread through continuity to the surrounding area. Phlegmon is associated with significant pain and swelling. Phlegmon requires intensive treatment - failure to stop the infection can lead to serious complications. An example of a common phlegmon is paronychia, a purulent infection of the nail fold.

Ropotok

Ropotokiem(Latinpyorrhoea ) is a purulent infection in which pus does not accumulate in a specific place, but flows out of the body . Pyrolysis most often appears around the head - purulent contents may leak from the ears, nose and mouth (e.g. in the course of periodontal infections).

Oil - treatment of purulent infections

Is purulent infection a big threat to our he alth? It all depends on the location and size of the infection. Skin breakouts with a small amount of pus are very common, and the vast majority of them heal automatically. S

The legal immune system is quick to defeat the bacteria, the infection does not persist, and a small amount of pus presents little threat. However, if large amounts of pus accumulate in the course of the inflammatory process, it may indicate that the immune system has difficulty fighting pathogens.

The presence of pus in internal organs always requires intensive treatment. In the case of purulent infections, we are most afraid of their generalization, i.e. inflammation that affects the entire body.

Organ dysfunction caused by infection is called sepsis. Sepsis is the most serious possible complication of purulent infections and can be life-threatening. For this reason, most purulent infections require effective treatment to stop them from spreading to other tissues.

There are various treatments for purulent infections. The first condition for the effectiveness of therapy is the evacuation of purulent contents, which usually requires surgical intervention. The type of surgery depends on the type of infection. In the case of an abscess, it is most often incised.

More diffuse contamination may require the creation of a continuous pus drainage system. In the case of wounds, surgical drains are used, while if pus accumulates in deeper places, drains can be used. It is also worth emphasizing that under no circumstances should we try to dispose of oil at home. The procedure requires sterile conditions, otherwise it could cause additional superinfection at the site of the conditionflammable.

Another important condition for the treatment of purulent infections is proper hygiene and care of the place of infection. Depending on the location, superficial disinfectants, dressings facilitating the drainage of secretions or antimicrobial (e.g. silver dressings) are used. If there is an accumulation of pus in body cavities, it may be necessary to flush them regularly.

The last aspect of treatment of purulent infections is antibiotic therapy. Both topical and general antibiotics are available on the market. The first ones work well in the case of minor purulent infections with a low risk of spreading (e.g. ointments applied to small skin lesions).

In the vast majority of purulent infections, however, systemic antibiotic therapy is used, i.e. antibiotic therapy that affects the entire body. Thanks to it, the risk of further spread of infection is reduced. At the beginning of therapy, broad-spectrum antibiotics are usually used, to which many strains of bacteria are susceptible.

In order to select the most effective antibiotic for the treatment of a given infection, it may be necessary to test microbiological material collected from the site of infection. Such a test shows which specific pathogens are at the site of infection and which antibiotics will be effective in combating them (the so-called drug resistance test).

Oil - related medical conditions

Almost all of us have had to deal with a purulent infection in our lives, although in most cases the infection was without serious complications. However, there are patients in whom purulent infections appear frequently and their treatment takes a long time. Recurrent purulent infections should not be underestimated - they may be a symptom of other diseases. Why do some people's immune system fight bacteria quickly and painlessly, while others develop purulent infections and difficulties in healing?

The first disease that significantly increases the susceptibility to purulent infections isdiabetes.Non-healing wounds may be its first symptom. Diabetes mellitus causes numerous immune, vascular and neurological disorders that increase the susceptibility to infections and weaken the body's fight against bacteria. To increase immunity, it is necessary to properly control diabetes - regular use of medications and adherence to dietary recommendations.

It is worth knowing that our immunity is also weakened by othermetabolic disorderse - incl. obesity and hypercholesterolaemia.

Another cause of recurrent purulent infections isimmune disorders . They can be temporary, e.g. inducedstress and fatigue. There are also hereditary immunodeficiencies that are present in patients from childhood onwards.

Repeated purulent infections may be a symptom of the ineffectiveness of the immune system in fighting pathogens. An example of a congenital immunodeficiency disease ischronic granulomatous disease . It is caused by abnormal activity of immune cells - phagocytes that "eat" the bacteria. One of the symptoms of the disease is numerous abscesses and difficulties in wound healing.

It is also worth mentioning about purulent infections resulting from the treatment of other diseases. A weakening of the immune systemcan be a side effect of sometherapies, including anti-cancer or to treat autoimmune diseases.

Also chronicsteroid therapypredisposes to the formation of purulent foci. In patients with a weakened immune system and an increased risk of purulent infections, prophylactic antibiotic therapy is often used to prevent infections.

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