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Virus and
Viral Disease Information
There is a wealth
of information out there on the Internet. The information here is
listed in a very basic manner for the purpose of initial education.
If you have tried
Virutase for a virus not listed here, please email
us
and give us some details about it and some links. We'll put it up
here the share with others. Thanks.
Common Virus Definitions
Rhinovirus
(Common Cold)
The most commonly
occurring virus is a group that lives in the nasal passages known as
the "rhinovirus." Other less common cold viruses include
coronavirus, adenovirus, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The
vast majority of cold viruses do not spread through the air and
seldom are transmitted from airborne particles expelled when someone
with a cold coughs or sneezes. The most common complaints associated
with the cold are runny nose, sneezing, nasal and sinus blockage,
headache, sore throat, cough. These symptoms usually are mild and can
be managed with over-the-counter cold medications you can buy at a
drugstore or grocery store.
Influenza
The flu is caused
by 3 types of influenza viruses: influenza A, B, and C. Type A is the
most common. Types A and B are responsible for the seasonal outbreaks
of flu and are divided into different subtypes based on the chemical
structure of the virus. Influenza is a highly contagious disease and
outbreaks occur more frequently in the winter months. The virus is
spread when you either inhale infected droplets in the air (spread
when an infected person coughs or sneezes) or when you come in direct
contact with an infected person's secretions (for example, by
kissing, sharing of handkerchiefs and other items, and through use of
objects such as spoons and forks). Touching smooth surfaces such as
doorknobs, handles, and telephones are other ways to transfer the
virus to your hands, which invariably makes contact with the nose or
mouth and where the virus gets absorbed. Symptoms usually come on
suddenly. Indications are fever as high as 106°F (41°C),
severe aches and pains in the joints, muscles, and around the eyes,
generalized weakness, ill appearance with warm, flushed skin and red,
watery eyes, headache, dry cough and sre throat and watery discharge
from the nose.
Genital Herpes
Genital herpes is
a common, highly infectious disease. It is transmitted from one
person to another during sexual activity. Genital herpes causes
blisters or groups of small ulcers (open sores) on and around the
genitals in both men and women. It cannot be cured, only controlled.
Genital herpes is caused by two types of the herpes simplex virus:
HSV-1 and HSV-2. Most genital herpes infections are caused by HSV-2.
HSV-1 is the usual cause of what most people call "fever
blisters" in and around the mouth and can be transmitted from
person to person through kissing. Less often, HSV-1 can cause genital
herpes infections through oral sexual contact. The genital sores
caused by either virus look the same. Many people remember having an
episode of genital herpes, but as many as 90% of those infected fail
to recognize the symptoms or have no symptoms at all. It is not clear
whether these people never had an initial herpes outbreak or whether
they never noticed a mild infection. They are contagious and may have
additional outbreaks, nonetheless.
Oral Herpes
Oral herpes is an
infection caused by the herpes simplex virus. It is a DNA virus that
causes sores in and around your mouth. The virus causes painful sores
on your lips, gums, tongue, roof of your mouth, and inside your
cheeks. It also can cause symptoms such as fever and muscle aches.
Herpes simplex virus, type 1 or HSV-1, causes 80% of cases of oral
herpes infections and Herpes simplex virus, type 2 or HSV-2, causes
the rest. People contract herpes by touching infected saliva, mucous
membranes, or skin. Because the virus is highly contagious, most
people have been infected by at least 1 herpes subtype before
adulthood. Recurrence: When you encounter certain stresses, emotional
or physical, the virus may reactivate and cause new sores and symptoms.
Shingles
Shingles is a
reactivation of the herpes zoster virus (varicella-zoster virus, or
VZV). This same virus causes the childhood illness chickenpox. The
chickenpox virus (varicella) remains in a dormant state in the body
in the root of nerves that control sensation. In about 1 out of 5
people, the virus "wakes up," often many years after the
chickenpox infection. The virus then travels along a sensory nerve
into the skin causing a painful rash known as shingles. Shingles is
derived from the Latin and French words for belt or girdle,
reflecting distribution of the rash in a broad band. This band is
usually only on 1 side of the body and represents a dermatome-the
area that a single sensory nerve supplies in the skin. Anyone who has
had the chickenpox infection or vaccine can get the herpes zoster
virus that causes shingles. Older people and those with cancer, HIV,
or organ transplants have a decreased ability to fight off infection
and a greater chance of getting shingles.
Mononucleosis
Infectious
mononucleosis (often called simply "mono") is a common
viral infection that causes fever, sore throat, and enlarged lymph
nodes. The most common complaint is a sore throat. It is commonly
caused in more than 90% of the cases by Epstein-Barr virus but can be
caused by other viruses such as cytomegalovirus (CMV). This common
organism is a member of the Herpes viridae family of viruses. Once
infected, you develop lifelong immunity to further infections from
the disease. Fever, severe sore throat, swollen glands, and fatigue
are the most common symptoms. It is diagnosed most frequently among
teenagers and young adults but the illness generally goes away
without much medical help. However, it may last weeks to months.
Treatment mainly is to help symptoms and can nearly always be done at
home with plenty of rest.
Hepatits
Hepatitis is a
general term that means inflammation of the liver which can be caused
by infection. It can also be caused by exposure to alcohol, certain
medications, chemicals, poisons, and other toxins, or by other
diseases. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is one of the many viruses that can
cause inflammation of the liver. Inflammation of the liver caused by
infection with HCV is referred to as hepatitis C. You cannot get
hepatitis C by living with, being near, or touching someone with the
disease. You can get the disease by sharing a razor, nail clippers,
or other such items with an infected person. If the inflammation is
not reversed, it becomes chronic (ongoing, long term) and can cause
chronic liver disease, which can be serious or even fatal. About 4
million people in the United States have antibodies to HCV, meaning
they have been infected with the virus at some point; as many as half
of them do not know they have the infection.
HIV and AIDS
HIV (human
immunodeficiency virus) infection has now spread to every country in
the world and has infected over 29 million people worldwide. A
lentivirus of a subgroup of retroviruses, HIV causes AIDS. The virus
kills or damages cells of the body's immune system progressively
destroying the body's ability to fight infections and certain
cancers. People diagnosed with AIDS may develop life-threatening
diseases from viruses or bacteria that rarely make healthy people
sick. AIDS, or Acquired Immuno-Deficiency Syndrome was first
recognized in 1981 in New York City. The virus was identified in 1983
and a diagnostic blood test was developed in 1985. The virus does not
spread through casual contact such as sharing of food, utensils,
towels and bedding, swimming pools, telephones, or toilet seats. The
virus is also unlikely to be spread by contact with saliva. People
who already have a sexually transmitted disease such as syphilis,
genital herpes, chlamydial infection, gonorrhea, or bacterial
vaginosis, are more likely to acquire HIV infection during sex with
an infected partner.
The virus destroys
the cells that are the primary infection fighters, called CD4+ or T4
cells. Many people do not develop symptoms after getting infected
with HIV although some have a flu-like illness within several days to
weeks after exposure to the virus. They complain of fever, headache,
tiredness, and enlarged lymph glands in the neck, symptoms that
usually disappear on their own within a few weeks.
The definition of
AIDS includes all HIV-infected people who have fewer than 200 CD4+
cells per microliter of blood and it is the most advanced stage of
HIV infection. The definition also includes 26 conditions that are
common in advanced HIV disease but that rarely occur in healthy
people. People with AIDS are prone to develop various cancers such as
Kaposi sarcoma, cervical cancer, and cancers of the immune system
known as lymphomas. Kaposi sarcoma causes round, brown, reddish or
purple spots that develop in the skin or in the mouth. After the
diagnosis of AIDS is made, the average survival time has been
estimated to be 2-3 years.
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