ARVI (acute respiratory viral infection)

ARVI is an acute virus infection of respiratory tract that is characterized with high temperature (sometimes no temperature at all), intoxication symptoms, inflammation development. Inflammation may occur at any part of respiratory tract or at the whole respiratory tract (nose, paranasal sinuses, throat, trachea, bronchi). Also it may occur on conjunctiva.

Dramatic rise of the disease occurs in winter and in early spring. ARVI also occurs in autumn and some cases are registered all year round. Immunity after the diseases in past is strongly specific. It means that immunity is resistant to specific virus that causes ARVI. That is why one and the same adult may get diseased with ARVI up to 2 – 3 times a year and a child 6 – 8 times a year.

Agents of five virus groups cause ARVI. There are 300 viruses able to cause respiratory tract damage It is clear that each of them has its peculiarities. In summer and autumn the agents most frequently are agents of picornavirus group (rhinoviruses), in latest autumn and winter ARVI is caused by pneumotropic viruses (influenza)

Source of infection is diseased person with frank ARVI symptoms. Seldom source of infection are healthy virus carriers. Infection is transmitted via airborne. However, virus may be transmitted via contact with patient (handshake, kisses, objects). The immunity after carried virus infection usually remains resistant for a short period of time.

ARVI Symptoms

Any acute respiratory viral infection is manifested with next symptoms:
* acute onset of the disease
* body temperature increase
* symptoms of intoxication that are developed in first three days (headache, loss of appetite, weakness)
* appearing of catarrhal syndrome: stuffiness in nose, nasal discharge, sore throat, pharyngitis, tonsillitis, voice hoarseness, cough, eye conjunctiva.

Herpes Zoster

Herpes zoster is a disease resulting from the activation of the virus that stayed in the human body after chicken pox carried earlier. The disease is characterized with fever, general intoxication, pains and vesiculation along sensorial nerves,

Causes

With herpes zoster are diseased people in nervous system of which remains chicken pox virus for life. The disease usually affects older people.

How virus is activated?

Lowered with age immunity or severe diseases may activate chicken pox virus and causes nerves inflammation where the virus lives. Via sensorial nerves virus spreads into skin and mucus membranes where inflammation develops.

Symptoms

The disease starts acutely with increase of body temperature and full-blown burning pains, inch in spots of future rash. Pains appear on spots of affected nerves (often intercostal) and has one-way belting character. Sometimes pains become intolerable, they do increase when touching the skin, movements, cooling. In 3 – 4 days skin on pain spots becomes red and there appear groups with rare bladders filled with transparent liquid which soon becomes turbid. With appearing of cutaneous eruption, pains usually become less intense, but every second patient suffers from these pains for a month. In 3 – 5 days bladders dry up and turn into crusts.

The total duration of the disease is 7 – 10 days. However, in people with significantly lowered immunuty the disease courses more severe and long.

When in process get involved cranial nerves, pains and rash may appear on facial skin, mucus membranes of eyes and nose, earflap or acoustic meatus.

Complications

Almost in 10% of patients with herpes zoster pains in affected area last for more than one month. In some patients pains return back after one year of recovery.

Recognition

The appearing of one-way vesiculation with pains along intercostal space helps to make the diagnosis.

Treatment

It is necessary to start herpes zoster treatment after first disease manifestations (first days of rash appearing). All patients (especially people younger 20 years) must examine in order to find the reasons for immunity lowering.

Preventive measures

Healthy lifestyle.