| Abstract | Pneumokokne bolesti su bolesti uzrokovane gram-pozitivnom bakterijom naziva Streptococcus pneumoniae. Među najčešće i najozbiljnije pneumokokne bolesti spadaju pneumonija i meningitis, a također može prouzročiti i sinusitis, otitis, endokarditis te određene druge bolesti. Zbog oslabljenog imunosnog sustava, pneumokokne bolesti najčešće zahvaćaju upravo manju djecu, najčešće do 2 godine života te starije osobe.
Pojava infekcija uzrokovanim pneumokokom kod djece može biti vrlo zabrinjavajuća, posebice u državama u razvoju te državama koje nemaju razvijene programe cijepljenja. Imunokompromitirana djeca koja boluju od ostalih bolesti imaju znatno veći rizik od razvoja težih oblika i komplikacija pneumokoknih bolesti te veću stopu smrtnosti. S. pneumoniae prenosi se kapljičnim putem i bliskim kontaktom sa zaraženom osobom, posebice u zimskim i proljetnim mjesecima što čini mjesta u kojima boravi veliki broj djece, poput jaslica i vrtića, vrlo plodnim tlom za širenje infekcije. Najčešća pneumokokna bolest koja se javlja kod djece je pneumokokna pneumonija. Započinje naglo te se može prepoznati prema povišenoj temperaturi i kašlju koje često prati slabost i bol u mišićima. Pneumokok se može proširiti u krv, tjelesne ovojnice, zglobove i ostale organe uzrokujući ozbiljna oštećenja sluha i mozga, a u nekim slučajevima čak i smrt. Upravo zato važna je pravovremena dijagnoza koja se temelji na fizikalnom pregledu te laboratorijskim i mikrobiološkim pretragama uzoraka u kojima možemo pronaći ovu bakteriju.
Antibiotici su još uvijek prvi lijek izbora u liječenju pneumokoknih bolesti kod djece i odraslih, no u posljednjih nekoliko godina bilježi se pojava rezistencije što dodatno zabrinjava te u budućnosti može dovesti do većeg mortaliteta i težih komplikacija. Zbog toga je djecu potrebno što prije nakon rođenja zaštiti primjenom cjepiva te tako potaknuti bolji imunosni odgovor i prevenirati nastanak i razvoj bolesti. Pravilno skladištenje i primjena cjepiva te edukacija roditelja ili skrbnika djeteta o rizicima i prednostima cijepljenja glavne su zadaće medicinske sestre u prevenciji pneumokoknih bolesti kod djece. |
| Abstract (english) | Pneumococcal diseases are diseases caused by a gram-positive bacterium called Streptococcus pneumoniae. Among the most common and serious pneumococcal diseases are pneumonia and meningitis, sinusitis, otitis, endocarditis, and certain other diseases. Due to a weakened immune system, pneumococcal diseases most often affect younger children, most often up to 2 years of age, and the elderly.
The occurrence of pneumococcal infections in children can be very worrying, especially in developing countries and countries that do not have developed vaccination programs. Immunocompromised children suffering from other diseases have a significantly higher risk of developing more severe forms and complications of pneumococcal diseases and a higher mortality rate. S. pneumoniae is transmitted by droplets and close contact with an infected person, especially in the winter and spring months, which makes places where large numbers of children live, such as nurseries and kindergartens, a very fertile ground for the spread of infection. The most common pneumococcal disease that occurs in children is pneumococcal pneumonia. It starts abruptly and can be recognized by the fever and cough that often accompanies muscle weakness and pain. Pneumococcus can spread to the blood, body membranes, joints and other organs causing severe hearing and brain damage and in some cases even death. That is why timely diagnosis is important, based on physical examination and laboratory and microbiological tests of samples in which we can find this bacterium.
Antibiotics are still the first medicine of choice in the treatment of pneumococcal diseases in children and adults, but in the last few years, there has been resistance, which is of additional concern and may lead to higher mortality and more serious complications in the future. Therefore, it is necessary to protect children as soon as possible after birth by using vaccines, thus encouraging a better immune response and preventing the onset and development of the disease. Proper storage and application of vaccines and education of parents or guardians of the child about the risks and benefits of vaccination are the main tasks of the nurse in the prevention of pneumococcal diseases in children. |
