I Mr. Omkar B. Tipugade, Assistant Professor, Genesis Institute of Pharmacy, Radhanagari. This chapter notes as written as per MSBTE syllabus. Read all notes carefully and all the best for exam and future.

1. SURFACE INFECTION
Health Education and Community Pharmacy
Mr. Omkar B. Tipugade
M-Pharm (Pharmaceutics)
Assistant Professor
Genesis Institute of Pharmacy, Radhanagari.
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2. AGENDA:
 What is mean by Surface infection
 Causative agent, mode of transmission, treatment of
i. Rabies
ii. Tranchoma
iii. Tetanus
iv. Leprosy
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3. WHAT IS MEAN BY SURFACE INFECTION:
A microbe that is able to cause disease which enters into the host’s body
through skin are refers under surface infection.
Examples for surface infections: Rabies (Hydrophobia)
Tranchoma
Tetanus
Leprosy ( Hansen’s disease)
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4. RABIES (HYDROPHOBIA)
 Is an acute, viral infectious disease affecting the central nervous system.
 Also called as hydrophobia, because the patient shows fear of water and is
unable to drink it in spite of intense thirst.
 It is a disease of warm blooded animal like dogs, cats, monky etc.
 Causative agent: Lyssa virus type 1.
 Mode of transmission:
- bites of rabid animals.
- saliva, licking on a scratched or abraded skin of a rabid animals.
 Incubation period: 10 days to 08 months. 4

5.  Clinical features:
- begins with headache, slight fever, pain at the site of wound, saliva
runs from the mouth.
- it stimulates all parts of central nervous system, sensory motors as well
as sympathetic nerves.
- patient cannot tolerate noise and bright light.
- difficulty in swallowing.
- fear of water and intense spasms.
- patient dies due to respiratory paralysis or during convulsions.
 Prevention and controls:
- Clean the wounds and scratches with soap and water, then apply spirit
or tincture of iodine on the wound and cover it with surgical dressings. 5

6. - observe the biting animals for 10days. If the animals dies or shows
signs of illness within 10 days it means the animals is rabid and anti-rabies
treatment should be started immediately.
Antirabies treatment:
- traditional vaccine: simple vaccine
( prepared from the brain tissue of infected animals)
Dose: 2-5 ml daily for 14 days
Route of administration: Subcutaneously in the anterior abdominal
wall.
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7. TRANCHOMA
- it is chronic communicable disease of the eye and is an important cause
of blindness.
- virus that attack on mucous membrane covering the surface of eyeball
and lining of the eyelids.
 Causative agents: Chalmydia trachomatis.
 Incubation periods: 5 to 12 days.
 Mode of transmission:
- the disease is mainly spread from person to person by direct contact.
- indirectly through infected fomites of the patient, for example, towels,
cloths, surma or kajal sticks, spoons, cups, toys and thermometers.
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8.  Signs and symptoms:
- It includes developments of granular elevations in the conjunctiva,
kerato conjunctivits , epithelial kerarities.
 Treatment:
- the treatment if the disease involves both , oral and topical
administration of antibiotics.
- e.g. sulphonamides and tetracyclines
- tetracycline ointments applied locally is effective in most instances.
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9. TETANUS
- also called as Lock jaw disease.
 Causative agent: Clostridium tetani.
 Mode of transmission:
- soil, dirty clothing or dust.
- injuries caused by iron articles.
- also through spores which contaminated articles like surgical catgut,
dressing , various powders, talcum, sulphonamides etc.
 Prevention and control:
- Active immunisations with Tetanus toxoid.
- Immunisations by giving DPT (triple vaccine for Diphtheria, Pertusis,
tetanus) ( for children)
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10. * 3 dose of 0.5 ml at one month interval
* followed by another dose after a year.
* booster doses of 5-10 years intervals are given to maintain immunity.
- pregnant women should be given Tetanus toxoid to prevent neonatal
tetanus.
- take actions to prevent tetanus attack during child birth.
- wound should be cleaned and benzyl penicillin should be administered.
- patient with a wound should be immediately given an injection of ATS
or Human tetanus immunoglobulin.
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11. LEPROSY ( HANSEN’S DISEASE)
 Classification of leprosy:
a) non-infective : - generally known as Neural or non lepromatous.
- they are of two types: i. leprosy with patches on the skin
ii. leprosy without patches on the skin
b) Infective: - known as Lepromatous leprosy.
- the patients suffering from infective leprosy sheds germs from nose,
throat and skin.
 Causative agents: Mycobacterium leprae.
 Incubation periods: From few months to a numbers of years.
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12.  Signs and symptoms:
First stage:- there is appearance of small patch on skin
- less sensation than the surrounding area of the skin.
Second stage:- skin of the face become thick, wrinkled.
- ears are swollen,
- nasal and throat discharges contain lepra bacilli, which are even
passed through urine and faeces.
- highly infectious disease.
Third stage: - discharges contain very few bacilli.
- patient is less infectious.
- deformities of hand and feet takes place.
- fingers and toes become bent, ulcerated or drop and disapperas.
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13.  Prevention and control:
- isolate the patients.
- their discharges, clothes etc should be destroyed.
- provide proper health education.
- Multi drug therapy: a combination of rifampicin, Dapson and
Clofazimine is recommended.
- penicillin and streptomycin
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14. Thanking You.
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