Viral diseases - a list of common ailments and the most dangerous viruses. Viral infection in adults: symptoms and treatment

Sexually transmitted diseases are a fairly serious modern problem. The scale of such diseases cannot be fully revealed, since most people, having learned about their problem, are afraid to consult a doctor. Most often, patients are not even aware of their problems, since many sexual diseases do not show serious noticeable symptoms. Female genital infections, such as mycoplasmosis, chlamydia, etc., occur without any symptoms at all.

Causes of sexually transmitted infections in the world.

The reason for the emergence of more and more new varieties of sexual diseases is, of course, modern ecology and unprotected sexual intercourse. The current generation has a very weak immune system, due to which such infections are easily transmitted and are increasingly appearing among modern youth. The body simply cannot cope with the natural fight and protection against this type of infection.

All currently existing sexually transmitted diseases are named after Venus, who was the goddess of love bonds. HIV, syphilis, genital herpes, lymphogranulomatosis venereum, goronea are the most popular sexually transmitted diseases. Diseases that are transmitted through sexual intercourse are the most popular infectious diseases. A disease like gonorrhea affects about 260 million people every year around the world! But to this day AIDS is the most terrible problem of humanity.

But also every day new sexually transmitted infections appear: trichomoniasis, mycoplasmosis, candidiasis, chlamydia, genital herpes, urethritis, ureaplasmosis, papilloma virus, bacterial urethritis, and don’t forget about HIV infections.

The most common infections in the world

Scientists are still arguing about the appearance of these diseases on earth. Some say that they were brought by sailors from exotic islands, where, as is known, most sexually transmitted infections originated. Others are even inclined to believe that it was the goddess of love who rewarded all the “naughty” with such charms. Whether this is so, we can only guess.

What are sexually transmitted infections?

Almost all sexually transmitted infections are treatable, but diseases such as HIV, HPV, and hepatitis B are incurable. You can only stop the progression of the disease with the help of drugs and a serious course of treatment. But, unfortunately, not everyone succeeds in curing sexually transmitted infections, since they find out about the problem too late, and not everyone has the opportunity to undergo such expensive treatment.

Classification of sexually transmitted infections

Types of sexually transmitted infections:

1. Even despite constant advances in the field of medicine and research by microbiologists, the use of more and more new antimicrobial drugs does not always have the desired effect in the treatment of sexual diseases. These diseases include female genital infections, such as:
vulvar infections;
· vaginal infections.
And in particular, these are the more common genital herpes, candidiasis or thrush, vaginitis, bacterial vaginosis.

2. Sexual diseases are divided into a number of genitourinary infections. These include: genitourinary infection in the form of inflammation of the bladder (cystitis), as well as any inflammation of the urinary tract - urethritis, vesiculitis, endometritis, etc.

3. Genital viral infections:
· AIDS or HIV infection, the causative agent is the immunodeficiency virus.
· Genital herpes, the causative agent is the herpes virus of the second type.
· Infections caused by the human papillomavirus - papillomas and condylomas of the genital tract.
· Hepatitis B virus.
· A group of viruses called cytomegaloviruses causes the disease cytomegaly.
· And one of the varieties of the smallpox virus causes molluscum contagiosum disease.
· And also don’t forget about Kaposi’s Sarcoma.

4. Genital fungal infections. This type of infection includes pathogenic and opportunistic fungi. Such fungi are not part of the normal microflora of the body, but opportunistic fungi can be present in our body, but only in small quantities. In case of any disturbances, the relationship between the normal environment and opportunistic fungi provokes the appearance of mycoses or, as they are otherwise called, fungal infections.
Genital fungal infections include: any type of candidiasis (yeast fungus), which has a huge number of associated names - thrush, genital fungus, urogenital candidiasis and mycosis, vulvovaginal mycosis.

5. Male genital infections are also quite common and very dangerous. These are male gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, genital herpes, mycoplasmosis, candidiasis, gardenerelosis, genital warts, ureplasmosis, molluscum contagiosum, etc.

Diagnosis of sexually transmitted infections. Methods for detecting viruses and infections in the early stages

When visiting doctors who specialize in identifying these diseases, tests can be taken in various ways. The most popular is scraping from the vagina, cervical canal, cells from the urethra, or in other options a blood test is taken. But this method can not detect all sexually transmitted infections.
The most accurate analysis at the moment is the polymerase procedure - this is a molecular diagnostic that allows you to detect any pathogens of sexually transmitted infections. It also identifies pathogens that have been living in a given organism for a long time; the procedure occurs without the use of a culture method, which greatly simplifies the task of identifying diseases and infections of the genital tract. In cases of genital herpes and papilloma viruses, such an analysis is necessary. The accuracy of this method is 100%.

This method is very expensive and requires compliance with many rules and the presence of the necessary equipped laboratory. Only a highly qualified doctor can carry out this type of research, observing all the rules when conducting this analysis. But do not forget that no matter how accurate the analysis, there is always the possibility of false results. This happens in the case of contamination of the analysis, the pathogen entered the analysis already dead from a long course of treatment, and when the infection was overcome by the patient’s immunity, it was at the stage of being eliminated from the body.

To ensure accurate results, it is better to combine several different research methods.

For example, taking a special blood test (enzyme immunosorbent test) is a type of laboratory test that studies the manifestation of the immune system’s reactions to a pathogen. This type of research is quite often used to determine any sexual diseases.

There is also a type of analysis called bacteriological culture. This analysis is carried out in this way: a sample is taken of secretions and placed in a special environment that promotes the rapid reproduction of pathogens and then their response to various types of antibiotics is checked. This method is not relevant for complex stages of the disease, since this type of analysis lasts about 14 days. If it is possible to take other tests, then it is better to seek help from them. But it is also necessary to carry out such an analysis in conjunction with the others to identify the response to antibiotic treatment.

The most famous type of diagnosis

This is a smear test that has been around for many years and checks the health of a woman's vaginal flora. A standard gynecological analysis of discharge is performed to determine the current state of the vaginal microflora. In a normal state, the microflora maintains an acidic environment, preventing the proliferation of various microbes. And with any violations, the reverse process occurs. This smear must be taken immediately after unprotected sexual intercourse, and if you have the following symptoms:
· Painful sensations in the abdominal area.
· The appearance of various types of discharge.
· Pain, itching and other painful manifestations on the genitals.

Taking a smear and checking yourself for any fungal and viral infections is recommended for all women, especially pregnant women, patients treated with antibiotics or medications that damage the entire immune system of the body.

How should you treat sexually transmitted infections?

How to get rid of such terrible diseases than to treat sexually transmitted infections? There are several ways to treat both diseases and infections of the genital organs in the world. For example, diseases such as gonorrhea, syphilis, trichomoniasis and chlamydia are treated with special antibiotics (one tablet each).

Diagnoses such as HIV and herpes are treated under the influence of antiretroviral drugs; these types of drugs can extinguish the source of the disease for some time, but are not able to completely cure it. How to treat sexually transmitted infections is a complex question, because the process of such treatment is difficult, but science in our world does not stand still, and every day it comes up with more and more new methods of combating this disease.

Hepatitis B is treated with immunomodulators and antiretroviral drugs. They are designed to fight viruses and slow down liver destruction.
Due to the fact that sexually transmitted diseases and infections progress every year, they become increasingly difficult to treat. They develop a kind of resistance to many types of antibiotics, thereby reducing treatment options to a minimum. For example, gonorrhea has become unresponsive to standard antimicrobial therapy, which has led to drug instability of the gonococcus.

To protect yourself, it is worth remembering that modern medicine has protective vaccines against diseases such as hepatitis B and human papillomavirus. They are a great way to prevent such diseases from occurring. The hepatitis B vaccine, according to research, has saved more than 1.4 million people from cancer and liver disease (chronic) through childhood immunization. And the human papillomavirus vaccine, when properly vaccinated, has saved more than four million women worldwide from dying from cervical cancer. There are no good and 100% vaccines against diseases such as herpes and HIV, although there have been successes in development. And vaccines against gonorrhea, syphilis, and chlamydia are still being developed.

Prevention of sexually transmitted diseases

To prevent any sexually transmitted viruses and fungi, the following measures exist:

· Circumcision is suitable for men. It reduces the risk of HIV infection by 65%. It also protects against any existing sexually transmitted infections (herpes and human papillomavirus, etc.).
· Use of a special gel - tenofovir. Helps prevent female genital infections. This is a bactericidal agent that has gone through many stages of inspection and testing. It has been proven to prevent and protect against diseases such as HIV.

What sexually transmitted infections are transmitted?

All sexually transmitted diseases or sexually transmitted infections are transmitted to your partner in most cases. It is important to remember that both partners need to treat such diseases, because if you are treated and your partner is not, then there is a high chance that after recovery you will catch the same disease again. You should also remember that men experience symptoms extremely less often than women, so you should immediately tell your partner about possible problems.

Let's look at some sexual diseases in more detail.

3. Bacterial sexual disease mycoplasmosis is caused by microbes that live on the mucous membrane of the genital urinary organs. This type of disease is asymptomatic and is quite difficult to identify. They can be present in the body of a healthy person, but in case of complications they cause inflammation of the uterus, appendages, and bacterial vaginosis.

4. Another bacterial disease is ureaplasmosis. The causative agent is microbacteria located on the genitals, or more precisely on the mucous membrane. Just like microplasmosis, this disease is asymptomatic and is detected only through complex laboratory tests. For women, this disease threatens miscarriages, premature birth, fetal infections, and infertility.

5. Trichomonas vaginalis is the causative agent of another sexually transmitted infection - trichomoniasis. This disease can be contracted through oral or anal sex, and there is a possibility of infection through household means (through wet towels). It manifests itself in women in the form of painful sensations during sex and urination, as well as yellow or greenish discharge (foamy), redness of the genitals. This disease is very dangerous for pregnant women, causes premature birth, miscarriages, affects the cervix, and causes erosion.

6. One of the popular sexual diseases is genital herpes. It affects during any sexual intercourse. Symptoms are irritation, swelling of organs, subsequently bubbles with liquid appear, they open, and ulcers form in their place, which take quite a long time to heal. Very dangerous for pregnant women, as it can cause fetal death or problems with the nervous system.

7. A viral and rather dangerous disease, cytomegalovirus, is transmitted not only through sexual intercourse, but also through kissing, and in everyday life through salivary secretions. This disease does not manifest itself with any symptoms; it is quite difficult to notice its presence. People with low immunity are more susceptible to this disease. Dangerous during pregnancy, causes nervous disorders in the fetus and is often fatal.

8. One of the most dangerous viral diseases is the human papillomavirus. It occurs differently in all people and has different types and subtypes, as well as the appearance of different symptoms: warts, papillomas, condylomas, genital cancer. It does not appear on diagnostics and is quite difficult to detect. Very high risk of disease. If the disease is detected early, it can be treated and symptoms can be eliminated. But remember that this disease provokes stress and hormonal changes, so pregnant women, postpartum women, and women during menopause need to be constantly examined for the presence of such an infection.

9. An increased number of bacteria in a woman’s vagina causes a disease called bacterial vaginosis. A large number of harmful bacteria begin to destroy all the beneficial ones, such a violation leads to an imbalance of the microflora. This is more dysbacteriosis than a serious sexually transmitted infection. This disease manifests itself as white vaginal discharge with an unpleasant odor.

10. And don’t forget about candidiasis. This is an overabundance of Candida fungi. Symptoms of this disease are copious vaginal discharge (white), pain when urinating, and itching of the genitals.

The mechanism of action of such drugs is not yet fully understood. There are a lot of new drugs created to treat viruses, but they have not yet been approved for mass use, despite successful clinical trials.

What medications are there to treat viruses and how to choose the “right” drug?
.site) will help you learn a lot about this.

Medicines to treat viruses must meet certain standards. Firstly, such products must be as gentle as possible on the host cells in which the viruses live, while effectively destroying the viruses themselves. When choosing an antiviral agent, it is impossible to take into account the intensity of the immune system, and this is one of the most important factors in the successful treatment of the virus. Methods for testing antiviral drugs on each individual virus have not yet been developed.

If you go to the pharmacy for an antiviral drug, you need to know that all drugs used to treat viruses are divided into three categories: drugs of chemical origin, interferon-based drugs and interferon inducers.

Medicines of chemical origin

Chemical drugs used to treat viruses destroy viruses. Most often, drugs from this group are used to treat influenza and herpes. However, viruses very quickly develop resistance to such drugs. Today, chemical medicines based on plant materials are being developed to treat viruses. These new generation drugs give very good results. Perhaps in a few years there will be an effective treatment for the herpes virus.

Interferon-based drugs

Drugs for treating viruses based on interferons are natural substances that are produced in every cell of the human body. By using such means to treat a virus, you do not risk disrupting the functioning of any organs or systems. You simply introduce additional amounts of interferons into the body, which prevent viruses from multiplying and remove them from the body. Interferon drugs identify proteins that are synthesized by viruses and destroy the genetic information contained in them.

Medicines for the treatment of viruses based on interferons come in three varieties: alpha interferons, beta interferons and gamma interferons. According to the form of production, such drugs are divided into: natural human, leukocyte and recombinant. Such drugs can be successfully used to treat herpes viruses, hepatitis, ARVI, HIV and more.

It has been proven that when using interferons to treat viruses, not only pathogenic microorganisms are destroyed, but the immune system as a whole is improved. At the cellular level, the immune system begins to work more actively.

Interferon inducers

The third group of antiviral drugs are interferon inducers. The drugs in this group are very diverse. Among them there are medicines of artificial and natural origin. All of them are aimed at activating the body’s production of its own interferon. Interferon inducers are the latest word in science in the treatment of viruses. Quite successfully, drugs from this group are used to treat influenza viruses, eye herpes, rhinovirus and many other viral infections.

In some ways, numerous dietary supplements (dietary supplements) can also be called interferon inducers. These drugs do not directly affect the virus. They help the body produce the necessary substances to fight the virus. Therefore, this group of drugs can be used to treat viruses of various types. Cordyceps produced by Tianshi can be considered a fairly effective means of helping to destroy viral infections and strengthen the immune system. Cordyceps is created on the basis of exclusively natural substances, helps the immune system cope with many pathogenic microorganisms, and also cleanses the body of waste products that accumulate in cells.

In the modern world, many different troubles await us. But treating a viral infection with folk remedies at home can be done very easily. At home, it is possible to stop the disease at the initial stage, when symptoms such as weakness, weakness, and unmotivated irritability are barely felt using medicinal methods.

Therapy begins with the patient being put to bed. For viral infections, sweet tea is regularly given. You can apply a heating pad to your feet at home. Before falling asleep, a patient suffering from a severe viral infection can rub his feet with crushed garlic (about 10 cloves). After this, you need to put on wool socks. You can pour dry mustard into them. It is necessary to ensure that the patient drinks enough during treatment. This helps remove harmful toxins and metabolic products, which intensifies when the temperature rises. The disease gradually recedes. Fruit and vegetable juices or fruit drinks are perfect. And traditional tea with raspberries and lemon.

Herbal treatment for viral infection

Mix the two tables. spoons of cognac with two identical spoons of milk. Give this mixture to drink 30 minutes before meals, three times a day. Soon, a patient with a severe viral infection will experience relief from symptoms.

This folk and simple remedy also has a good taste. One tablespoon of cognac (vodka) is mixed with the same amount of raspberry jam. Add half a lemon (squeeze) to the anti-infection mixture and pour the resulting mixture into a glass of hot water. The patient must drink this remedy, after two hours the procedure can be repeated. The viral disease will gradually recede.

Pass 50 grams of onions through a meat grinder. Add 20 grams of vinegar, squeeze through cheesecloth, add 60 grams of honey to the liquid and mix. For a viral infection, take a teaspoon every half hour. Traditional treatment can be combined with tablets only after consultation with your doctor!

To alleviate the condition of a patient with a viral disease with a sore throat and runny nose, take 400 grams of beets, pass through a grater, and drip the resulting juice into the nose. 2-3 drops, 2-3 times a day.

Honey with lemon and glycerin are suitable as an expectorant for home folk treatment. Boil the lemon for 10 minutes. Squeezing its juice provides an excellent method of treating a patient who has a viral infection. Add 2 tablespoons of glycerin to it, add honey to a full glass. Take one teaspoon at night at home. For severe cough - a teaspoon three times a day.

A mixture made from honey is also good for treatment - 2 tsp. , to which add 2 yolks of fresh eggs, spoons of flour and 100g of butter. Mix thoroughly and take 1 tsp for viral and even rotavirus infections several times a day.

Traditional treatment with honey is very effective: compositions of aloe cut into pieces mixed with Cahors and honey work well. Let it brew for two weeks, and then squeeze out the mixture; in case of a viral infection, give three times a day for 1 hour. l.

Another composition can also be used: 4 tablespoons of anise seeds must be mixed with honey and added a pinch of salt. Pour this mixture against a viral infection with warm water and bring to a boil, leaving it on low heat. We filter and take at home three times a day, the treatment will go very well.

Kalanchoe juice will work effectively for the onset of a runny nose, lubricating the nasal mucosa.

Japanese Kombucha - a proven remedy

Kombucha infusion has antiviral properties, so it is good for influenza and other complicated viral infections.

Kombucha infusion with honey and pepper

Required for treatment: 100 ml of 5-day infusion of kombucha, 1 teaspoon of honey, 0.5 teaspoon of ground red pepper. Preparation. Mix all ingredients and heat slightly. Take 1 tbsp during treatment for a complex viral infection every 2-3 hours. spoon.

Kombucha tincture

Required to create the composition at home: 2 parts of kombucha infusion, 8 parts of vodka. Preparation. Pour the infusion into a glass container and add vodka. Leave for 10 days in a cool, dark place. Strain the folk remedy and store the composition for the treatment of a viral disease in the refrigerator. Take 1 tbsp to treat infection. spoon 1 time per day.

Home therapy with Indian sea rice and chaga

A drink made from sea rice has a strong antiviral effect, so it is good not only for treatment, but also as a prophylactic against acute respiratory infections and acute respiratory viral infections.

Prophylactic infusion

Required: 100 ml of rice infusion. The use of folk remedies. For viral infections, take 0.5 cups 2 times a day before meals. Treatment will proceed quickly.

Infusion for treatment

Required: 150 ml of rice infusion. Application. For traditional treatment, drink 0.5 cups 3 times a day 10 minutes before meals.

Chaga decoction and infusion help ease the course of viral flu and infection. They are widely used in alternative medicine as an antipyretic.

Oil mixture

Required: 2 drops of chaga oil, 1 tbsp. spoon of jojoba oil. Preparation. Mix the oils. Use for viral influenza and similar infections. Apply the mixture to the forehead, sides of the nose, behind the ears and on the chest. Apply 3 times a day.

Aloe juice and chaga oil

Required: aloe juice, 1 teaspoon of chaga oil. Place 2 drops of juice into each nostril when treating a viral infection that does not go away for a long time, lubricate the wings of the nose with chaga oil. Massage with folk composition with natural remedies for 3 minutes.

Chaga oil infusion

Required: 3 drops of oil infusion of birch mushroom (mix 2.5 tablespoons of olive oil with 1 tablespoon of chaga infusion), 100 ml of water. Preparation for treatment. Combine ingredients and mix. Gargle for a patient with a severe viral infection. The product alleviates muscle pain and helps lower temperature.

A mixture of echinacea and chaga infusions

Required for the composition according to the folk recipe: 100 ml of infusion of the herb Echinacea purpurea (1 tablespoon of dry herb per 1 liter of water, pour boiling water, leave for 30 minutes, strain), 50 ml of infusion of birch mushroom. Combine ingredients and mix. Use for infection and viral disease. Take 1 tbsp. spoon 3 times a day 35 minutes before meals.

Tibetan milk mushroom

When infected with an infection transmitted by airborne droplets, kefir made from milk fermented with Tibetan mushrooms can provide invaluable help, since with timely treatment, you can not only speed up recovery, but also avoid complications. To do this, at the first signs of the disease, it is recommended not only to choose proven folk remedies, but also to eat exclusively kefir and drink boiled or mineral water without gas (up to 2.5-3 liters per day). If the temperature rises due to a viral complicated infection, you must overcome the desire to wrap yourself up and cover yourself with only a sheet. In this case, it is necessary to apply compresses from a mixture of water and serum (1: 1) to the forehead, wrists, and ankles. This will be facilitated at home by microenemas of water and whey, taken in the same proportion and administered every 2 hours.

As soon as the temperature drops to 37 C, a patient suffering from a viral infection can cover himself with a blanket. Treatment in a hospital or at home is accompanied by drinking plenty of fluids.

Tonic

Required: 100 ml of “mushroom” kefir. Preparation. Warm the kefir slightly. Application. Take 0.5 cups 2 times a day.

At home, treating a viral infection with folk remedies should not lead to illness in the caregiver. Wear a gauze bandage, rinse your nose with a weak solution of iodine (2 drops per cup of slightly salted water), eat more vitamins.

Summary: Advice from a pediatrician. Colds in children treatment. How to treat colds in children. Colds in children under one year of age. The child fell ill with ARVI. The child fell ill with the flu. Viral infection in children treatment. Viral infection in children symptoms. Viral infection: how to treat it. Bacterial infection in children. Bacterial infection symptoms. Bacterial throat infection.

Attention! This article is for informational purposes only. Be sure to consult your doctor.

If a child has an acute respiratory infection (ARI), then the question of whether the disease is caused by viruses or bacteria is a fundamental one. The fact is that pediatricians of the so-called “old school”, that is, those who graduated from the institute in the 1970-1980s, prefer to prescribe antibiotics for any rise in temperature. The motive for such appointments - “if nothing happens” - does not stand up to criticism. On the one side, viruses that cause most acute respiratory infections are completely indifferent to antibiotics , next to which traditional complications from antibiotic therapy - intestinal dysbiosis and drug allergies - will seem like a problem for the first grade of high school.

There is only one way out of this situation, very effective, although quite labor-intensive - to assess both the child’s condition and the doctor’s prescriptions yourself. Yes, of course, even a local pediatrician, who is usually only scolded, is armed with a university diploma, not to mention the head of the pediatrics department in the same district clinic, and even more so a candidate of sciences, to whom you take your child every six months for an appointment or cancellation of preventive vaccinations. However, none of these doctors, unlike you, have the physical ability to monitor your child daily and hourly.

Meanwhile, the data of such observation in medical language is called anamnesis, and it is on them that doctors base the so-called primary diagnosis. Everything else - examination, tests and x-rays - serves only to clarify the diagnosis that has actually already been made.

So, not learning to really assess the condition of your own child, whom you see every day, is simply not good.

Let's try - you and I will definitely succeed.

In order to distinguish an acute respiratory infection caused by viruses from the same acute respiratory infection, but caused by bacteria, you and I will only need minimal knowledge of how these diseases proceed. It will also be very useful to know how often per year the child has been sick recently, who is sick and what in the children’s group, and, perhaps, how your child behaved in the last five to seven days before getting sick. This is all.

Respiratory viral infections (ARVI)

There are not so many respiratory viral infections in nature - these are the well-known influenza, parainfluenza, adenovirus infection, respiratory syncytial infection and rhinovirus. Of course, thick medical manuals recommend doing very expensive and time-consuming tests to distinguish one infection from another, but each of them has its own “calling card”, by which it can be recognized at the patient’s bedside. However, you and I don’t need such deep knowledge - it is much more important to learn to distinguish the listed diseases from bacterial infections of the upper respiratory tract.

All respiratory viral infections (hereinafter referred to as ARVI) have a very short incubation period - from 1 to 5 days. It is believed that this is the time during which the virus, having penetrated the body, is able to multiply to the amount that will definitely manifest itself as a cough, runny nose and fever. Therefore, if a child does get sick, you need to remember the last time he visited, for example, a children's group and how many children there looked sick. If less than five days have passed from this moment to the onset of the disease, this is an argument in favor of the viral nature of the disease. However, just one argument will not be enough for you and me.

Prodrome

After the end of the incubation period, the so-called prodrome begins - a period when the virus has already unfolded in all its power, and the child’s body, in particular his immune system, has not yet begun to adequately respond to the adversary.

You can suspect something is wrong already during this period: the child’s behavior changes dramatically. He (she) becomes capricious, capricious more than usual, lethargic or, conversely, unusually active, and a characteristic sparkle appears in the eyes. Children may complain of thirst: this is the beginning of viral rhinitis, and the discharge, while there is little of it, flows not through the nostrils, but into the nasopharynx, irritating the mucous membrane of the throat. If the child is less than a year old, the first thing that changes is sleep: the child either sleeps for an unusually long time or does not sleep at all.

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO : It is during the prodromal period that all the antiviral drugs we are familiar with are most effective - from homeopathic oscillococcinum and EDAS to rimantadine (effective only during an influenza epidemic) and Viferon. Since all of the drugs listed either do not have side effects at all, or these effects appear to a minimal extent (like rimantadine), they can be given already during this period. If the child is over two years old, ARVI may end before it even begins, and you may get away with a slight fright.

What NOT to do : You should not start treatment with antipyretic drugs (for example, with Efferalgan) or with advertised anti-cold drugs such as Coldrex or Fervex, which are essentially just a mixture of the same Efferalgan (paracetamol) with antiallergic drugs, flavored with a small amount of vitamin C. Such a cocktail is not only will blur the picture of the disease (we will still rely on the doctor’s competence), but will also prevent the child’s body from responding qualitatively to the viral infection.

Onset of the disease

As a rule, ARVI begins acutely and vividly: body temperature jumps to 38-39 ° C, chills, headache, and sometimes sore throat, cough and runny nose appear. However, these symptoms may not exist - the onset of a rare viral infection is marked by local symptoms. If, however, it does come to such a rise in temperature, you should expect that the illness will drag on for 5-7 days and still call a doctor. It is from this moment that you can begin traditional (paracetamol, drinking plenty of fluids, suprastin) treatment. But now you shouldn’t expect quick results from antiviral drugs: from now on, they can only contain the virus.

It is very important to remember that after 3-5 days, a child who has almost recovered can suddenly, as doctors say, deteriorate again. Viruses are also dangerous because they can bring with them a bacterial infection “on their tail” - with all the ensuing consequences.

Important! A virus that infects the upper respiratory tract always causes an allergic reaction, even if the child is not allergic.

Moreover, at a high temperature, a child may have allergic reactions (in the form of, for example, urticaria) to usual food or drink.

That is why during acute respiratory viral infections it is very important to have antiallergic drugs (suprastin, tavegil, claritin or zyrtec) on hand. By the way, rhinitis, which is manifested by nasal congestion and watery discharge, and conjunctivitis (shiny or reddened eyes in a sick child) are characteristic symptoms of a viral infection. With bacterial infection of the respiratory tract, both are extremely rare.

By the way, the company of dangerous or simply unpleasant bacteria that like to settle in the respiratory tract does not include Staphylococcus aureus.

Yes, yes, the same one that is so enthusiastically removed from the upper respiratory tract, and then poisoned with antibiotics by some particularly advanced doctors. Staphylococcus aureus is a normal inhabitant of our skin; in the respiratory tract he is an accidental guest, and believe me, even without antibiotics he is very uncomfortable there. However, let's get back to bacterial infections.

The main difference between a bacterial respiratory tract infection and a viral one is a longer incubation period - from 2 to 14 days. True, in the case of a bacterial infection, it will be necessary to take into account not only and not so much the expected time of contact with patients (remember how it was in the case of ARVI?), but also the child’s overwork, stress, hypothermia, and finally, moments when the baby uncontrollably ate snow or got your feet wet. The fact is that some microorganisms (meningococci, pneumococci, moraxella, chlamydia, streptococci) can live in the respiratory tract for years without showing anything.

Prodrome

The same stress and hypothermia, and even a viral infection, can cause them to lead an active life.

Unfortunately, this is not only acute otitis media or sinusitis (sinusitis or ethmoiditis), which are relatively easy to cure. Streptococcal sore throat is far from harmless, although even without any treatment (except for soda rinses and hot milk, which no caring mother will fail to use) it disappears on its own in 5 days. The fact is that streptococcal tonsillitis is caused by the same beta-hemolytic streptococcus, which includes the already mentioned chronic tonsillitis, but they, unfortunately, can lead to rheumatism and acquired heart defects. (By the way, tonsillitis is also caused by chlamydia and viruses, for example adenovirus or the Epstein-Barr virus. True, neither one nor the other, unlike streptococcus, never leads to rheumatism. But we’ll talk about this a little later.) The said streptococcus after recovery from a sore throat, it does not disappear anywhere - it settles on the tonsils and behaves quite decently for quite a long time.

Streptococcal tonsillitis has the shortest incubation period among bacterial infections - 3-5 days. If there is no cough or runny nose with a sore throat, if the child still has a clear voice and no redness of the eyes, this is almost certainly streptococcal sore throat.

In this case, if the doctor recommends antibiotics, it is better to agree - leaving beta-hemolytic streptococcus in the child’s body may be more expensive. Moreover, when it first enters the body, streptococcus is not yet hardened in the fight for its own survival and any contact with antibiotics is fatal for it. American doctors, who cannot take a step without various tests, have discovered that already on the second day of taking antibiotics for streptococcal sore throat, the evil streptococcus completely disappears from the body - at least until the next meeting.

The microbe that causes seemingly harmless nasopharyngitis is called meningococcus for a reason - under favorable circumstances, meningococcus can cause purulent meningitis and sepsis after itself. By the way, the second most common causative agent of purulent meningitis is also, at first glance, a harmless hemophilus influenzae; however, most often it manifests itself with the same otitis media, sinusitis and bronchitis.

Bronchitis and pneumonia, which are very similar to those caused by Haemophilus influenzae (usually arising as complications of acute respiratory viral infections), can also be caused by pneumococcus. The same pneumococcus causes sinusitis and otitis.

And since both Haemophilus influenzae and pneumococcus are sensitive to the same antibiotics, doctors don’t really know which one is in front of them. In one and another case, you can get rid of the restless adversary with the help of the most common penicillin - long before the pneumococcus causes serious problems for the little patient in the form of pneumonia or meningitis.

Closing the hit parade of bacterial respiratory tract infections are chlamydia and mycoplasma - tiny microorganisms that, like viruses, can live only inside the cells of their victims. These microbes are not capable of causing either otitis or sinusitis. The hallmark of these infections is the so-called interstitial pneumonia in older children. Unfortunately, interstitial pneumonia differs from ordinary pneumonia only in that it cannot be detected either by listening or by tapping the lungs - only by x-ray. Because of this, doctors make the diagnosis of such pneumonia quite late - and, by the way, interstitial pneumonia is no better than any other. Fortunately, mycoplasmas and chlamydia are very sensitive to erythromycin and similar antibiotics, so pneumonia caused by them (if diagnosed) is very treatable.

Other signs of interstitial pneumonia are a prolonged cough (sometimes with sputum) and severe complaints of intoxication and shortness of breath with, as medical textbooks put it, “very poor physical examination data.” Translated into normal Russian, this means that despite all your complaints, the doctor does not see or hear any problems.

Information about the onset of the disease can help a little - with chlamydial infection, everything begins with a rise in temperature, which is accompanied by nausea and headache. With a mycoplasma infection, there may be no temperature at all, but that same prolonged cough is accompanied by sputum. I have not found any clear symptoms of mycoplasma pneumonia in any Russian pediatric manual;

But in the guide “Pediatrics according to Rudolph,” which, by the way, has been published in the United States for 21 years, it is recommended to apply pressure to the child’s sternum area (the middle of the chest) while breathing deeply.

If this triggers a cough, then you are most likely dealing with interstitial pneumonia.

A person is most susceptible to various colds in the autumn and spring. Viral infectious diseases are a type of disease that is caused by an infection that has penetrated into a weakened body. They can occur in an acute form or in a sluggish form, but treatment must be carried out in both cases so as not to aggravate the situation and to avoid dangerous complications. On average, a person gets sick from colds 2 to 3 times a year, but the disease always develops due to viral DNA.

Types of viruses
Symptoms of pathology can be caused by different types of bacteria, which differ in location, rate of development, and symptoms. Human viruses have a special classification; they are conventionally divided into fast and slow. The second option is very dangerous because the symptoms are very weak and the problem cannot be detected immediately. This gives it time to multiply and strengthen. Among the main types of viruses, the following groups are distinguished:
Orthomyxoviruses are all influenza viruses.
Meningitis. It is provoked by a meningococcal infection, the brain mucosa is damaged, and the virus feeds on the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
Encephalitis - affects the lining of the brain, provokes irreversible disturbances in the functioning of the central nervous system.
Parvovirus, which is the causative agent of polio. A very dangerous disease that can cause convulsions, inflammation of the spinal cord, and paralysis.
Picornaviruses are causative agents of viral hepatitis.
Orthomyxoviruses cause mumps, measles, and parainfluenza.
Rotavirus - causes enteritis, intestinal flu, gastroenteritis.
Rhabdoviruses are the causative agents of rabies.
Papoviruses are the cause of human papillomatosis.
Retroviruses are the causative agents of AIDS; HIV develops first, and then AIDS.

List of human viral diseases

Medicine knows a huge number of contagious viruses and infections that can provoke various diseases in the human body. Below are only the main groups of diseases that you are likely to encounter:

One of the largest groups of viral diseases is influenza (A, B, C), various types of colds that cause inflammation in the body, high fever, general weakness and sore throat. Therapy is carried out with the help of general restoratives, antiviral drugs, and, if necessary, antibacterial medications are prescribed.
Rubella. A common childhood pathology, less common in adults. Symptoms include damage to the lining of the respiratory tract and skin. eyes, lymph nodes. The virus is transmitted by droplets and is always accompanied by high fever and skin rashes.
Piggy. A dangerous viral disease affecting the respiratory tract, the salivary glands are severely affected. Rarely found in adult men, the testes are affected by this virus.
Measles – often found in children, the disease affects the skin, respiratory tract, and intestines. It is transmitted by airborne droplets and is caused by paramyxovirus.
Poliomyelitis (infantile paralysis). The pathology affects the respiratory tract, intestines, and then penetrates the blood. Next, motor neurons are damaged, which leads to paralysis. The virus is transmitted by droplets, and sometimes a child can become infected through feces. In some cases, insects act as carriers.
Syphilis. This disease is sexually transmitted and affects the genitals. Then it affects the eyes, internal organs and joints, heart, liver. Antibacterial agents are used for treatment, but it is very important to determine the presence of pathology immediately, because it may not cause symptoms for a long time.
Typhus. It is rare and is characterized by a rash on the skin, damage to blood vessels, which leads to the formation of blood clots.
Pharyngitis. The disease is caused by a virus that enters the human body along with dust. Cold air, streptococci, and staphylococci can also provoke the development of pathology. The viral illness is accompanied by fever, cough, and sore throat.
Sore throat is a common viral pathology, which has several subtypes: catarrhal, follicular, lacunar, phlegmonous.
Whooping cough. This viral disease is characterized by damage to the upper respiratory tract, swelling of the larynx is formed, and severe coughing attacks are observed.

The rarest human viral diseases

Most viral pathologies are contagious diseases that are sexually transmitted through airborne droplets. There are a number of diseases that are extremely rare:

Tularemia. The pathology, in its symptoms, strongly resembles the plague. Infection occurs after Francisella tularensis enters the body - it is an infectious bacillus. As a rule, it gets in with the air or through a mosquito bite. The disease is also transmitted from a sick person.
Cholera. This disease is very rare in modern medical practice. The Vibrio cholerae virus, which enters the body through dirty water and contaminated food, causes symptoms of pathology. The last outbreak of the disease was recorded in 2010 in Haiti, the disease claimed the lives of more than 4,500 people.
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. A very dangerous pathology that is transmitted through the meat of infected animals. The causative agent is considered to be a prion, a special protein that begins to actively destroy body cells after penetration. The insidiousness of the pathology lies in the absence of symptoms, the person begins to develop a personality disorder, develops severe irritation, and dementia. The disease cannot be cured and the person dies within a year.

Symptoms of the virus

Symptoms do not always appear immediately; some types of viral diseases can occur for a long time without obvious signs, which becomes a problem with further treatment. Every infectious disease goes through the following stages:

incubation period;
premonitory;
the height of pathology;
recovery.

The duration of the first stage always depends on the specific type of virus and can last from 2-3 hours to six months. Symptoms will differ depending on the developing disease, but, as a rule, the following manifestations are included in the general symptoms of viral pathologies:

soreness, muscle weakness;
slight chills;
persistent body temperature;
sensitivity of the skin to touch;
cough, sore throat, watery eyes;
dysfunction of some organs;
enlarged lymph nodes.

Temperature due to viral infection

This is one of the body’s main reactions to the penetration of any pathogen. Temperature is a protective mechanism that activates all other immune functions to fight viruses. Most diseases occur with a high body temperature. Viral pathologies that provoke this symptom include:

flu;
ARVI;
tick-borne encephalitis;
childhood diseases: chickenpox, infectious mumps, rubella, measles;
polio;
Infectious mononucleosis.

There are often cases of the development of diseases in which the temperature does not rise. The main symptoms are watery discharge with a runny nose and sore throat. The absence of fever is explained by insufficient activity of the virus or the immune system is strong, and therefore does not fully use all possible methods of fighting the infection. If growth has begun, then high rates remain, as a rule, for about 5 days.

Signs

Most viruses provoke the development of acute respiratory pathologies. There is some difficulty in identifying diseases that were caused by bacteria, because the treatment regimen in this case will be very different. There are more than 20 varieties of viruses that cause ARVI, but their main symptoms are similar. Primary signs include the following manifestations:

rhinitis (runny nose), cough with clear mucus;
low temperature (up to 37.5 degrees) or fever;
general weakness, headaches, poor appetite.

How to distinguish a cold from a virus

There is a difference between these two concepts. A cold occurs during prolonged exposure to the cold, severe hypothermia of the body, which leads to a weakened immune system and the appearance of an inflammatory process. This is not the name of the disease, but only the cause of the development of other pathologies. Viral pathology often becomes a consequence of a cold, because the body does not have enough protective forces to resist the pathogen.

Virus diagnostics

When contacting a doctor, he must conduct a visual examination and collect anamnesis. Usually. viral diseases are accompanied by fever, cough, runny nose, but after 3-4 days the person feels better. Specialists can determine the type of disease based on general symptoms or based on seasonal outbreaks of diseases, for example, influenza epidemics often begin in winter, and acute respiratory viral infections in the fall. Determining the exact type of virus will be required for specific treatment (HIV, syphilis, etc.). For this purpose, virological research is used.

This method in medicine is the “gold standard”, which is carried out in a special laboratory. As a rule, such methods are used during epidemic outbreaks of viral infectious diseases. Immunodiagnostic methods (immunoindication, serodiagnosis) are widely used for diagnosing pathogens. They are realized through various immune reactions:

enzyme immunoassay (ELISA);
radioisotope immunoassay (RIA);
hemagglutination inhibition reaction;
complement fixation reaction;
immunofluorescence reaction.

Treatment of viral diseases

The course of therapy depends on the type of pathogen. For example, if it is necessary to treat ARVI, childhood viral pathologies (mumps, rubella, measles, etc.), then all medications are used to eliminate the symptoms. If you follow bed rest and diet, the body itself copes with the disease. Treatment of viruses is carried out in cases where they cause significant discomfort to a person. Apply for example:

antipyretics if the temperature is above 37.5 degrees;
vasoconstrictor drops are used to relieve nasal swelling;
in rare cases, antibiotics (if a bacterial infection has occurred);
NSAIDs that relieve pain and lower fever, for example, aspirin, paracetamol, ibuprofen.

During treatment, doctors recommend drinking more fluids to combat intoxication of the body, moderate nutrition, bed rest and room humidity of at least 50% where the patient is. Treatment for influenza is no different, but the doctor must monitor the patient, because this disease can cause serious consequences. One of them is pneumonia, which can lead to pulmonary edema and death.

If such complications begin, treatment must be carried out in a hospital using special medications (Zanamivir, Oseltamivir). When diagnosing the human papillomavirus, therapy consists of keeping the immune system in good shape, surgical removal of warts and condylomas. In cases of severe viral pathologies. For example, HIV requires a course of antiretroviral drugs. It cannot be completely eliminated, but it can be kept under control and prevent the spread of the disease.

If the genital organs are infected with herpes, it is necessary to take special medications; their maximum effectiveness has been confirmed in the first 48 hours. If you use the products later, their medicinal effect is significantly reduced and the course of treatment can last from several weeks to several months. Herpes on the lips needs to be treated with local remedies (ointments, gels), but even without them, the wound heals within a week.

Antiviral drugs

In medicine, there is a certain number of medications in this group that have proven their effectiveness and are used constantly. The entire list of drugs is divided into two types:

Medicines that stimulate human immunity.
Drugs that attack the detected virus are direct-acting drugs.

The first group refers to broad-spectrum drugs, but their use leads to serious complications. One example of such drugs is interferons, and the most popular of them is interferon alfa-2b. It is prescribed for the treatment of chronic forms of Hepatitis B, and was previously prescribed for hepatitis C. Patients had a hard time tolerating such therapy, which led to side effects from the central nervous system and the cardiovascular system. In some cases, pyrogenic properties appear and cause fever.

The second type of PPD medications is more effective and is easier to tolerate by patients. Among the popular medications, the following treatment options are distinguished:

Herpes - acyclovir. Helps overcome the symptoms of the disease, but does not kill it completely.
Influenza – influenza neuraminidase inhibitors (Zanamivir, Oseltamivir). Modern influenza strains have developed resistance to previous medications (adamantanes), and they are not effective. Name of drugs: Relenza, Ingavirin, Tamiflu.
Hepatitis. For the treatment of group B viruses, interferons are used together with Ribavirin. For hepatitis C, a new generation of drugs is used - Simeprevir. Its effectiveness reaches 80-91% of sustained virological response.
HIV. It cannot be completely cured; antiretroviral drugs provide a lasting effect, cause remission, and the person cannot infect others. Therapy continues throughout life.

Prevention

Preventative measures may vary slightly depending on the type of virus. For example, to prevent infection with hepatitis or HIV, it is necessary to protect yourself during sexual intercourse. There are two main directions for the prevention of viral diseases:

Specific. It is carried out to develop specific immunity in a person through vaccination. A person is injected with a weakened strain of the virus so that the body develops antibodies to it. This will help protect you from those with measles, flu, polio, and hepatitis (liver disease). Most life-threatening diseases can be prevented by vaccines.
Non-specific. Strengthening the human immune defense, a healthy lifestyle, physical activity and normal nutrition. A person must follow the rules of hygiene, which will protect him from intestinal infections, and use protection during sexual intercourse to prevent HIV infection.