Tétano: estaremos conscientes da sua existência? Estudo retrospetivo de nove casos de tétano em clínica de pequenos animais
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2013
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O tétano é uma doença neurológica provocada pela tetanospasmina, uma neurotoxina produzida por um bacilo anaeróbio produtor de esporos, Clostridium tetani. Neste estudo de caráter retrospetivo pretendeu-se analisar as variáveis clínico-patológicas bem como o diagnóstico clínico e laboratorial, o tratamento e a evolução clínica do tétano em pequenos animais. Para tal foram cuidadosamente analisadas as fichas clínicas de nove animais diagnosticados com tétano entre 2004 e 2013 e que pertenciam à base de dados de uma clínica veterinária em Portugal e de um hospital veterinário de referência em Inglaterra. A população era constituída apenas por canídeos, pertencentes a várias raças de porte médio a grande, a maioria jovens, sendo cinco destes do sexo feminino. As anomalias faciais e a rigidez muscular generalizada associada a ataxia ou decúbito, foram os sinais clínicos mais frequentes. Em seis animais foi possível identificar um ferimento que possivelmente constituiu a porta de entrada do clostrídio responsável pela doença. No que toca ao tratamento, apenas cinco animais receberam a antitoxina. Contudo, a todos eles foram administrados antibióticos, tendo-lhes também sido prestados todos os cuidados de suporte necessários, nomeadamente a administração de relaxantes musculares e sedativos para controlo da rigidez e espasmos musculares. Em quatro situações surgiram complicações, nomeadamente pneumonias por aspiração, peritonite sética e convulsões. Dos nove animais, um faleceu devido ao desenvolvimento de uma peritonite sética e outro foi eutanasiado devido a uma provável pneumonia por aspiração. Os restantes sete animais recuperaram e tiveram alta. De acordo com os resultados obtidos neste estudo foi possível concluir que esta doença, apesar de implicar excelentes cuidados de enfermagem e uma monitorização constante apresenta, na maioria dos casos, um prognóstico favorável.
Tetanus is a neurological disorder caused by tetanospasmin, a neurotoxin produced by the anaerobic, spore-forming bacillus Clostridium tetani. This retrospective study was conducted in order to analyze the clinicopathological variables as well as clinical and laboratorial diagnosis, treatment and clinical evolution of tetanus in small animals. For that purpose the clinical files of nine animals diagnosed with tetanus between 2004 and 2013 in a veterinary clinic in Portugal and a referral veterinary hospital in England, were carefully analyzed. The population was composed only by dogs, of different medium and large breeds, most of them young and females. In what concerns to the clinical signs, facial anomalies and general muscle rigidity with ataxia or recumbency were the most frequent. In six animals it was possible to identify a wound that possibly was the entrance of the clostridium responsible for the disease. Regarding to treatment, five animals received a antitoxin, and all of them were given antibiotics and all the supportive care they needed, inclusive muscle relaxants and sedatives to control muscle rigidity and muscle spasms. Complications like aspiration pneumonia, septic peritonitis and seizures emerge in four situations. From the nine animals, one has died with a septic peritonitis and another one was euthanized due to possible aspiration pneumonia. The other seven animals have recovered and were discharged. With these results it was possible to conclude that despite implies intensive nurse care and careful monitoring in the majority of the cases, tetanus has a good prognosis.
Tetanus is a neurological disorder caused by tetanospasmin, a neurotoxin produced by the anaerobic, spore-forming bacillus Clostridium tetani. This retrospective study was conducted in order to analyze the clinicopathological variables as well as clinical and laboratorial diagnosis, treatment and clinical evolution of tetanus in small animals. For that purpose the clinical files of nine animals diagnosed with tetanus between 2004 and 2013 in a veterinary clinic in Portugal and a referral veterinary hospital in England, were carefully analyzed. The population was composed only by dogs, of different medium and large breeds, most of them young and females. In what concerns to the clinical signs, facial anomalies and general muscle rigidity with ataxia or recumbency were the most frequent. In six animals it was possible to identify a wound that possibly was the entrance of the clostridium responsible for the disease. Regarding to treatment, five animals received a antitoxin, and all of them were given antibiotics and all the supportive care they needed, inclusive muscle relaxants and sedatives to control muscle rigidity and muscle spasms. Complications like aspiration pneumonia, septic peritonitis and seizures emerge in four situations. From the nine animals, one has died with a septic peritonitis and another one was euthanized due to possible aspiration pneumonia. The other seven animals have recovered and were discharged. With these results it was possible to conclude that despite implies intensive nurse care and careful monitoring in the majority of the cases, tetanus has a good prognosis.
Descrição
Dissertação de Mestrado Integrado em Medicina Veterinária, Ciências Veterinárias
Palavras-chave
Tétano , Clostridium tetani , Animais de estimação , Tetanospasmina