Infectious Process

Infectious process

The infectious process is a complex of reactions that occur in the macroorganism as a result of the penetration and reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms in it. These reactions are aimed at maintaining homeostasis and equilibrium of the body with the environment.

Manifestations of the infectious process can vary from asymptomatic carriage of pathogens to clinically pronounced disease. The development of the infectious process depends on the virulence of the microorganism, the dose of infection, and the state of the immune system of the macroorganism.

Pathogenic microorganisms trigger a cascade of reactions in the human or animal body. This leads to activation of the immune system, an inflammatory response, and an increase in temperature. The body tries to localize and destroy the infection.

Thus, the infectious process is a complex system of interaction between a pathogen and a macroorganism, the result of which depends on many factors. Understanding the mechanisms of this process is important for effective control of infectious diseases.

An infectious process is a complex of reactions occurring in a macroorganism, resulting from the action of pathogenic bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms that have a pathogenic effect on humans. Infectious diseases arise as a result of interactions between organisms of different species and individuals, called pathogenic for a given macroorganism. This determines the complex life of cells and communities of microorganisms that surround the cells of any tissues, organs and the human body as a whole. The actions of different types (strains) of one kind of microbes on the body repeatedly intersect with other incoming infectious agents, thereby determining the etiology, formation and patterns of development of many infectious diseases in the body. Currently, there is no single, specific “classical” microbial basis for disease, since infectious microbes usually always act “as part of a complex genetically modified community, as a single whole.” This definition is more understandable for a competent, sensitive, attentive clinician who diagnoses and treats an infected patient. The doctor must know the biodiversity, manifestations of the pathogen detected at the site of pathology, and also imagine the “long-term consequences of infection.” The latter may be hidden or appear in a modified form. The clinical process for different infections has its own characteristics of development and course due to their different virulence, their origin for the body and viability at the level of the whole organism, and individual cells of different types of tissues and organs. For example, an infection is possible that is limited to the area of ​​primary penetration of a given microbe with its subsequent complicated outcome in the surrounding tissues or damage to a group of organs in the affected segment. It is also possible for the disease process to spread to several systems and organs, accompanied by a cyclical and wave-like course and the formation of various functional disorders and complications throughout the body with attenuation of the process activity. A sudden, rapid onset generalized, widespread process is also possible - septicemia, sepsis with the manifestation of infectious-toxic shock. Manifestations of the cholestatic form of hepatitis are possible, when increased formation and excretion from the liver of bilirubin in bile and biliverdin in urine impede the work of hepatocytes and ultimately lead to acute liver failure. Then, a typical, persistent infectious disease with an inflammatory process is often accompanied by a toxic reaction, manifested in the form of diffuse toxic damage: uremia, toxic damage to the cardiovascular with the development of myocarditis, acute cardiovascular failure, acute liver dystrophy, myopathies. Complications of infections are diverse, including all the manifestations that we are considering, but even with limited manifestations, the infection is always accompanied at certain stages of the disease by disorders such as infectious, immunological, intoxication, i.e. phenomena within the competence of individual medical specialties: infectious disease specialist, nephrologist, rheumatologist and