Myositis is a generic term that refers to any inflammation of skeletal muscle tissue. Infectious myositis usually results from a tropical disease, but it is becoming more common in temperate climates because of the spread of HIV. Myositis generally affects proximal muscles rather than distal ones, and trichinosis specifically affects the orbital muscles.
Instructions
1. Administer thiabendazole within 24 hours of a trichinosis infection. The optimal dosage is not established, but it can be combined with 40 to 60 mg/day of prednisone in patients who experience severe pain and weakness.
2. Treat trypanosomiasis with benznidazole. This drug is effective even in the acute stage of infection and reduces the rate of cardiac complications in the early chronic phase. A negative serological test at least one year later indicates a successful treatment.
3. Use supportive care for cases of viral myositis. This consists primarily of bed rest and intravenous fluids. Manage the symptoms with analgesics and antipyretics and consider the use of antiviral agents such as amantadine in adults.
4. Identify the causative organism in cases of pyomyositis. Administer the proper antibiotics promptly to eliminate the need for surgical drainage, if possible. Use intravenous antibiotics until the patient's clinical condition improves and follow up with oral antibiotics for three weeks.
5. Provide treatments for other forms of myositis. Polymyositis is primarily the result of an HIV infection and requires corticosteroid injections. Specific types of myositis--such as cysticercosis, toxoplasmal myositis and tuberculous myositis--require separate treatments.
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