Viral diseases - a list of common ailments and the most dangerous viruses. Virus treatment

ARVI (acute respiratory viral infection) is a respiratory disease caused by a viral infection entering the body. The route of transmission of viruses is airborne. People with a weakened immune system are most prone to contracting an acute infection during the cold season, this happens especially often.

To provide the patient with quality care, the doctor prescribes drugs with a complex spectrum of action. Next, we will consider what kind of disease it is, what are the causes and symptoms in adults, and how to treat SARS for a quick recovery of the body.

What is SARS?

SARS are airborne infections caused by viral pathogens that mainly affect the respiratory system. Outbreaks of respiratory viral infections occur all year round, but the epidemic is more often observed in autumn and winter, especially in the absence of high-quality prevention and quarantine measures to detect cases of infection.

During periods of peak incidence of acute respiratory viral infections, 30% of the world's population is diagnosed, respiratory viral infections are many times higher in frequency than other infectious diseases.

The difference between ARVI and ARI at first glance is insignificant. However, there may be a virus (influenza) or a bacterium (streptococcus), the causative agent of ARVI is only a virus.

Causes

SARS are caused by a variety of viruses belonging to different genera and families. They are united by a pronounced affinity for the cells of the epithelium lining the respiratory tract. Acute respiratory viral infections can be caused by different types of viruses:

flu,
parainfluenza,
adenoviruses,
rhinoviruses,
2 serovars RSV,
reoviruses.

Entering the body through the mucous membrane of the upper respiratory tract or the conjunctiva of the eyes, viruses, having penetrated the epithelial cells, begin to multiply and destroy them. Inflammation occurs at the sites of introduction of viruses.

Source of infection- a sick person, especially if this person is in initial stage diseases: feeling unwell and weak until the moment when a person realizes that he is sick, already isolating the virus, he infects his environment - the work team, fellow travelers in public transport, the family.

The main route of infection airborne, with small particles of mucus and saliva released when talking, coughing, sneezing.

For the development of ARVI, the concentration of the virus in the environment is of great importance. So, the smaller the number of viruses that enters the mucous membranes, the lower the percentage of the likelihood of developing the disease. A high saturation of viruses persists in a closed room, especially with a large crowd of people. The lowest concentration of viruses, on the contrary, is noted in the fresh air.

Risk factors

Provoking factors contributing to the development of infection:

hypothermia;
stress;
poor nutrition;
unfavorable ecological situation;
chronic infections.

It is best to determine how a doctor can treat SARS. Therefore, in the event of the appearance of the first symptoms, it is necessary to call a local therapist or pediatrician.

Incubation period

The incubation period of SARS in adults can last from 1 to 10 days, but mostly it is 3-5 days.

The disease is highly contagious. Viruses enter the mucous membranes by airborne droplets. You can get sick through the touch of hands, dishes, towels, so communication with the patient should be strictly limited.

In order not to infect other family members, the patient must:

wear a special gauze bandage;
use only your personal hygiene items;
process them systematically.

After an illness, immunity does not develop resistance to SARS, which is due to a large number of different viruses and their strains. Moreover, viruses are subject to mutation. This leads to the fact that an adult can get ARVI up to 4 times a year.

If a patient is diagnosed with a disease, he is prescribed antiviral drugs and bed rest until complete recovery.

The first signs of an acute respiratory viral infection

Usually begins with a slight malaise and sore throat. In some people, at this time, an exacerbation of chronic herpes occurs, accompanied by the appearance of characteristic blisters with liquid in the lips.

The first signs of an acute respiratory viral infection will be:

pain in the eyes;
increase in general body temperature;
a situation in which watery eyes and a runny nose;
sore throat, dryness, irritation, sneezing;
an increase in the size of the lymph nodes;
sleep disorders;
coughing fits;
voice changes (if the mucous membranes of the larynx are inflamed).

How contagious is SARS for an adult? Experts have found that a person who catches the virus becomes contagious 24 hours before the very first symptoms of the disease are detected.

Thus, if signs of a respiratory infection appeared 2.5 days after the introduction of the pathogen into the body, then a sick person could infect others starting from 1.5 days after communicating with the previous carrier of the virus.

SARS symptoms in adults

Common features of SARS: a relatively short (about a week) incubation period, acute onset, fever, intoxication and catarrhal symptoms. Symptoms of SARS in adults develop rapidly, and the sooner responses to the invasion of the infection are taken and treatment is started, the easier the immune system will cope with the disease.

Main symptoms:

Malaise - weakness in the muscles and aching joints, I want to lie down all the time;
drowsiness - constantly sleepy, no matter how long a person sleeps;
runny nose - at first not strong, just like a clear liquid from the nose. Most attribute this to a sharp change in temperature (I went from the cold into a warm room, and condensation appeared in my nose);
chills - discomfort when touching the skin;
sore throat - it can be expressed as a tickle, and a tingling sensation or even pain in the neck.

Depending on the state of the immune system, the symptoms of SARS may increase or decrease. If the protective functions of the respiratory organs are at a high level, it will be very easy to get rid of the virus and the disease will not cause complications.

In addition, if the usual symptoms of SARS do not go away after 7-10 days, then this will also be a reason to consult a specialist (more often an ENT doctor becomes one).

Kinds	Symptoms in an adult
adenovirus infection	High fever that lasts from five to ten days; strong wet cough, aggravated in a horizontal position and with increased physical activity; enlarged lymph nodes; runny nose; sore throat when swallowing.
	Occurs: Very high temperature; dry cough causing chest pain; sore throat; runny nose; dizziness and sometimes loss of consciousness.
parainfluenza	The incubation period lasts 2-7 days. This form of ARVI is characterized by an acute course and an increase in symptoms: Body temperature up to 38 degrees. It persists for 7-10 days. Rough cough, hoarseness and change in voice. Painful sensations in the chest. Runny nose.
RS infection	Its symptoms, in general, are similar to parainfluenza, but its danger is that bronchitis may develop as a result of untimely treatment.

If the patient has chronic diseases, then this can lead to an exacerbation. During the period of exacerbation, diseases develop: bronchial asthma, bronchitis, sinusitis,. They worsen a person's condition and make it difficult to treat.

Symptoms of SARS requiring emergency medical attention:

temperature above 40 degrees, almost or not responding to taking antipyretic drugs;
impaired consciousness (confused consciousness, fainting);
intense headache with inability to bend the neck, bringing the chin to the chest
the appearance of a rash on the body (asterisks, hemorrhages);
chest pain when breathing, difficulty inhaling or exhaling, feeling short of breath, coughing up phlegm (pink is more serious);
prolonged, more than five days of fever;
the appearance of secretions from the respiratory tract green, brown, mixed with fresh blood;
pain behind the sternum, not dependent on breathing, swelling.

Complications

If the necessary measures for its treatment are not taken with ARVI, complications may develop, which are expressed in the development of the following diseases and conditions:

acute sinusitis (inflammation of the sinuses with the addition of a purulent infection),
lowering the infection down the respiratory tract with the formation and,
spread of infection to the auditory tube with the formation,
accession of a secondary bacterial infection (for example,),
exacerbation of foci of chronic infection both in the broncho-pulmonary system and in other organs.

Particularly susceptible to this are the so-called "adult" teenagers who cannot sit at home for a minute. It is necessary to have a conversation with them, because complications after SARS can not only spoil life, there have been cases with a fatal outcome.

Diagnostics

Which doctor will help? If you have or suspect the development of ARVI, you should immediately seek advice from such doctors as a general practitioner, an infectious disease specialist.

For the diagnosis of ARVI, the following examination methods are usually used:

Examination of the patient;
Immunofluorescence express diagnostics;
bacteriological research.

If the patient has developed bacterial complications, then he is referred for a consultation with other specialists - a pulmonologist, an otolaryngologist. If pneumonia is suspected, an X-ray of the lungs is performed. If there are pathological changes in the ENT organs, then the patient is prescribed pharyngoscopy, rhinoscopy, otoscopy.

How to treat SARS in adults?

At the first symptoms of the disease, bed rest is necessary. You need to call a doctor to make a diagnosis, determine the severity of the disease. In the mild and moderate form of ARVI, they are treated at home, the severe form is treated in an infectious diseases hospital.

Mode.
Decrease in toxicity.
Impact on the pathogen - the use of antiviral agents for ARVI.
Elimination of the main manifestations - runny nose, sore throat, cough.

Drugs for the treatment of SARS

It is necessary to treat SARS with the help of antiviral drugs, because the main cause of the disease is the virus. From the first hours of the onset of symptoms of acute respiratory viral infections, no later than 48 hours later, they begin to take one of the drugs 2 times a day:

Amiksin;
rimantadine or amantadine - 0.1 g each;
oseltamivir (Tamiflu) - 0.075 - 0.15 g;
zanamivir (Relenza).

You need to take antiviral drugs for 5 days.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. This category includes:

ibuprofen,
Paracetamol
Diclofenac.

These drugs have an anti-inflammatory effect, reduce temperature, and relieve pain.

Can be taken combination drugs containing paracetamol - for example:

Fervex,
Theraflu

Their effectiveness is the same as that of conventional paracetamol, but they are more convenient to use and reduce the intensity of other symptoms of SARS due to the presence of phenylephrine and chlorphenamine in the composition.

Antihistamine medicines needed to reduce signs of inflammation: nasal congestion, swelling of mucous membranes. Reception "", "Fenistila", "Zirtek" is recommended. Unlike first-generation drugs, they do not cause drowsiness.

Against nasal congestion and runny nose with ARVI in adults, vasoconstrictor nasal drops Vibrocil, Nazivin, Otrivin, Sanorin are used.

Are antibiotics needed?

The prognosis for SARS is generally favorable. The worsening of the prognosis occurs when complications occur, a more severe course often develops when the body is weakened, in children of the first year of life, in senile people. Some complications (pulmonary edema, encephalopathy, false croup) can be fatal.

The main indications for taking antibiotics for colds are the following:

chronic inflammation of the middle ear;
purulent otitis;
purulent;
quinsy;
abscess;
phlegmon.

An important action is isolation of the patient from society because the infection will then spread. Being in crowded places, the infected will endanger them.
It is required to observe a number of rules regarding the room where the patient is located. This includes its wet cleaning, mandatory ventilation (every 1.5 hours), temperature conditions (20-22 °), it is good if the indoor humidity is 60-70%.
Need to drink plenty of water, it should only be warm. In fact, this is any drink: tea, decoctions, compote, just warm water, etc.
Taking a shock dose of vitamin C. In the early days of SARS, you need to take ascorbic acid up to 1000 milligrams per day.
Warming up feet and hands with hot baths. Warming procedure can be carried out if the patient does not have a temperature.
Gargling. The throat must be gargled so that the infection does not spread. Gargling helps relieve coughs. Soda-salt solution, decoctions of chamomile, calendula, sage are suitable for gargling.
Rinse your nose regularly with saline solutions. The cheapest option is physiological saline, you can also use modern drugs Dolphin or - their effectiveness in comparison with conventional saline is absolutely identical.
Inhalations. This procedure is aimed at relieving coughing. From folk remedies, for inhalation, you can use steam from potatoes "in uniform", as well as decoctions of chamomile, calendula, mint and other medicinal herbs. From modern means, a nibulizer can be used for inhalation.

In the acute stage of the disease, a person has a fever, a serious condition, apathy, loss of appetite, pain in the joints, muscles, etc. As soon as the virus begins to “lose up”, the temperature balance normalizes - perspiration occurs, the pallor of the skin turns into a blush, the patient wants to eat, is drawn to sweets.

Nutrition

Food during the treatment of ARVI should be light, quickly digestible. It is important to maintain a balance of fats, proteins and carbohydrates. For a speedy recovery, it is worth limiting the amount of fat consumed. But it is not necessary to give up easily digestible carbohydrates. They will replenish energy reserves.

Depending on the stage of recovery, the nutrition of a patient with ARVI can be built as follows:

On the first day of illness - baked apples, low-fat yogurt, fermented baked milk.
On the second or third day - boiled meat or fish, porridge with milk, dairy products.
On the days of complications of the disease - boiled or stewed vegetables, low-fat sour-milk products.

Folk remedies for SARS

ARVI can be treated with the following folk remedies:

Brew in a glass of boiling water for 1 tsp. ginger powder, ground cinnamon, add ground black pepper on the tip of a knife. Insist under the lid for 5 minutes, add 1 tsp. honey. Take a glass every 3-4 hours.
Modern healers recommend treating colds with a special mixture of juices. You will need: juice from 2 lemons, 1 crushed garlic clove, 5 mm fresh ginger root, 1 apple with skin, 1 pear with skin, 300 gr. water, 1 tablespoon honey. If the juice is intended for adults, you can add a slice of radish 2 cm thick to it. Drink the resulting mixture 2 times a day until complete recovery.
You can do inhalation over a container of hot water. To increase efficiency, a clove of garlic, an extract of needles, fir oil, and eucalyptus are added to the liquid. Also, on the basis of these oils, nasal drops are made.
To disinfect the air in the room, it is worth putting a container with onions or garlic in the room. They are rich in useful phytoncides that destroy viruses.
Loss of smell is one of the most annoying symptoms of a cold (especially for an aromatherapist!) Chervil, geranium, and basil oils can help. Use them when taking baths and during inhalations.

Prevention

ARVI preventive methods include:

limiting contact with a sick person;
use of a protective gauze mask;
humidification of the air to prevent drying of the mucous membranes;
quartzization of premises;
ventilation of premises;
good food;
sports;
the use of vitamins and restorative drugs in the offseason;
personal hygiene.

You will get the maximum result if you carry out complex treatment of acute respiratory viral infections, take all the drugs prescribed by your doctor and remember about bed rest.

If a bacterial infection has entered the body, the symptoms of the pathological process are similar to signs of intoxication, require treatment with and without antibiotics. The general condition of the patient worsens, and the disturbed temperature regime is bedridden. Bacterial diseases are successfully amenable to conservative treatment, the main thing is not to start the spread of pathogenic flora.

Infectious or not

To get an answer to this question, you need to know all the existing types of bacterial infections and undergo diagnostics in a timely manner to identify the pathogen. For the most part, such pathogenic microorganisms are dangerous to humans, they are transmitted by household contact, airborne droplets and alimentary routes. After the infection enters the body, inflammation, acute intoxication, and tissue damage occur, while the body's immune response decreases.

Symptoms of a bacterial infection

Symptoms are similar to signs of general intoxication of an organic resource, accompanied by high body temperature and severe chills. Pathogenic flora, as it were, poisons an organic resource, releasing waste products into once healthy tissues, blood. Common symptoms of a bacterial infection are listed below:

fever;
increased sweating;
acute migraine attacks;
nausea, less often - vomiting;
dizziness;
general weakness, malaise;
complete lack of appetite.

In children

Patients in childhood are much more susceptible to bacterial lesions, since the general state of immunity leaves much to be desired. With the release of toxins, the symptoms only increase, chaining the child to bed, forcing parents to go on sick leave. Here are some changes in children's well-being that you need to pay special attention to:

constant moodiness;
tearfulness, lethargy;
temperature instability;
fever, chills;
pronounced signs of dyspepsia;
skin rashes of unknown etiology;
the appearance of a white coating on the tonsils with severe soreness of the throat.

Bacterial infections in women

In respiratory diseases of the respiratory tract, it is very often a bacterial infection. As an option, angina, pharyngitis, laryngitis progresses, which are accompanied by recurrent sore throat, less often - purulent discharge from the pharynx. Microbes cause the following changes in the female body:

temperature jump up to 40 degrees;
choking cough with progressive coryza;
pronounced signs of intoxication;
violation of the intestinal microflora, vagina;
acute otitis, depending on the location of the infection;
prolonged bouts of diarrhea;
signs of decreased immunity.

Signs of a bacterial infection

In order for the diagnosis of bacterial infections to be timely, it is necessary to pay attention to the first changes in the general well-being of the patient, not to refer to the classic cold, which “will pass by itself”. Should be alert:

frequent trips to the toilet, diarrhea;
feeling of nausea, complete lack of appetite;
a sharp decrease in body weight;
temperature rise above 39 degrees;
painful sensations of different localization depending on the nature of the infection, its localization.

How to distinguish a viral infection from a bacterial one

Bacteriological analysis is indispensable, since this is the basis of diagnosis and the ability to correctly differentiate the final diagnosis. However, an adult patient is able to independently distinguish the nature, localization of the focus of pathology. This is important for future treatment, since bacterial lesions are successfully treated with the participation of antibiotics, while pathogenic viruses cannot be eradicated with antibiotics.

The main difference between a bacterial infection and a viral one is as follows: in the first case, the focus of pathology is local, in the second it is more systemic. Thus, pathogenic viruses infect the entire body, dramatically reducing overall well-being. As for bacteria, they have a narrow specialization, for example, they rapidly develop laryngitis or tonsillitis. To determine the virus in such a clinical picture, a general blood test is required, to identify the bacterial flora - sputum analysis (in case of infection of the lower respiratory tract).

Kinds

After inflammation of the mucous membranes and the appearance of other symptoms of bacterial damage, it is required to determine the nature of the pathogenic flora by laboratory means. Diagnosis is carried out in a hospital, the collection of anamnesis data is not enough to make a final diagnosis. In modern medicine, the following types of infections are declared, which have a predominantly bacterial flora and cause such dangerous diseases of the body:

Acute intestinal bacterial infections: salmonellosis, dysentery, typhoid fever, food poisoning, campylobacteriosis.
Bacterial lesions of the skin: erysipelas, impetigo, phlegmon, furunculosis, hidradenitis.
Bacterial infections of the respiratory tract: sinusitis, tonsillitis, pneumonia, bronchitis.
Blood bacterial infections: tularemia, typhus, plague, trench fever.

Diagnostics

In the process of reproduction of pathogenic bacteria in the absence of timely therapy, the infectious process becomes chronic. In order not to become carriers of dangerous infections, it is required to undergo a comprehensive examination in a timely manner. This is a mandatory general blood test, which shows an increased number of leukocytes, a jump in ESR. Other changes in the body fluid of an infected person are listed below:

an increase in neutrophilic granulocytes;
shift of the leukocyte formula to the left;
an increase in the erythrocyte sedimentation rate.

To avoid the development and spread of a chronic disease, the following types of clinical examinations are recommended:

Bacteriological (study of the habitat of microbes, creation of favorable conditions for the formation of viable colonies in the laboratory).
Serological (detection of specific antibodies in the blood to certain types of pathogenic microbes - under a microscope they differ in color).
Microscopic (after sampling, the biological material is examined in detail under a microscope, at the cellular level).

How to Treat a Bacterial Infection

The pathological process begins with an incubation period, the duration of which depends on the nature of the pathogenic flora, its localization and activity. The main goal of the implementation of conservative methods is to prevent blood poisoning, to restore the general well-being of the clinical patient. The treatment is symptomatic, here are the valuable recommendations of competent specialists:

The appointment of antibiotics and representatives of other pharmacological groups should be carried out exclusively by the attending physician, since individual microorganisms are immune to certain medicines.
In addition to conservative treatment, you need to reconsider your daily diet, habitual lifestyle. For example, it is useful to completely abandon salty and fatty foods, bad habits and excessive passivity. Be sure to strengthen weak immunity.
Symptomatic treatment should be carried out depending on the location of the focus of the pathology, the affected body system. For example, in diseases of the respiratory system, mucolytics and expectorants are needed, and with tonsillitis, antibiotics cannot be dispensed with.

Antibiotics

If bronchitis or pneumonia occurs, such dangerous diseases must be treated with antibiotics in order to avoid extremely unpleasant complications with the health of an adult patient and a child. Among the side effects we are talking about allergic reactions, digestive disorders and more. Therefore, the appointment of antibiotics should be carried out exclusively by the attending physician after diagnosis. So:

To slow down the growth of pathogenic flora, bacteriostatic agents such as Tetracycline, Chloramphenicol in tablets are prescribed.
To exterminate a bacterial infection, bactericidal preparations such as Penicillin, Rifamycin, Aminoglycosides are recommended.
Among the representatives of antibiotics of the penicillin series, Amoxiclav, Augmentin, Amoxicillin are especially in demand.

How to cure a bacterial infection without antibiotics

Symptomatic therapy for an adult and a child is carried out according to medical indications. For example, in the fight against headaches, you will have to take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, for example, Nurofen, Ibuprofen. If there are pains of another localization, they can be removed with Diclofenac. To cure a bacterial infection without antibiotics, the following medications are recommended:

Diclofenac. Painkillers that additionally relieve inflammation have bactericidal properties.
Regidron. Salt solution, which is supposed to be taken in case of acute intoxication of the body to remove the infection.

How to treat a bacterial infection in children

In childhood, with acute infections, it is recommended to drink plenty of water, symptomatic treatment. Antibiotics are required to be abandoned if the disease is at an early stage, secondary microbes are absent. With an upper respiratory tract infection, cough medicines, mucolytics will be needed. For diseases of the throat, it is better to use local antiseptics - Lugol, Chlorophyllipt. Patients with meningitis should be urgently hospitalized.

Prevention

The penetration of pathogenic flora into the body can be prevented. To do this, at any age, it is recommended to adhere to the following preventive recommendations of a knowledgeable specialist:

preventive vaccination;
exclusion of prolonged hypothermia of the body;
strengthening immunity;
compliance with the rules of personal hygiene;
proper nutrition for adults and children, vitamins.

Video

What types of viral infections are there? What diseases can they cause? How to deal with the virus?

The cause of our diseases is not necessarily viruses. It can be bacteria (as, for example, with angina), fungi (thrush), or even protozoa (Giardia).

And yet, the vast majority of diseases that we “catch” are viral infections. The peculiarity of a virus is that it is not even a cell, but just a piece of information.
It enters our DNA, inserts itself there and causes our own body to reproduce the same viruses. This cunning mechanism forces our body to multiply its own enemies.
Fortunately, most of the time it ends quickly. The body comes to its senses, throws antibodies to fight the virus and the disease goes away in 5-7 days. The difficulty is that there are a lot of such "pests" in nature.
And there are new ones all the time. Each time, our body must develop unique antibodies that can overcome this particular virus. This is what takes so much time.
Not every case is so simple. There is, for example, such a virus as HIV, which the body is not able to cope with at all. But most seasonal sores work that way.

What modern viral infections exist: types of viral infections

It is difficult to talk about viruses because there are so many of them. They cause different diseases in different organs. Their most typical manifestation is the seasonal flu.
Every year this virus mutates, and last year's medicine stops working. Therefore, an epidemic is inevitable.
But the most common cause of conjunctivitis is also a virus. It also causes most otitis media. And gepres, or a cold on the lip. It can cause various diseases such as rabies and warts.
AIDS and rubella, rotavirus and chickenpox, tetanus and intestinal disorders - viruses can become the cause of all these dissimilar conditions.

Methods for diagnosing viral infections

Because SARS is the most common symptom people present to hospitals, most doctors can recognize it without testing.
If you have a fever for a couple of days, you suffer from a runny nose, sneezing and coughing, then this is most likely a viral infection.
The doctor judges not only by your condition, but also by the epidemiological situation in general. If every second patient comes to him with a complaint of a severe cough and low temperature, then the doctor does not need additional tests to diagnose SARS.

You can accurately determine the presence of the virus in the body using a complete blood count. Some viruses can be found in the urine, so this analysis is sometimes also taken.

What should be the blood test for a viral infection?

The most important question that the doctor wants to answer when sending you for a blood test for a cold is the question of the nature of your disease. Is it viral or bacterial.
It turns out that this can be done by counting the ratio of different blood cells. How it is possible to recognize the nature of the disease by a general analysis, says the famous pediatrician Dr. Evgeny Komarovsky.
“Imagine that they took a blood test from you and put it on a piece of glass - they made a smear. After that, the laboratory assistant takes a microscope, puts a glass in it and looks. Here he saw a leukocyte there.
By appearance, he determines what kind of leukocyte it is: neutrophil, monocyte, again neutrophil, eosinophil. All this is recorded. He does this until he counts one hundred of these white blood cells. Now the laboratory assistant will write down all this as a percentage.
This result is called the leukocyte count. If there are a lot of lymphocytes in it, then this is one hundred percent a viral infection. If there are a lot of neutrophils - bacterial.

Video: how to determine a viral or bacterial infection in a child by a blood test?

How are viral infections transmitted?

Different viruses are transmitted in different ways. But almost all of them are highly contagious. Most often, we have to protect ourselves from seasonal flu.

What does not work:

Disposable medical mask. If a person with a respiratory virus is talking to you, then the infection, together with his breath, can penetrate through any mucous membrane. Including through the shell of the eyes, which remains unprotected when using a medical mask. The mask can stop the virus if it is worn by the sick person, but not by his interlocutor.
Oxolinic ointment. Although it is a widely used remedy, its effectiveness has not been proven. It is not widespread practically anywhere in the world, except for the post-Soviet space.
Immunostimulating drugs. In most other countries, they are also banned. The ones we sell are, at best, ineffective, at worst, harmful. Biologist and physiologist, scientist Maxim Skulachev tells about this: “I would be very careful with immunomodulators. Maybe you should use them, because the immune system is so important. But now it's terra incognita. Scientists don't understand how it works at all. Climbing into the immune system with unwashed hands is to stimulate what works in a way that you don’t understand. We do not know how this affects oncology, the cardiovascular system. In our country, immunomodulators are loved and often prescribed. But authoritative international organizations did not encourage any of them.”

How can you really protect yourself?

Get vaccinated. Of course, there are so many viruses that you can't protect yourself from all of them. But you can protect yourself from the most common ones. Give your children all the vaccinations that our calendar prescribes. Check if you have any. If you are in poor health, planning a pregnancy, have asthma, or have another risky condition, be sure to get your seasonal flu shot.

Limit contact with people. If you can walk rather than ride in a crowded bus, take a walk. If you can buy food in a small shop, then do not go to a crowded supermarket.
Plentiful drink. There must be enough fluid in our body so that our mucous membranes do not dry out. Then they will naturally fight the virus that has fallen on them. If the infection still can penetrate inside, it will be excreted in the urine.
Stimulation of immunity. But not with pharmaceuticals. There are many ways to keep your immune system strong. This is hardening, and moderate physical activity, and a healthy diet, and the right sleep pattern.

What complications can occur after viral infections?

Complications after viruses depend on what kind of disease you caught. But when it comes to seasonal flu, it is important to be treated correctly. If you do not cope with the disease, then you may experience the following problems:

bronchitis
pneumonia
sinusitis and sinusitis
ear inflammation

These are the most common complications that doctors fix.

What to do with a viral infection?

If you are still unlucky, and you have picked up SARS, then you need to prepare for the fact that from 3 to 7 days you will not feel well.
It is advisable to consult a doctor. He will prescribe treatment for you. But there are some things you can do yourself at home.
First of all, you need a moderate diet (according to your appetite) and plenty of fluids. It is best to use dried fruit compote for these purposes. It contains precisely those microelements that are washed out with profuse sweating.

Don't force yourself with bed rest. Your body will tell you whether you need to lie in bed or go for a walk. Walking is not recommended only during the period of exacerbation.

Pay attention to the atmosphere in your room. The patient does not need heat at all. The optimal air, which will not dry out your mucous membranes and help fight the virus, should be cool and humid.

Prevention and treatment of viral infections

In the treatment of viral infections, there is one most important rule: you can not be treated with antibiotics. They do not help with SARS. The only effective medicine is vaccination.
There are good drugs for some infections. For example, so you can cure herpes. But in most cases, it remains to rely only on one's own strength.
Treatment of SARS is symptomatic. All we can do is relieve the symptoms, not treat the cause. For example, you can bring down the temperature with an antipyretic. Or restore nasal breathing with vasoconstrictor drops.

How to recognize and protect yourself from a viral infection: tips and feedback

“What, you can’t get a cold. This is a weakening of the immune system, the body itself cannot fight the infection, which is always present in it. Only a mask, onion and garlic helps against the virus.”

“I'm pregnant and I'm afraid of getting sick. I even reheat watermelon in the microwave. Nothing cold, and from medicines - only tea with lemon and cranberries with sugar. But there are no edema.”

“My husband got sick. Now he wears a mask. I'm afraid the kids will get sick too. So that no one gets infected, I wipe my hands with alcohol for everyone in the house. The virus is also transmitted through the hands.”

Video: Elena Malysheva. Symptoms and treatment of SARS

The human body at any age is capable of being exposed to various infectious diseases. The most common among them is either a viral infection. The disease is transmitted by airborne droplets, so any virus is easy to pick up and become infected. A person feels lethargic, his temperature rises. Without timely intervention, the virus can lead to complications, the disease can become chronic.

Causes of the disease

In spring and autumn, viruses spread twice as fast. Prolonged stay in rooms where there are many people is the main cause of infection. This can happen at work, on public transport, in supermarkets, shops, schools and kindergartens. The respiratory tract is the first to suffer, so if nasal congestion begins and appears, you should not hesitate to visit a doctor.

The causative agents of the disease are bacteria and viral infections. Antibiotics are usually not used at the initial stage of infection, so microorganisms and bacteria are not killed immediately. It is for this reason that the treatment is delayed and difficult to medicate. Antibiotics are already prescribed if the pathology worsens and leads to other health problems.

The most common causative viruses are adenoviruses. As for the bacterial infection, it is caused by category A streptococci and pneumococci.

It is also easy to get infected if you do not follow the rules of hygiene, eat unwashed foods, do not wash your hands with soap after the street or the bathroom.

Symptoms of a viral infection

To distinguish the common cold from a viral infection, you need to pay attention to the characteristic signs.

Here are some typical symptoms for this condition:

runny nose
inflammation of the larynx (sometimes there may be a discharge in the form of mucus)
the temperature rises, no more than 38 degrees
lethargy, weakness and soreness in the muscles
drowsiness
poor appetite

When the condition is neglected, the symptoms worsen. In this case, the signs are:

temperature above 38 degrees
nasal discharge acquires a mucous consistency, when blown out, purulent accumulations come out
inflammation of the tonsils, pus accumulates in the back of the larynx
wet cough
dyspnea
severe prolonged headaches
soreness in the abdomen

You should not wait for viruses to cause complications. The sooner treatment is started, the sooner recovery will come.

Varieties of viruses

There are different viral infections. Before prescribing medicines, the doctor must make sure that the diagnosis is correct, because not all viruses are treated equally.

The next type is rhinovirus infection. Symptoms characteristic of this disease are: liquid discharge from the nasopharynx, sneezing, lacrimation. The bronchi, lungs and trachea will be clean. The maximum temperature is 37.4 degrees Celsius. With timely treatment, visible improvements will come in 5 days.

The third type is adenovirus infection. This disease already has a more complex degree of development, pathogens affect not only the respiratory system, but also spread to the entire lymphoid part. The disease is manifested by abundant mucous nasal secretions, tonsillitis may develop, and lymph nodes may enlarge. Severe cough and fever from fever can last up to twelve days. Intoxication, even at very high temperatures, will not be expressed. To prevent complications, it is important to take antiviral drugs in a timely manner.

The fourth type is respiratory syncytial infection. Often, the infection severely affects the lower respiratory tract. Concomitant diseases are, and if a child is infected, then bronchiolitis. In a neglected state, pneumonia can begin. Pneumonia can even be fatal.

Coronavirus infection - infection of the upper respiratory organs occurs. This type of viral infection is more common in young children, adults in very rare cases.

Any type requires specialist advice and proper diagnosis.

Diagnostics

Diagnosis primarily includes the delivery of all tests:

finger blood test
blood test from a vein

They may be asked to take sputum to study it in the laboratory or undergo fluorography. This is carried out if the doctor detects intoxication and murmurs in the lungs.

Urine and blood will help to establish the antigen viruses that caused this ailment.

First aid rules

There are certain steps by which you can independently provide first aid in the fight against the virus.

First you need to sit at home, no trips to work. Visiting crowded places will bring complications, and there is also the possibility that you yourself will infect someone.

Bed rest. The more the patient sleeps and rests, the more the body will have the strength to produce antibodies and immunity against this infection.

Drinking plenty of fluids also contributes to a speedy recovery. It is very good to drink not only clean water, but also Polyana Kvasova and Borjomi, where there is more alkali. The required amount of liquid will quickly remove the harmful toxins that the viral infection has created. If the patient cannot drink a lot of plain water, you can drink rosehip broth, lemon tea and drink fruit drinks from various fruits and berries.

If severe intoxication occurs, the patient suffers from a high temperature, he is feverish and shivering, then ordinary raspberries will help in this case. Raspberries can be used to make tea. This folk remedy is useful and tasty at the same time, ideal for treating young children. You can make a drink from fresh, dried and frozen berries. You can use raspberry jam. Sugar should not be added, as it is still a medicine.

Treatment Methods

It is not difficult to treat viral infections, especially if you start treatment on time. First of all, symptomatic therapy is used, this includes the reception:

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

Types of viruses

Different types of bacteria can cause symptoms of pathology, which differ in the place of localization, the rate of development, and signs. Human viruses have a special classification, conventionally they are divided into rapid and slow. The second option is very dangerous because the symptoms are very weak and it is not possible to immediately detect the problem. This gives her time to multiply, to strengthen. Among the main types of viruses, the following groups are distinguished:

Orthomyxoviruses are all influenza viruses.
adenoviruses and rhinoviruses. They provoke SARS - an acute respiratory viral infection that affects the respiratory system. Symptoms are very similar to the flu, can cause complications (bronchitis, pneumonia)
Herpesviruses - herpes viruses that can live in the body asymptomatically for a long time, are activated immediately after the immune system is weakened.
Meningitis. It provokes meningococcal infection, the brain mucosa is damaged, the virus feeds on cerebrospinal fluid (cerebrospinal fluid).
Encephalitis - affects the membrane of the brain, provokes irreversible disturbances in the work of the central nervous system.
Parvovirus, which is the causative agent of poliomyelitis. A very dangerous disease that can cause convulsions, inflammation of the spinal cord, paralysis.
Picornaviruses are the causative agents of viral hepatitis.
Orthomyxoviruses - cause mumps, measles, parainfluenza.
Rotavirus - cause enteritis, intestinal flu, gastroenteritis.
Rabdoviruses are the causative agents of rabies.
Papoviruses are the cause of human papillomatosis.
Retroviruses are the causative agents of AIDS, first HIV develops, 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 are likely to be encountered:

One of the largest groups of viral diseases is influenza (A, B, C), various types of colds that cause an inflammatory process in the body, high fever, general weakness and sore throat. Therapy is carried out with the help of restorative agents, antiviral drugs, if necessary, antibacterial drugs are prescribed.
Rubella. A common childhood pathology, less common in adults. Symptoms include damage to the membranes of the respiratory tract, skin. eyes, lymph nodes. The virus is transmitted by droplets, always accompanied by high fever, skin rashes.
Piggy. A dangerous viral disease affecting the respiratory tract, the salivary glands are severely affected. Rarely found in adult men, testes are affected by this virus.
Measles - often found in children, the disease affects the skin, respiratory tract, intestines. It is transmitted by airborne droplets, the causative agent is paramyxovirus.
Poliomyelitis (infantile paralysis). Pathology affects the respiratory tract, intestines, then penetrates into the blood. Next, the motor neurons are damaged, which leads to paralysis. The virus is transmitted by droplets, sometimes a child can become infected through stool. In some cases, insects act as carriers.
Syphilis. This disease is sexually transmitted, it 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.
Typhoid. It is rare, characterized by a rash on the skin, damage to blood vessels, which leads to the formation of blood clots.
Pharyngitis. The disease provokes a virus that enters the human body along with dust. Cold air, streptococci, staphylococci can also provoke the development of pathology. Accompanied by a viral disease fever, cough, sore throat.
Angina is a common viral pathology that has several subspecies: catarrhal, follicular, lacunar, phlegmonous.
Whooping cough. This viral disease is characterized by damage to the upper respiratory tract, swelling of the larynx is formed, severe coughing attacks are observed.

The most rare human viral diseases

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

Tularemia. Pathology in its symptoms strongly resembles the plague. Infection occurs after Francisella tularensis enters the body - this is an infectious bacillus. As a rule, it enters along with the air or when bitten by a mosquito. The disease is also transmitted from a sick person.
Cholera. This disease is very rare in modern medical practice. Vibrio cholerae virus, which enters the body through dirty water, contaminated food, causes symptoms of pathology. The last outbreak of pathology 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, a personality disorder begins in a person, severe irritation and dementia appear. It is impossible to cure the disease and the person dies within a year.

Virus Symptoms

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. Each 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 among the common symptoms of viral pathologies:

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

Temperature during a viral infection

This is one of the main reactions of the body to the penetration of any pathogen. Temperature is a defense 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;
SARS;
tick-borne encephalitis;
childhood diseases: chicken pox, infectious parotitis, rubella, measles;
polio;
Infectious mononucleosis.

Often there are cases of the development of diseases, in which the temperature does not rise. The main symptoms are watery compartments with a runny nose, sore throat. The absence of temperature is due to the insufficient activity of the virus or the immunity is strong, therefore, it does not fully use all possible methods of fighting the infection. If the growth has begun, then high rates are kept, 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 SARS, but their main symptoms are similar. The primary symptoms include the following:

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 when you stay in the cold for a long time, severe hypothermia of the body, which leads to a weakening of the 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 defenses to resist the pathogen.

Virus Diagnostics

When contacting a doctor, he should conduct a visual examination and collect an anamnesis. Usually. viral diseases are accompanied by fever, cough, runny nose, but after 3-4 days a person feels better. Specialists can determine the type of disease by general symptoms or based on seasonal outbreaks of diseases, for example, influenza epidemics often begin in winter, and SARS in autumn. Determination of the exact type of virus will be required for specific treatment (HIV, syphilis, etc.). For this, a virological study 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. Methods of immunodiagnostics (immunoindication, serodiagnosis) have found wide distribution for diagnosing pathogens. They are implemented through a variety of immune responses:

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

Treatment of viral diseases

The course of therapy is depending on the type of pathogens. For example, if it is necessary to treat SARS, childhood viral pathologies (mumps, rubella, measles, etc.), then all medicines are used to eliminate symptoms. Subject to bed rest, diet, the body itself copes with the disease. Treatment of viruses is carried out in cases where they cause tangible discomfort to a person. Apply for example:

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

During treatment, doctors recommend drinking more fluids to combat intoxication of the body, moderate nutrition, bed rest and humidity in the room at least 50% where the patient is located. Therapy for influenza is no different, but the doctor must be sure to 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 have begun, then treatment must be carried out in a hospital with the use of special medications (Zanamivir, Oseltamivir). When diagnosing the human papillomavirus, the therapy consists in maintaining immunity in good shape, surgical removal of warts, genital warts. In cases of severe viral pathologies. For example, HIV requires a course of antiretroviral drugs. It cannot be eliminated completely, but it can be kept under control and prevent the spread of the disease.

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

Antivirals

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

Medicines that stimulate the human immune system.
Means that attack the detected virus are direct-acting drugs.

The first group refers to broad-spectrum agents, but their use leads to serious complications. One example of such drugs is interferons and the most popular of these 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 are manifested - they cause fever.

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

Herpes - acyclovir. Helps to overcome the symptoms of the disease, but does not kill it completely.
Influenza - influenza neuraminidase inhibitors (Zanamivir, Oseltamivir). Current influenza strains have developed resistance to previous drugs (adamantanes) and 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 a persistent virological response.
HIV. It cannot be completely cured, antiretroviral drugs provide a lasting effect, cause remission, and a person cannot infect others. The therapy continues throughout life.

Prevention

Preventive 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 areas of prevention of viral diseases:

Specific. It is carried out to develop specific immunity in humans 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 measles, influenza, polio, hepatitis (liver disease). Most life-threatening diseases can be prevented with vaccines.
Nonspecific. Strengthening the immune defense of a person, a healthy lifestyle, physical activity and normal nutrition. A person must follow the rules of hygiene, which will protect him from intestinal infections, be protected during sexual intercourse in order to prevent HIV infection.