In Africa, new bacteria of the genus Salmonella were found. They are not afraid of antibiotics.

We all know from early childhood that indangerous fruits and vegetables can live in dangerous microbes. From our recent article about the importance of washing products, you probably remember that one of these dangerous bacteria is the so-called salmonella. Having penetrated the human body, they cause fever, nausea and other unpleasant symptoms, and in especially severe cases can cause dehydration and death. The disease caused by the bacteria is called salmonellosis and is usually treated with antibiotics, but a new type of bacteria has been found in the African Republic of Congo that is not afraid of drugs.

More than 4 million people live in the Republic of Congo

Salmonella bacteria have manyvarious species that cause a different degree of harm to the human body. For example, Salmonella typhi bacteria cause typhoid fever - an infectious disease accompanied by protracted fever, headache, nausea, and abdominal pain. Some patients may experience a rash, which is why in Russia this disease was also known as "spotted fever."

The cause of salmonellosis

One of the most common types isthe so-called Salmonella Typhimurium. It is the cause of intestinal infections around the world, but people in Africa suffer especially from it - in these regions about 3.4 million cases are registered daily. However, representatives of the Typhimurium species from the ST313 group pose the greatest danger to humans, because they are not afraid of most drugs.

Bacteria of the species Salmonella Typhimurium

Recently, scientists from the Belgian city of Antwerptook samples of these salmonella from patients from three different cities of the Republic of Congo. To their unpleasant surprise, some samples showed resistance to antibiotics such as azithromycin and ciprofloxacin. By comparing resistant bacteria with representatives of other groups, scientists found that they arose back in 2004 and gradually gained strength and stability.

By the way, Salmonella may be the cause of the fall of the ancient Aztecs

Over time, Salmonella became sotricks that got rid of their bacterial flagellum, which helped them move. Yes, they lost their mobility, but in this form, human immune cells cannot detect and destroy them - this significantly increased their survival. In addition, they lost their other abilities and in return received high adaptability to life inside a person.

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How do salmonella affect the human body?

Once in the human body along with infectedvegetables, fruits, eggs and meat, salmonella settle in the small intestine. They colonize the wall of the intestine and begin to secrete toxic substances. They lead to accelerated fluid loss, disruption of blood vessels and damage to the nervous system. This effect also causes fever, vomiting and other symptoms.

Be careful with milk, eggs and meat - they can be infected with salmonella

According to the World Health Organization,in most cases, salmonellosis disappears after 2-7 days. Most often, patients recover without special treatment, but if symptoms occur, you must always consult a doctor. As a rule, doctors try to do without antimicrobials, but they are still prescribed for children and elderly people with weakened immunity.