Viral Illness

What is Viral Illness?

Viral Illness, Adult

Viruses are tiny germs that can get into a person’s body and cause illness. There are many different types of viruses, and they cause many types of illness. Viral illnesses can range from mild to severe. They can affect various parts of the body.

Common illnesses that are caused by a virus include colds and the flu. Viral illnesses also include serious conditions such as HIV/AIDS (human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). A few viruses have been linked to certain cancers.

What are the causes ?

Many types of viruses can cause illness. Viruses invade cells in your body, multiply, and cause the infected cells to malfunction or die. When the cell dies, it releases more of the virus. When this happens, you develop symptoms of the illness, and the virus continues to spread to other cells. If the virus takes over the function of the cell, it can cause the cell to divide and grow out of control, as is the case when a virus causes cancer.

Different viruses get into the body in different ways. You can get a virus by:

• Swallowing food or water that is contaminated with the virus.
• Breathing in droplets that have been coughed or sneezed into the air by an infected person.
• Touching a surface that has been contaminated with the virus and then touching your eyes, nose, or mouth.
• Being bitten by an insect or animal that carries the virus.
• Having sexual contact with a person who is infected with the virus.
• Being exposed to blood or fluids that contain the virus, either through an open cut or during a transfusion.

If a virus enters your body, your body’s defense system (immune system) will try to fight the virus. You may be at higher risk for a viral illness if your immune system is weak.

What are the signs or symptoms?

Symptoms vary depending on the type of virus and the location of the cells that it invades. Common symptoms of the main types of viral illnesses include:

Cold and flu viruses

• Fever.
• Headache.
• Sore throat.
• Muscle aches.
• Nasal congestion.
• Cough.

Digestive system (gastrointestinal) viruses

• Fever.
• Abdominal pain.
• Nausea.
• Diarrhea.

Liver viruses (hepatitis)

• Loss of appetite.
• Tiredness.
• Yellowing of the skin (jaundice).

Brain and spinal cord viruses

• Fever.
• Headache.
• Stiff neck.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Confusion or sleepiness.

Skin viruses

• Warts.
• Itching.
• Rash.

Sexually transmitted viruses

• Discharge.
• Swelling.
• Redness.
• Rash.

How is this treated?

Viruses can be difficult to treat because they live within cells. Antibiotic medicines do not treat viruses because these drugs do not get inside cells. Treatment for a viral illness may include:

• Resting and drinking plenty of fluids.
• Medicines to relieve symptoms. These can include over-the-counter medicine for pain and fever, medicines for cough or congestion, and medicines to relieve diarrhea.
• Antiviral medicines. These drugs are available only for certain types of viruses. They may help reduce flu symptoms if taken early. There are also many antiviral medicines for hepatitis and HIV/AIDS.

Some viral illnesses can be prevented with vaccinations. A common example is the flu shot.

Follow these instructions at home:

Medicines

• Take over-the-counter and prescription medicines only as told by your health care provider.
• If you were prescribed an antiviral medicine, take it as told by your health care provider. Do not stop taking the medicine even if you start to feel better.
• Be aware of when antibiotics are needed and when they are not needed. Antibiotics do not treat viruses. If your health care provider thinks that you may have a bacterial infection as well as a viral infection, you may get an antibiotic.
  • Do not ask for an antibiotic prescription if you have been diagnosed with a viral illness. That will not make your illness go away faster.
  • Frequently taking antibiotics when they are not needed can lead to antibiotic resistance. When this develops, the medicine no longer works against the bacteria that it normally fights.

General instructions

• Drink enough fluids to keep your urine clear or pale yellow.
• Rest as much as possible.
• Return to your normal activities as told by your health care provider. Ask your health care provider what activities are safe for you.
• Keep all follow-up visits as told by your health care provider. This is important.

How is this prevented?

Take these actions to reduce your risk of viral infection:

• Eat a healthy diet and get enough rest.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water. This is especially important when you are in public places. If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer.
• Avoid close contact with friends and family who have a viral illness.
• If you travel to areas where viral gastrointestinal infection is common, avoid drinking water or eating raw food.
• Keep your immunizations up to date. Get a flu shot every year as told by your health care provider.
• Do not share toothbrushes, nail clippers, razors, or needles with other people.
• Always practice safe sex.

Contact a health care provider if:

• You have symptoms of a viral illness that do not go away.
• Your symptoms come back after going away.
• Your symptoms get worse.

Get help right away if:

• You have trouble breathing.
• You have a severe headache or a stiff neck.
• You have severe vomiting or abdominal pain.

Viral Illness, Pediatric

Viruses are tiny germs that can get into a person’s body and cause illness. There are many different types of viruses, and they cause many types of illness. Viral illness in children is very common. A viral illness can cause fever, sore throat, cough, rash, or diarrhea. Most viral illnesses that affect children are not serious. Most go away after several days without treatment.

The most common types of viruses that affect children are:

• Cold and flu viruses.
• Stomach viruses.
• Viruses that cause fever and rash. These include illnesses such as measles, rubella, roseola, fifth disease, and chicken pox.

Viral illnesses also include serious conditions such as HIV/AIDS (human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). A few viruses have been linked to certain cancers.

What are the causes?

Many types of viruses can cause illness. Viruses invade cells in your child’s body, multiply, and cause the infected cells to malfunction or die. When the cell dies, it releases more of the virus. When this happens, your child develops symptoms of the illness, and the virus continues to spread to other cells. If the virus takes over the function of the cell, it can cause the cell to divide and grow out of control, as is the case when a virus causes cancer.

Different viruses get into the body in different ways. Your child is most likely to catch a virus from being exposed to another person who is infected with a virus. This may happen at home, at school, or at child care. Your child may get a virus by:

• Breathing in droplets that have been coughed or sneezed into the air by an infected person. Cold and flu viruses, as well as viruses that cause fever and rash, are often spread through these droplets.
• Touching anything that has been contaminated with the virus and then touching his or her nose, mouth, or eyes. Objects can be contaminated with a virus if:
  • They have droplets on them from a recent cough or sneeze of an infected person.
  • They have been in contact with the vomit or stool (feces) of an infected person. Stomach viruses can spread through vomit or stool.
• Eating or drinking anything that has been in contact with the virus.
• Being bitten by an insect or animal that carries the virus.
• Being exposed to blood or fluids that contain the virus, either through an open cut or during a transfusion.

What are the signs or symptoms?

Symptoms vary depending on the type of virus and the location of the cells that it invades. Common symptoms of the main types of viral illnesses that affect children include:

Cold and flu viruses

• Fever.
• Sore throat.
• Aches and headache.
• Stuffy nose.
• Earache.
• Cough.

Stomach viruses

• Fever.
• Loss of appetite.
• Vomiting.
• Stomachache.
• Diarrhea.

Fever and rash viruses

• Fever.
• Swollen glands.
• Rash.
• Runny nose.

How is this treated?

Most viral illnesses in children go away within 3‒10 days. In most cases, treatment is not needed. Your child’s health care provider may suggest over-the-counter medicines to relieve symptoms.

A viral illness cannot be treated with antibiotic medicines. Viruses live inside cells, and antibiotics do not get inside cells. Instead, antiviral medicines are sometimes used to treat viral illness, but these medicines are rarely needed in children.

Many childhood viral illnesses can be prevented with vaccinations (immunization shots). These shots help prevent flu and many of the fever and rash viruses.

Follow these instructions at home:

Medicines

• Give over-the-counter and prescription medicines only as told by your child’s health care provider. Cold and flu medicines are usually not needed. If your child has a fever, ask the health care provider what over-the-counter medicine to use and what amount (dosage) to give.
• Do not give your child aspirin because of the association with Reye syndrome.
• If your child is older than 4 years and has a cough or sore throat, ask the health care provider if you can give cough drops or a throat lozenge.
• Do not ask for an antibiotic prescription if your child has been diagnosed with a viral illness. That will not make your child’s illness go away faster. Also, frequently taking antibiotics when they are not needed can lead to antibiotic resistance. When this develops, the medicine no longer works against the bacteria that it normally fights.

Eating and drinking

• If your child is vomiting, give only sips of clear fluids. Offer sips of fluid frequently. Follow instructions from your child’s health care provider about eating or drinking restrictions.
• If your child is able to drink fluids, have the child drink enough fluid to keep his or her urine clear or pale yellow.

General instructions

• Make sure your child gets a lot of rest.
• If your child has a stuffy nose, ask your child’s health care provider if you can use salt-water nose drops or spray.
• If your child has a cough, use a cool-mist humidifier in your child’s room.
• If your child is older than 1 year and has a cough, ask your child’s health care provider if you can give teaspoons of honey and how often.
• Keep your child home and rested until symptoms have cleared up. Let your child return to normal activities as told by your child’s health care provider.
• Keep all follow-up visits as told by your child’s health care provider. This is important.

How is this prevented?

To reduce your child’s risk of viral illness:

• Teach your child to wash his or her hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, he or she should use hand sanitizer.
• Teach your child to avoid touching his or her nose, eyes, and mouth, especially if the child has not washed his or her hands recently.
• If anyone in the household has a viral infection, clean all household surfaces that may have been in contact with the virus. Use soap and hot water. You may also use diluted bleach.
• Keep your child away from people who are sick with symptoms of a viral infection.
• Teach your child to not share items such as toothbrushes and water bottles with other people.
• Keep all of your child’s immunizations up to date.
• Have your child eat a healthy diet and get plenty of rest.

Contact a health care provider if:

• Your child has symptoms of a viral illness for longer than expected. Ask your child’s health care provider how long symptoms should last.
• Treatment at home is not controlling your child’s symptoms or they are getting worse.

Get help right away if:

• Your child who is younger than 3 months has a temperature of 100°F (38°C) or higher.
• Your child has vomiting that lasts more than 24 hours.
• Your child has trouble breathing.
• Your child has a severe headache or has a stiff neck.