Viruses common

Across a variety of roles and specializations, nursing professionals fight viruses in numerous ways. Some of their methods are direct, such as preventing surgical infections. Others are legislative in nature, such as advocating for care equality by questioning imbalanced care delivery systems. Nurses also share their expertise with the public on a host of vital topics, such as care delivery models, infection prevention and the distribution of important resources.

Public health nurses were involved in managing the severe acute respiratory syndrome SARS outbreak in They did so by tracing contacts, educating the public regarding disease signs and symptoms and serving in research teams in related case control studies.

Nursing researchers have also benefited HIV testing and prevention in Malawi via identifying the benefits of working with religious leaders to promote HIV testing and prevention behaviors. Additionally, nurses have developed family planning services in Kenya by providing childbearing families with the opportunity to space pregnancies to support the health of pregnant women. Advanced practice nurses are uniquely qualified to conduct research and assist government leaders and public health officials in creating an informed response to viral outbreaks.

The input and insight of experienced nurses will help prevent the spread of infectious diseases and ensure a healthier future. Our innovative way of thinking makes us adaptable, but our focus on education makes us formidable. Skip to main content. Types of Viruses and How They Work Over many centuries and even millennia, infectious diseases such as smallpox and measles have claimed millions of lives.

The Cost of Deadly Virus Infections Viruses gain their infamy through a combination of large infection rates and death, even when their power has been relatively subdued. The Three Categories of Viruses There are three different virus types that are made distinct by their shape. How a Virus Spreads The first thing a virion does is enter a cell and becomes a virus. Treating Viruses Antiviral drugs can treat viruses by inhibiting viral development and slowing down disease progression.

The Role of Advanced Practice Nurses Worldwide Around the world, nurses contribute to the prevention, management and containment of viral outbreaks by caring for infected patients and educating the public on prevention strategies.

The Invaluable Contribution of Nurses Across a variety of roles and specializations, nursing professionals fight viruses in numerous ways. This virus, spread through the bite of an infected Aedes aegypti mosquito, causes dengue fever, and its more serious variation, dengue haemorrhagic fever.

Symptoms include high fever, rashes, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, and muscle and joint pain, which can be very severe. There is no cure for dengue fever; treatment is usually supportive, like rest and taking plenty of fluids. Prevention usually consists of eliminating mosquito-breeding sites and fogging in areas where dengue has occurred.

Some of the viruses on this list are preventable through vaccination. This virus is transmitted when body fluids, like blood and semen, from an infected person enter the body of another person.

For example, infected mothers can pass the virus to their newborns during birth, an infected person can pass it to their sexual partner and an infected drug addict can pass the virus by sharing needles with another person.

The hepatitis B virus causes acute viral hepatitis liver infection , which starts with general ill health, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, body aches, mild fever and dark urine, then progresses to the development of jaundice. Complications include fulminant hepatic or liver failure, chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma liver cancer.

There are eight types of herpes viruses, out of over , that routinely affect humans: herpes simplex virus type 1 HSV-1 and 2 HSV-2 , varicella-zoster virus, cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, and human herpesvirus 6,7 and 8.

HSV-1 is a highly contagious and common infection throughout the world, passing through contact with the saliva, cold sores or mouth surface of an infected person. This virus commonly causes oral herpes, of which one symptom is cold sores or ulcers in or around the mouth. It can also cause genital herpes when an infected person performs oral sex on another person, with one symptom being cold sores or ulcers on the genitals. Although it is also a lifelong infection, many infected people experience either mild or no symptoms.

Antiviral drugs can suppress the virus and reduce the severity and length of the symptoms, but cannot remove the virus from your body. HIV is transmitted by sexual contact, blood transfusion, contaminated needles and during delivery of a newborn. Practising safe sex, screening for the virus during blood donation and avoiding needle-sharing among drug addicts are among the ways to prevent HIV infection. In some, the infection persists and results in warts or pre-cancerous lesions that can lead to cancer of the cervix, vulva, vagina, mouth or throat.

There is no treatment for an HPV infection, but there are vaccines to prevent infections by the most common types of this virus. This virus is transmitted through contact with droplets from an infected person when they cough or sneeze.

It causes mumps. Symptoms include swollen and tender salivary or parotid glands, difficulty chewing, fever, headache, muscle aches and loss of appetite. This virus usually causes infections in animals, but one type, parvovirus B19, only infects humans. Parvovirus B19 is highly infectious and spreads through contact with droplets from an infected person when they cough or sneeze. This virus is transmitted via the faecal-oral route, meaning that the virus enters the body through the ingestion of infected faecal matter.

Initial symptoms of polio include fever, fatigue, headache, vomiting, stiffness in the neck and pain in the limbs. Supportive treatments such as bed rest, pain control, good nutrition and physical therapy to prevent deformities from occurring over time, can help reduce the long-term symptoms due to muscle loss. This virus usually infects domestic and wild animals, and is spread to humans through saliva when an infected animal bites them. Initially, non-specific symptoms such as fever, sore throat, malaise, headache, nausea and vomiting will occur.

There may be discomfort or a prickling or itching sensation at the site of bite, progressing within days to symptoms of cerebral dysfunction, anxiety, confusion and agitation. As the disease progresses, the person may experience delirium, abnormal behaviour, hallucinations and insomnia. An irrational fear of water hydrophobia and of fresh air aerophobia are unique signs of rabies infection in humans. Antiviral treatment is not effective, but it is possible to prevent rabies by quickly treating the wound and administering human rabies immunoglobulin, as well as the rabies vaccine.

A pet dog gets vaccinated against rabies in Kuching in this filepic, when the rabies outbreak in the state of Sarawak first began.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email.

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.

The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".

It does not store any personal data. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns.

These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Common Cold Common cold refers to the viral infection of the nose and upper respiratory tract. Most Contagious? Most people are contagious for up to 2 weeks after contracting a cold. How does It Spread?

Hand contact and droplets in the air are two prime ways of spreading of the common cold. Try to stay by yourself until your symptoms improve. Keep your hands washed and sanitized at all times. Flu Flu aka Influenza is a viral infection that attacks your nose, throat, and lungs, essentially your respiratory system. You will be most contagious within the first 48 hours.

You can be contagious for up to 10 days after encountering the flu. How Does It Spread? Stay on top of your hygiene and keep yourself very clean at all times. Cough and sneeze into your elbow instead of your hands.

Try to stay out of social gatherings until your symptoms improve. Keep your hands clean at all times and use a sanitizer.

Sore throat is most contagious within the first hours. If left untreated, you can be contagious for at least two to three weeks. If you have started taking antibiotics, you can be contagious for 24 to 48 hours after you start the treatment.

Do not come in close contact with others. Do not share your utensils and drinks with others. Keep your hands clean at all times and use a sanitizer often.