Influenza virus in the environment. How long does the flu virus live outside the body. Give up bad habits

Every year we learn from the media about the beginning of the influenza epidemic in our country. They report on the number of cases in each region, on the closure of schools and kindergartens for quarantine. There is no such person who has not been ill with this infection.

What is flu?

Flu is an acute infectious disease caused by the influenza virus of various types. It is most often spread by airborne droplets. It is known that not only humans are susceptible to this disease, but also various types of animals, such as cats, dogs, and some types of birds.

Epidemics of this infectious disease have been known since ancient times. sti. Not a single disease has become more widespread. Mankind knows about two large-scale influenza epidemics.

The first occurred after the First World War and killed more than 41 million people, and the second large-scale epidemic claimed the lives of more than 1 million people. The flu is caused by an RNA virus.

• Type A due to its structure, it is subject to a large number of mutations, which causes a new wave of morbidity and the emergence of new strains of influenza, for which a large number of people do not have enough immune forces;
• Type B less prone to mutation, has less virulence. Strong immunity is formed lasting 3-5 years.
• Type C not subject to genetic changes. Isolated cases of the disease are called.

How is the influenza virus transmitted?

main source of influenza A sick person who spreads the pathogen by coughing or sneezing. The danger is the patient at all stages of the disease. Particular vigilance should be shown to recovering people who have any manifestations of the disease.

There are several risk groups in relation to the influenza virus:

• Children under the age of 6 months;
• Elderly persons over the age of 70;
• Adults with chronic diseases;
• Medical personnel of medical organizations.

In the environment, the virus usually dies under the influence of high temperature and low humidity.

It is with this fact that the peak incidence is associated in autumn-winter, when the temperature drops and air humidity rises, creating favorable conditions for the vital activity and reproduction of the influenza virus.

Since this microorganism spreads through the air, it can linger on various surfaces of surrounding objects with different life spans:

• On the hands of a person, the life expectancy is up to 15 minutes;
• Up to 14 days in the sputum of a sick person;
• Up to 8 days on glass objects;
• Up to 3 days on metal and plastic objects;
• Up to 12 hours on fabric and paper;
• Indoor air up to 24 hours

In the body of an infected person This microorganism can live up to 7 days. These days, the highest concentration of the virus in the body. After all the manifestations of influenza and acute respiratory infections have passed, a person becomes harmless to others.

Infection occurs after contact with a sick person or objects containing this microorganism. The influenza virus after entering the body is localized in the respiratory organs (larynx, trachea, lungs) and begins to multiply intensively inside the cells of the organs, causing the development of the first symptoms of the disease.

Subsequently, the virus, entering the bloodstream, spreads throughout the body and the development of viral intoxication of the body begins.

What are the symptoms of the flu?

The incubation period from the moment of infection lasts no more than 2 days.

During this period, a person does not yet feel the main signs, but the flu begins with symptoms of precursors:

• Decreased appetite;
• slight malaise;
• Headache;
• Chills;
• Feeling broken.

According to the severity of the course of the disease, influenza is divided into several forms. Allocate mild, moderately severe, severe and very severe form of the course of infection. There are also typical and atypical forms of influenza.

For mild flu characterized by a low temperature up to 38 ° C for up to 3 days and a slight inflammation of the upper respiratory tract.

For medium-heavy form characterized by a rise in temperature to 40 degrees, intoxication and inflammation. Duration up to 6 days.

For severe influenza the central nervous and cardiovascular systems are affected.

Atypical form of infection occurs infrequently, leading signs are rarely distinguished, there may be no rise in temperature, and catarrhal phenomena (cough, runny nose, voice disturbances) may be present. Occurs between influenza epidemics.

The onset of the disease is always acute and is accompanied by bright clinical signs of inflammation lasting up to a week.

Main clinical symptoms:

• High temperature up to 39-40 ° C, lasting up to 6 days;
• Severe chills, in which warm clothes and hot drinks do not save;
• Pain in the muscles and joints caused by the ingress of the virus into the blood;
• Severe headache in the frontal, temporal, orbital regions;
• Dry painful cough;
• Pain behind the sternum;
• Inflammation of the nasal mucosa;
• voice disorders;
• Runny nose;
• Weakening of the sense of smell;

Secondary signs of the disease:

• Complete refusal to eat;
• Increased fluid intake;
• Perhaps, the allocation of mucopurulent sputum;
• Increased bleeding, hemorrhages on the skin and other mucous membranes.
• sweating
• Skin redness
• Decreased heart rate and blood pressure

In children, the flu is much more severe due to the functional immaturity of the body.

In childhood, all of the above symptoms are added:

• Stomach ache;
• Nausea;
• Vomit;
• Diarrhea;
• Dizziness due to the increased effect of the virus on the central nervous system of the child.

Children are much more likely than adults to develop various complications from many organ systems:

• neurotoxicosis;
• Otitis;
• laryngotracheitis;
• sinusitis;
• Sinusitis;
• bacterial pneumonia;
• swelling of the brain;
• encephalopathy;
• Stenosis of the larynx by the development of asthma attacks.

Older people, like children, have a hard time with the flu. It is the representatives of the older generation that have a high risk of developing complications due to age-related decrease in immunity and the presence of concomitant chronic diseases.

Influenza also contributes to the recurrence of all existing diseases. Therefore, sick elderly people should be treated with all attention.

How to quickly overcome the infection?

The recovery period after all flu symptoms lasts approximately 7-10 days, depending on the immunity of the patient. During this period, the temperature drops, inflammatory processes pass, the general condition stabilizes.

A person is considered completely cured and non-infectious to others after all catarrhal phenomena disappear. Immunity after a flu infection is persistent, but highly specific only to the strain of the virus that a person has had. Therefore, a re-infection is possible, but only with a different strain of the microorganism.

Complications of influenza myth or reality?

Every year, during an influenza epidemic, up to 5,000 people die from various complications. It is necessary to be especially vigilant in order not to miss the development of these dangerous conditions.

The most common complication of this infection is bacterial pneumonia. due to the attachment of bacteria to the pathogen, most often streptococcus and staphylococcus. It accounts for more than 70% of all influenza complications. It develops 10 days after the onset of the first signs of influenza.

It is also possible to develop primary viral pneumonia in the event of which a fatal outcome is most likely in just 4-5 days due to hemorrhages in the lung tissue.

Elderly people and adults suffering from chronic pathologies of the cardiovascular system and lungs have a certain risk of onset of this type of pneumonia.

It is also possible to develop the following types of complications:

• Myocarditis- inflammation of the middle membrane of the heart;
• Pericarditis- inflammation of the outer shell of the heart;
• Meningitis- inflammation of the membranes of the spinal cord;
• Encephalitis- inflammation of the brain;
• Myositis- inflammation of the skeletal muscles.

How dangerous are new strains of the influenza virus?

Avian influenza (H1N1) one of the strains of the influenza A virus, which contains an additional protein of the avian influenza A virus.

However, it differs in properties from the human type A virus and it is precisely because of this feature that it is not transmitted from person to person in the same ways.

This type of virus is more resistant to environmental factors and drugs. The main source of infection are migratory birds (partridges, ducks, geese). In this case, the virus does not cause bright manifestations.

From wild birds, domestic birds are infected, in which the microorganism causes mass death, and subsequently, when caring for diseased birds, a person also becomes ill. Currently, several cases of human infection are known, which may indicate the acquisition of new properties.

The clinical signs of avian influenza are almost identical to the human virus. A feature is the rapid development of pneumonia with severe respiratory failure.

The diagnosis is established on the basis of complaints, contact with an infected bird and is confirmed by laboratory methods (PCR, virological methods). Antiviral and antibacterial drugs are used for treatment.

Swine flu is another strain of the type A influenza virus. Transmitted by airborne droplets, it affects mainly young people under the age of 30 years. A feature of the symptoms is the presence of diarrhea. The main method for the diagnosis of PCR. Treatment is similar to bird flu.

How to treat the flu?

Flu patients are usually treated at home. Hospitalization is usually indicated in the presence of complications.

For the fastest healing process, several conditions must be met:

• Bed rest until the temperature drops;
• Plentiful drink (tea, fruit drinks, fruit compotes);
• Exclusion from the diet of spicy and fried foods.

Of the drugs, the main one is taking antiviral drugs:

• Tamiflu;
• Rimantadine;
• Arbidol.

To relieve redness of the throat, aerosols Ingalipt, Stop-Angin, Kameton are used.

To reduce the temperature, anti-inflammatory drugs are used:

• ibuprofen;
• Analgin;
• Paracetamol;
• Aspirin;
• Diclofenac;
• Ketotifen.

How to avoid getting the flu?

Influenza prevention consists in strict restriction of social contacts. The sick are isolated. Quarantine measures are being introduced in organized groups of kindergartens, schools, boarding schools, nursing homes.

Public prevention is to vaccinate at least 1 month before the start of a seasonal epidemic in order to develop immunity. The flu vaccine contains several strains of the influenza virus. It is vaccination that helps to avoid complications of influenza and alleviate the symptoms of infection.

Flu symptoms should never be neglected, depriving yourself of timely treatment, you risk getting unwanted complications and delay your own recovery.

To know how the flu proceeds, you need to know everything about this disease: how long does it last, what are its symptoms and how to cure it?

Influenza is an acute infectious disease, and its causative agent is a virus.

It lives for a long time and can be transmitted from a sick person to a healthy one. However, outside the body, it exists for a very short time.

This disease is seasonal. The flu goes in cold times: the beginning of spring, winter, the end of autumn. The disease can develop in every person, regardless of age and gender.

Influenza can spread to several large regions at once. Officially, the influenza virus was registered in 1931, it was unified in 1933.

The B virus was registered in 1936 and the C virus in 1947. Group A virus is a disease that occurs in a moderate or complex form.

This virus can infect not only humans, but also animals. With this disease, severe pandemics and epidemics appear (the disease can quickly spread throughout the entire country).

Influenza B virus can break out simultaneously in several regions. Often it is the beginning for the spread of virus A or is identical to it. This form of influenza can only develop in humans.

Group C virus has not been studied to this day. The form of its course is mild, with mild symptoms. It develops only in the human body, while the disease does not bring complications and does not differ in the scale of distribution.

This disease lives on objects in the room, where the infection can be in the air. It is transmitted by airborne droplets. So, during sneezing, coughing or talking of a patient, particles of saliva and mucus are released into the air stream, which contain pathogenic microbes, including viruses.

The space around the patient is infected at a distance of three meters. Therefore, when a healthy person enters this space or touches objects that the sick person has previously touched, infection occurs.

If the virus enters the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract, it is instantly absorbed into the bloodstream. Blood quickly carries it to all cells of the body. As a result, it becomes intoxicated.

In this case, the immune system cannot fully function. Meanwhile, the virus negatively affects:

1. muscles;
2. heart;
3. joints;
4. vessels;
5. brain.

How long is the patient dangerous to others? It can infect a healthy person in the first five days of the course of the disease.

Mild and moderate forms of the disease can be treated outside the hospital. Recovery occurs after a week. How long does a severe flu last? This form lasts for several weeks, and in order to avoid complications, it is better to carry out therapy in stationary conditions.

The flu has common symptoms such as:

• malaise;
• temperature;
• cough;
• intoxication;
• headache;
• chills;
• muscle pain.

The first manifestation of the disease is fever. In this case, the chill is so strong that it stops only when the temperature decreases.

If the temperature suddenly rises to 40 degrees, then this indicates a strong intoxication of the body. Therefore, the patient's condition worsens greatly.

In addition, the flu accompanies a dry cough, indicating the penetration of inflammation into the bronchi. In this case, the person experiences pain behind the sternum.

Another symptom of general intoxication of the body is pain in the muscles and joints, which appear in the first days of the course of the disease.

General weakness and drowsiness - these phenomena occur due to the deterioration of the protective functions of the body. Another intoxication is accompanied by a headache, which may indicate the progression of the disease, as a result of which sinusitis or sinusitis often develops. Basically, a dull pain in the head increases when a person moves his eyes or head.

Other flu symptoms are:

1. rapid heartbeat and pulse;
2. poor perception of odors and a decrease in taste;
3. frequent hot breath;
4. lacrimation;
5. glitter in the eyes (unhealthy);
6. high blood pressure;
7. noise in ears;
8. cracks in the corners of the lips;
9. dizziness;
10. whitish coating on the tongue and lips;
11. No perception of noise and bright colors.

Only the attending physician can diagnose the flu after examining the patient, identifying characteristic signs and listening to all the patient's complaints.

Treatment

Influenza therapy implies compliance with certain recommendations. So, the temperature cannot be knocked down if it is less than 38 degrees. After all, it is considered a protective function of the body, due to which the production of antibodies and endogenous interferon is activated, thanks to which the body is actively fighting the virus.

And you should drink plenty of warm liquids. This will allow toxins and other harmful substances not to stagnate in the body for a long time, so they will be excreted with sweat and urine, and all this can be brought under.

When the flu virus is around, it is better to wear a gauze bandage so as not to infect people. In this case, it is necessary to adhere to bed rest, especially if the temperature is increased.

At the initial stage of the progression of the disease, it is desirable to take antiviral agents, for example, Antigrippin. It is worth noting that taking such drugs on the 3-7th day of the disease will be ineffective.

When the temperature rises above 38 degrees, the patient develops a fever. Therefore, it is necessary to take antipyretic drugs (Ibuprofen, Paracetamol).

How long does it take to get rid of unpleasant flu symptoms? Therapy of this disease takes from 1 to 2 weeks. But in order not to treat the flu for a long time, the following measures are used:

• The throat should be rinsed with solutions based on salt, soda, potassium permanganate or furacilin.
• With a runny nose, oxolinic ointment and vasodilator potassium are used.
• It is useful to use minerals and vitamins, antihistamines and ascorbic acid.
• However, it is useful to make warm foot baths.
• Dry cough is usually treated with drugs such as Bromhexine and Broncholitin.
• To get rid of a wet cough, it is useful to take Alteyka, licorice root and Mukaltin.

If the flu virus is walking, then it is useful to drink linden, raspberry tea with the addition of honey and rosehip broth. And it is preferable to eat foods rich in vitamin C. These include sauerkraut, citrus fruits, cranberries and kiwi.

Another piece of refined sugar should drop a few drops of propolis, and then slowly dissolve it in your mouth. You can also put a piece of propolis in your mouth and dissolve it during the night.

You can eliminate a cough with the help of ordinary radish. So, the vegetable should be cut into thin slices, and then sprinkled with sugar so that the juice stands out. The resulting liquid should be taken in 1 tbsp. spoon every hour.

In addition, the radish can be crushed with a grater, and then squeeze the juice out of it and mix it with honey. The prepared remedy should be taken 2 tablespoons before meals.

To stimulate the immune system, it is useful to eat garlic and onions. To this end, chopped garlic should be mixed with honey and taken at bedtime for 1 table. spoon.

To eliminate symptoms such as cough and runny nose, it is necessary to carry out steam inhalations based on herbal decoctions:

1. pine buds;
2. mint;
3. wild rosemary;
4. chamomile;
5. calendula;
6. St. John's wort;
7. sage.

Preventive actions

Now the main preventive method is vaccination. But how long does its action last and when is it advisable to do it?

It is very important to adhere to the rules of personal hygiene. Thus, before eating, wash your hands well with soap and water. During an influenza epidemic, when the virus is in the air, it is necessary to wash the nasal passages twice a day with soapy water. This procedure allows you to wash out the harmful microorganisms that enter the nose with each breath.

Among other things, it suggests that during an epidemic of colds, living quarters should be treated daily with special disinfectants. And during this period it is better not to visit public places.

In addition, you should not contact a person who has the flu, in particular if he is an outsider. To strengthen the immune system of the body, one should carry out the hardening procedure, regularly consume fresh vegetables and fruits and take vitamin complexes. The famous doctor Komarovsky also talks about this in the video in this article, talking about the nature of the flu.

An infectious agent is capable of causing pandemics, and given the possibility of a severe course and the development of complications, it is not surprising that many are interested not only in the route of transmission and clinical manifestations.

How long does the influenza virus live in the air, on clothes, in a person? How long does the flu virus last indoors? What can be done to reduce the chance of infection?

The information provided will help answer these and other questions.

Influenza virus: how long does it live in the external environment?

How long the influenza virus lives outside the body, in the external environment depends on the temperature and humidity of the surrounding air.

Despite the fact that at sub-zero temperatures, the influenza virus lives for years, and at -70 it not only lives, but also retains its virulence (the ability to infect), in general, it is not very stable.

How does the pathogen spread?

The pathogen enters the air along with a suspension of saliva and catarrhal secretions, which are emitted when sneezing and coughing. The infection spreads over a distance of up to 3.5 meters. If it is not possible to isolate the patient, he needs to wear a mask that would trap drops of mucus and saliva, change the mask every 2-3 hours.

The mask is unable to filter the pathogen that has already entered the air - its pores are too large for this. Therefore, it is irrational to wear it to healthy people for preventive purposes.

Another way of spreading the flu is through contact. Previously, not too much attention was paid to it, but in recent years this transmission route has become more and more relevant, especially in the city, with a large population density. The infection enters the skin of the patient when sneezing and coughing, if he covers his mouth with his hand, after he wipes his nose with his fingers, or blows his nose not into a handkerchief. Further, drops of mucus and saliva remaining on the hands, together with the viral particles contained in them, which remain active on the skin for up to 15 hours, fall on any objects that the sick person touches.

Handrails in public transport, handles of baskets and carts in supermarkets, money, door handles in the office - this is where the flu virus lives during an epidemic, maintaining virulence for up to two days on plastic and metal objects. From these objects, particles of biological fluids, along with the source of infection, are transferred to the skin of other people, for whom it is enough to scratch their nose, rub their eyes, eat something with their hands (bread, cookies, etc.), so that the infection gets on the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract and begins develop. “Conscious” people who do not want to become a source of infection can sneeze and cough into the crook of the elbow, it is advisable to teach children to do the same.

To protect yourself from the contact route of transmission of the pathogen, it is recommended not only to wash your hands, but also to use antiseptic wipes or gels during the day. This is especially true for children who regularly lick their fingers, bite their nails, etc. About how long the influenza virus lives on objects, outside of a person, will be discussed in more detail later.

How long does the influenza virus live indoors?

Or how long does the flu virus stay in an apartment?

Several hours at a temperature of 22 degrees.

But in the refrigerator, where the temperature is usually maintained at about +4 degrees, it can remain viable for a week. Therefore, it is not necessary to store unfinished food in the refrigerator.

The stability of the pathogen increases as the air humidity decreases. When dried, it can be stored for several days. That is why the air in the room in which the patient is located must be moistened: turn on a special device, hang wet sheets, terry towels on radiators, arrange vessels with water. The room itself needs to be ventilated - just ventilate, and not slightly open the window - every two to three hours for at least half an hour. Such ventilation reduces the concentration of the infectious agent in the air by 80-90%.

The causative agent is sensitive to the action of disinfectant solutions, so it is necessary to do wet cleaning twice a day with their use. But vacuuming, on the contrary, is not recommended: most of the filters used in the vacuum cleaner do not trap viruses, while the air stream emanating from them again disperses the infection in the air.

If the house has an ultraviolet lamp, it is ideal for disinfecting the room.

How long does the flu virus live on things?

On items such as dishes, the infectious agent lives up to 10 days. On fabrics: towels, handkerchiefs - the infection can persist up to 11 days.

The patient needs to have separate dishes. It also needs to be washed separately. If the family uses a dishwasher, choose a mode in which the water is heated to a temperature of at least 60 degrees. At this temperature, the maximum duration of the influenza virus is 10 minutes.

The patient should have a separate towel, which should be kept in his room. In the same way, you can’t put his clothes, handkerchiefs, bed linen with the things of other family members. You can wash things together with all things at a temperature of 60 degrees, but if the composition of the fabric does not allow this, the items must be washed separately.

Summary

Thus, the stability of the influenza virus in the external environment is low. How long does the influenza virus live outside the body: in the air, on things, depends on:

• on ambient temperature: the higher, the shorter the life, at room temperature - a few hours;
• from air humidity - in a dried form, in dust, lives longer;
• from the presence of ultraviolet sources: under UV rays it dies instantly.
• from the surface material: on paper up to 12 hours, on metal or plastic up to 2 days, on glass up to 10 days, on fabric up to 11.
• on the skin, the pathogen persists for up to 15 hours.

How long does the influenza virus live in the human body

You need to start with the question of how long the influenza virus lives in the body - in humans - before the first clinical manifestations of the disease appear. The incubation period of the disease can last from several hours to a week. All this time, the infection not only lives, but also actively multiplies in the epithelial cells of the respiratory tract, so a person becomes contagious already at this time.

Like all viruses, the pathogen itself does not have a cellular structure and is incapable of synthesizing the substances it needs for existence, especially to reproduce on its own. Therefore, it penetrates into the cell, integrates into its structures, and the cell begins to synthesize new viruses. Having fulfilled its function, the cell dies, releasing "to freedom" both new sources of infection and toxic substances formed in the process of synthesis. Neighboring cells become infected, and then the process grows like an avalanche.

The disease begins acutely: the state of health rapidly worsens, weakness, dizziness, headache appear, the temperature quickly rises to and above, blood pressure drops. The patient can indicate the time of the disease with an accuracy of literally up to an hour. This feature of the course of the disease gave it its name (in French, grippe means "grab, squeeze"). There are pains in the muscles of the limbs, lower back, aches when moving the eyeballs.

Damage to the epithelium of the trachea leads to a painful cough without discharge. It is characteristic that in the first 2-3 days of the disease there is neither a runny nose as such, only nasal congestion is noted, nor sputum when coughing. That is why the doctors of the old school called this disease "dry catarrh" (catarrhal inflammation - inflammation with mucous discharge). By the time nasal discharge appears, the temperature has already dropped to subfebrile numbers, in mild cases of the disease it disappears completely. A second round of fever or a prolonged course of it may mean the appearance of bacterial complications.

During the illness, the permeability of blood vessels increases, which can manifest itself as nosebleeds, as well as hemorrhages under the wall of the mucous membrane (“raspberry trachea”), the development of hemorrhagic pneumonia (caused by bleeding into the alveoli). Therefore, with influenza, in no case should you “knock down” the temperature with aspirin or any combined means based on acetylsalicylic acid, which reduces blood clotting. This increases the likelihood of developing hemorrhagic pulmonary edema.

All this time, the patient actively releases the infectious agent into the environment. It is especially contagious in the first three days of illness.

With a mild course of the disease, the symptoms disappear in 7-12 days. Isolation of the virus usually continues for a week. With a complicated course of influenza, the patient remains contagious for up to two weeks from the onset of the disease.

Thus, how many days does the influenza virus live in the human body:

Therefore, the lifespan of the influenza virus is up to 21 days.

How to avoid infection

First of all, during the epidemic, it is necessary to limit contact with people as much as possible. Of course, this does not mean that you need to stop going to work or school. But it is better to postpone visiting entertainment events: cinema, concerts, performances until the end of the epidemic. You should also not use shopping centers as a place for recreational activities, it is better to change them to open skating rinks, a ski track or a regular walk. Despite how long the flu virus lives at low temperatures, its concentration in the outdoor air is almost zero. The main thing is not to overcool.

• If the place of work or study is not too far, it is better to dress for the weather and get there on foot, instead of picking up the infection on public transport. In addition, an active walk will help strengthen the immune and cardiovascular systems.
• For your own peace of mind, you can use a mask in transport and at work, but it only becomes effective for preventing infection when worn by the patient. Although it is best to convince a colleague to go on sick leave.
• You need to unlearn the habit of touching your face with your hands, rubbing your nose, eyes. After transport, shopping, before eating, be sure to wash your hands, or, if this is not possible, treat them with an antiseptic gel.
• After returning home, you can rinse your nose with saline or special aerosols. This will not only mechanically remove some of the infectious agents from the mucous membrane, but also moisturize it.
• Both the home and workplace must be ventilated to reduce the concentration of the virus in the room.
• In order for the mucous membrane to fully perform its protective functions, it is necessary to constantly humidify the air in the room, preventing the formation of dry crusts in the nose.
• The general condition of the body can improve good nutrition, adherence to the daily regimen, and the intake of multivitamin complexes.

conclusions

How long the influenza virus lives indoors, remains on objects, will depend on the temperature and humidity of the air, as well as the surface material. A person becomes contagious from the beginning of the incubation period until the end of the disease, which in the worst case can be three weeks from the moment of infection.

To prevent infection, it is necessary to observe the daily regimen, avoiding overwork, to be in the fresh air more often, avoiding large crowds of people, to carefully pay attention to personal hygiene and the hygiene of the premises in which you have to stay.

Additional strengthening of the body's defenses can be facilitated by dosed physical activity, proper nutrition, and, if necessary, the intake of vitamin and mineral complexes.

How long does the SARS virus live indoors?

“You decide for yourself what is good for your child,

and what is bad is the pinnacle of parental responsibility,

parenting art! Dr. E.O. Komarovsky

ARVI - acute respiratory (airborne)

drip) viral infection. 99% of all acute respiratory infections (acute

respiratory disease, an abbreviation that combines viral and bacterial infections) Influenza Influenza is the most famous, most well-known (does not mean that it is the most terrible and severe) cause of acute respiratory infections and SARS in particular. Who is to blame: Influenza A, B and C Influenza A Influenza B

Viruses are so small that they can only be seen under

electron microscope Features: main - the ability to change. Influenza C virus is stable (having been ill once, a person has

immunity), B - changes, but moderately, A - the most insidious, it is he,

constantly changing, causes annual epidemics. Conclusion: If the flu

C - a disease exclusively of children, then influenza B - mainly of children. Ways of transmission of the virus: airborne (coughing, sneezing) How long the virus lives: in the air - up to four hours, in drops of saliva and sputum, after these drops dry and settle - about two

weeks, in room dust - up to five weeks Important: At the same time, almost all disinfectants easily kill the influenza virus and standard wet cleaning with

using these products (wet cleaning), yes airing

rooms, yes washing bed linen - a victory over the virus

more than real! Incubation period (the period from the introduction of the virus to the first

symptoms): from 1 to 3 days! Important: The patient is contagious 24 hours before the onset of the first symptoms! The onset of the disease is always acute. An hour ago everything seemed to be in

OK - and suddenly 39 gr, chills and a splitting head. Feeling that

you were run over by a skating rink. Usually this condition lasts 3-5 days. Virus

Influenza prefers the bronchi, causing, as a rule, bronchitis. How long is the patient contagious: another 1-2 days and after normalization of temperature, so consider, in general, a day before the first manifestation

symptoms somewhere 6 - 8 days. Rhinoviruses Rhinoviruses are leaders, champions among all acute respiratory infections: at least 30-40% of all acute respiratory infections. In the vast majority of cases in coughing and sniffing

nose, the rhinovirus is to blame. Who is to blame: this is not one virus, but a numerous genus, uniting more than a hundred species, and each such species can cause ARVI in humans (in

most cases, mild SARS, which is comforting). Rhinoviruses do not have

shells - "naked", a single influenza virus is four times larger

single rhinovirus. Variety of rhinoviruses Ways of transmission: airborne, contact (from one child to another through toys, through door handles, etc.) Incubation period: from 2 to 5 days Runny nose, cough, sneezing are pronounced, but body temperature is often

normal and general condition is slightly disturbed. We've been sick for about 7 days. How long the patient is contagious: about 4-5 days: 1-2 days before the onset of the first symptoms of the disease and 2-3 days after. Adenoviruses Adenoviruses - account for 2.5 - 5% of all cases of SARS. Adenovirus infections are simply amazing diversity. Who's to blame: In 1953, adenovirus was first discovered in children in adenoid tissue. Since then, it has become clear that adenoviruses on

The earth has an enormous multitude: to date, it has been discovered and

described 32 types and about a hundred varieties (variants) capable of

affect almost all mammals. One of the adenoviruses Transmission routes: airborne and contact Important: Adenoviruses do not limit their interests to the respiratory tract. The “favorite” place of adenovirus is the eyes! Adenovirus conjunctivitis is the most common viral

eye infections that take a very long time to heal. Very often occur

intestinal infections, somewhat less often - damage to the urinary tract. How long the virus lives: in pools and ponds, even in tap water, under certain conditions, the virus can persist up to four or more

months. but even without water - on clothes, furniture, household items - too

maybe. 2 weeks at room temperature and 2 months at - 4g. Incubation period: averages 5-7 days, but may vary from days How long the patient is infectious: at least 7 days, but this period can be lengthened and reach one

month. Features: A child gets sick with acute respiratory infections, after 3-5 days improvement occurs, the whole family rejoices at normal temperature and

appeared appetite, but on the sixth day rises again

temperature and stuffy nose with renewed vigor - a similar situation

called the undulating course of the disease. These features

adenovirus can lead to a significant prolongation of the terms

diseases, where the acute period of the disease can stretch out to days. Important: So, for example, conjunctivitis is a symptom that is completely uncharacteristic of either the flu or the rhinovirus infection. BUT

means fever + stuffy nose + pharyngitis

(inflammation of the pharynx) + conjunctivitis + adenovirus infection

100%! Remember, conjunctivitis is a contagious disease until it is completely cured! There are very, very few ways to influence viruses. There is a small

number of effective drugs that are far from safe,

not cheap, used only in some special cases, almost

always in hospitals and in severe forms of illness. 99% of SARS do not require any hospitals.

99.9% of ARVI does not require the use of any drugs,

affecting the virus - in a few days the human body

with the right help, he can do it himself. Of course, these are not all manifestations of SARS, I have only touched on the main ones,

which I myself, as a mother of two children, most often encounter.

In the next blog, I will talk about such a beast as "sharp

bacterial infections” Used material from my handbook

famous doctor E.O. Komarovsky "ORZ: A guide for

Mobile application "Happy Mama" 4.7 Communicating in the application is much more convenient!

Who knows, they say if in the fall he gets vaccinated against the flu with Ultrix. You can even bypass diseases such as SARS and acute respiratory infections. It seems to stimulate the immune system. I would love to try.

I have tried Ultrix. It is easily tolerated, there are no side effects, a year without colds. Great vaccine. But a child cannot, in my opinion, so other means are needed. Children in the kindergarten are offered grippol, but somehow I don’t trust him.

Thanks to the author for the tips! We even have SARS twice a month, everyone is already tired. I bought a barrier reef for my child, while he wears it for a month, he does not get sick. you just have to take it off - please, hello, sick leave. What to do with it, I have no idea.

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Our pregnancy calendar reveals to you the features of all stages of pregnancy - an unusually important, exciting and new period of your life.

We will tell you what will happen to your future baby and you in each of the forty weeks.

How many days is a person contagious with ARVI: how long does the influenza virus live

The influenza virus is contagious and poses a great danger to humans - there are cases in history when a sudden outbreak of a disease swept entire countries, taking the lives of many people.

Moreover, the complications arising after the transferred ARVI are also dangerous.

An organism that has once had an acute respiratory disease is not protected from a new infection - the virus constantly mutates, it lives, forming new complex forms with an even greater degree of contagiousness.

Specialists, using influenza strains, are developing new vaccines to prevent the spread of another SARS outbreak. But the flu vaccination is ignored by the bulk of the population - so the risk of infection is high.

It is possible to prevent the spread of infection only by quarantine measures - to limit the contact of healthy people with carriers of the infection. Therefore, it is very important to know exactly how many days a person with the flu can be contagious.

A definite answer to this question has not yet been found by doctors. French doctors, for example, based on their research, argue that when infected with SARS, the circle of communication with the patient for at least four days should be strictly limited.

Employees of the research center of the University. Pierre and Marie Curie (Paris) studied the intensity of the development of the disease in volunteers infected with the influenza virus. Experts tried to find an answer to the question of how many days the virus lives in the body and how long it remains contagious.

For this, several groups of people were selected, which were observed by a group of medical experts for ten days. The calculation of the probability of disease among the infected participants in the experiment was carried out on the basis of a mathematical algorithm.

Based on the results of the study, scientists found that isolating participants with primary flu symptoms made it possible to reduce the number of infections by half.

Based on the results of the experiment, the scientists concluded that over the period from the moment of infection and the transition of the pathology to the active phase (4 days), the likelihood of the virus spreading to the immediate environment is significantly reduced.

Features of the incubation period

• Low probability of the possibility of determining infection on the first day;
• The absence in the incubation period of the characteristic features inherent in the influenza virus;
• Individual duration of the incubation period, depending on the state of the patient's immune system;
• Sudden development of the disease after the end of the incubation period.

The first day with a cold, it is very difficult to recognize signs of infection due to the lack of clear symptoms. A person who has been attacked by a virus does not suspect that he has become a carrier of the infection until the first signs of SARS appear.

Since the virus remains active for about 7 days during the incubation period, it is almost impossible to determine the moment of infection. The incubation period of influenza occurs secretly, and it is possible to determine how long it lasts only conditionally, based on its typical manifestations.

The duration of the incubation period may vary depending on the state of the person's immune system, as well as the presence of other viruses. With an increased attack of a large number of viruses on the immune system, a failure occurs in the body and the intensive development of pathology.

The virus has the ability to multiply at a tremendous speed - within a couple of days after infection, the patient becomes a dangerous virus carrier for the close environment. The probability of danger of infection from such a patient disappears only after a week.

After an incubation period, the disease enters an open phase. The patient feels this by a sudden heaviness in the whole body, muscle soreness and joint pain.

It is necessary to detect the influenza virus in time. To do this, you need to know the primary signs of SARS. Proper therapy already in the incubation period gives a positive effect.

The main risks and characteristic signs of infection

The insidiousness of the influenza virus lies in the difficulty of identifying it at the first stage of the disease. A person does not notice at what period he became infected. Further, the presence of the virus in the body can be judged if the patient has the following characteristic signs:

Infection occurs most often in public places with a large crowd of people - these are shops, public transport, offices. There is also a high probability of infection through common household items, in drafts.

In immunocompromised people, the incubation period is longer. The risk group for contracting the virus is made up of people living together with an infected patient.

The duration of the illness can also vary for everyone - people with good health are easier to tolerate the disease, which usually lasts from 4 to 14 days.

If the period of a person feeling a painful condition is longer than the specified time, it is necessary to see a doctor in order to exclude the possibility of secondary infection or the development of complications.

Prevention of Influenza Virus Infection

The influenza virus differs from other viral pathologies in its "stealth" - even before the onset of the first signs of the disease, the patient already becomes a carrier of the infection. Until the moment he is diagnosed with a viral infection, a middle-aged patient is a dangerous carrier of the virus for about 5-10 days.

During this period, he is able to infect a large number of people around him.

Often, with a cold, a person continues to go to work, especially if he works on the basis of a concluded employment contract. This is due to the terms of the contract and the current economic situation, when concern for the family budget exceeds concern for one's own health.

An apparent cold may be a sign of the presence of a virus. The employee becomes a carrier of infection and can infect a significant number of people. Therefore, when several cases of acute respiratory viral infections appear in children's institutions, educational institutions and at work, quarantine is prescribed.

• Bed rest must be observed until the temperature normalizes and the patient has an appetite.
• If the norms of home quarantine are not observed by patients who continue to work, the activity of the virus increases and the period of probable infection of others is extended.
• Failure to comply with preventive measures leads to infection of a large number of the population.

The sick person must undergo a course of prescribed treatment, subject to bed rest and proper nutrition. If these requirements are not met, the doctor may prescribe hospitalization. Dr. Komarovsky will tell about the period of the patient's contagiousness with ARVI in the video in this article.

In the winter-spring period, you need to be especially attentive to your health, since the immune system is weakened and is not able to withstand the most insidious viruses. As it turned out, you can become infected from a person whose influenza virus is still in the incubation period. Therefore, one should have an idea of ​​how SARS is transmitted, how long the incubation period lasts, and how infection can be prevented by preventive preventive methods.

How infectious is a person with SARS

SARS and acute respiratory infections: the duration and features of the incubation period in an adult

After a pathogenic virus enters the body, it is difficult to determine the pathological lesion, since at this moment clear symptoms are not yet clear. The patient in the early days does not even assume that he is already a carrier of the virus and can infect other people. As a result, the treatment of ARVI may be delayed, because the patient begins to use antiviral therapy only a couple of days after the obvious signs of ARVI.

The activity of the infection persists for one week, but there are no visible manifestations. It is possible to determine the duration of the latent period only based on the main features.

Symptoms, treatment and prevention of SARS

• in the first twenty-four hours after infection, it is impossible to determine the presence of the virus in the body;
• the duration of the latent period is determined individually and depends on the patient's immune system;
• the absence of typical signs of a viral disease in the first days of infection;
• sudden manifestation of pronounced symptoms after the end of the latent period.

How long the virus will remain in the incubation period directly depends on two factors - the protective functions of the immune system and minor pathogenic viruses. For example, if the immunity of the carrier is weakened, and it is in a viral environment, then a failure occurs, which leads to the intensive development of the disease and the virus activates much faster.

Ways of transmission of the virus

Three days later, the infected person becomes dangerous to loved ones. The patient ceases to be a virus carrier only a week after the onset of the first symptoms of SARS. After the incubation period, the open phase of the course of the disease begins, characterized by intense soreness in the muscles, chills, aching joints.

It is important! Timely detection of the influenza virus guarantees a reduction in the duration of therapy. Proper treatment already at the stage of the incubation period will give positive results and prevent possible complications of the disease. To do this, the patient must know the primary signs of SARS infection.

Characteristic signs and possible risks

Complications of the disease may arise due to the fact that the disease is difficult to determine at the first stage, that is, immediately after infection. In the future, the patient develops characteristic symptoms:

1. Temperature rise.
2. Depending on the virus, the patient has a dry cough, sore throat or runny nose.
3. Possible discomfort in the ears due to a cold.

The places of the greatest accumulation of viruses are all public places, namely vehicles, supermarkets, cafes. Often, the patient can catch a cold while in a draft, so after cooling the body becomes vulnerable to infection and the disease develops. It is worth noting that with strong immunity, a person is sick with ARVI from four to fourteen days.

Attention! If the disease does not go away for two weeks, then it is urgent to seek the help of a specialist to prescribe antibiotics. Otherwise, complications may occur, which will lead to long-term therapy.

How long is a person contagious with ARVI or ARI?

Depending on the virus stamp, the duration of symptoms may be delayed for a long time. When a bacterial infection is reinforced to the general defeat of the body by a virus, the immune system is not able to resist and the disease develops more actively with accompanying complication processes.

A person whose body has entered the virus poses a danger of infection to others already a day before visible symptoms begin to appear. That is, the patient, not knowing about the infection, is already infecting others. To have a more accurate understanding of how long a patient can spread the virus, you should know how long ARVI or ARI lasts. According to the average data, respiratory symptoms, supported by a high temperature, accompany the patient for five days, which means that during this period the patient actively spreads the existing virus. Upon completion of treatment and the disappearance of symptoms, a person can spread a pathogenic infection for another two days without knowing it. In general, it is possible to become infected from a sick person for ten days during the course of his illness.

What is SARS and its symptoms

Attention! If a person has complications that manifest themselves in the form of bronchitis or sinusitis, then pathogenic microbes are released into the surrounding space for three weeks.

A secondary question arises, how long does a person remain contagious with acute respiratory infections and influenza? The duration of these ailments is slightly longer than SARS, since the flu also belongs to respiratory diseases. For about ten to fourteen days, a person suffers from acute respiratory infections and releases a large number of dangerous microorganisms. After completion of treatment, a person retains the ability to infect others for another two days.

It is important! There are complications when the duration of the disease is delayed for three weeks and during this time the person remains a virus carrier. Therefore, it is very important to start antiviral therapy in a timely manner, which can quickly block the manifestations of the infection.

Safety measures in the presence of a patient with ARVI at home

It is important to remember that even during the incubation period, carrying the virus is already contagious to others. After the incubation, an acute period of the course of the disease begins, which is characterized by the ability to infect for three days. Under the condition of weak immunity, the ability to spread the pathogenic virus persists for a week. The further course of the disease is characterized by a less active ability to infect people, since infection is possible only through direct contact or through the use of the patient's personal belongings.

After a week-long course of the disease, if untimely treatment is provided, then a period of complications begins. In addition, bacteria to some extent retain the ability to be released into the environment until the end of the disease.

Caution, complications after SARS

The group of acute infectious-respiratory diseases consists of the following pathogens:

Damage to the body by the above groups of the virus with untimely therapy leads to subsequent complications.

When Doctor's Help Is Needed

Regardless of how severe the infectious respiratory disease is, it is necessary to contact a specialist in order to determine the correct therapy. It is recommended to be isolated from others for the first three days while the virus is in an acute form. In this way, the spread of the virus to other people can be prevented. After this time, a mask should be worn even if the patient does not have symptoms such as cough and runny nose.

Consultation with a specialist is necessary in the following cases:

1. If the patient's body temperature lasts more than five days.
2. In case of difficulty breathing and coughing.
3. The severity of symptoms does not stop for one week.
4. On palpation, there is an increase in lymph nodes.

After a medical examination, the patient can be sent for further treatment in a hospital if influenza with complications is diagnosed.

"To decide for yourself what is good for your child,
and what is bad is the pinnacle of parental responsibility,
parental art!" Dr. E.O. Komarovsky

SARS is an acute respiratory (airborne) viral infection. 99% of all acute respiratory infections (acute respiratory disease, an abbreviation that combines viral and bacterial infections)

Flu

Flu - the most famous, most famous (does not mean that it is the most terrible and difficult) cause of acute respiratory infections and SARS in particular.
Who is to blame: influenza virus A, B and C

Influenza A virus Influenza B virus
Viruses are so small that they can only be seen under an electron microscope.

Features: main - the ability to change. Influenza virus C is stable (having been ill once, a person has immunity for almost a lifetime), B - changes, but moderately, A - the most insidious, it is he who, constantly changing, causes annual epidemics. Conclusion: If influenza C is a disease exclusively of children, then influenza B is predominantly of children.
Ways of transmission of the virus: airborne (coughing, sneezing)
How long does the virus live: in the air - up to four hours, in drops of saliva and sputum, after these drops dry and settle - about two weeks, in room dust - up to five weeks

Important: At the same time, almost all disinfectants easily kill the influenza virus, and standard wet cleaning using these products (wet cleaning), airing the room, and washing bed linen - victory over the virus is more than real!

Incubation period (the period from the time of introduction of the virus to the first symptoms): from 1 to 3 days!

Important: The patient is contagious 24 hours before the onset of the first symptoms!

The onset of the disease is always acute. An hour ago, everything seemed to be in order - and suddenly 39 grams, chills and a headache. The feeling that you were run over by a skating rink. Usually this condition lasts 3-5 days. The influenza virus prefers the bronchi, causing, as a rule, bronchitis.
1-2 more days and after the temperature normalizes, so consider, in general, a day, before the first symptoms appear, somewhere 6-8 days !!!

Rhinoviruses

Rhinoviruses - leaders, champions among all acute respiratory infections: at least 30-40% of all acute respiratory infections. In the vast majority of cases, it is the rhinovirus that is to blame for coughing and sniffing.
Who is to blame: this is not one virus, but a numerous genus, uniting more than a hundred species, and each such species can cause ARVI in a person (in most cases, mild ARVI, which is comforting). Rhinoviruses do not have a shell - "naked", a single influenza virus is four times larger than a single rhinovirus.

Variety of rhinoviruses

Transmission routes: airborne, contact (from one child to another through toys, through door handles, etc.)
Incubation period: from 2 to 5 days
Runny nose, cough, sneezing are pronounced, but the body temperature is often normal and the general condition is slightly disturbed. We've been sick for about 7 days.
How long is the patient contagious: about 4-5 days: 1-2 days before the onset of the first symptoms of the disease and 2-3 days after!!!

Adenoviruses

One of the adenoviruses

Transmission routes: airborne and contact

Important: Adenoviruses do not limit their interests to the respiratory tract. "Favorite" place of adenovirus - eyes!

Adenovirus conjunctivitis is the most common viral eye infection that takes a very long time to heal. Very often there are intestinal infections, somewhat less often - damage to the urinary tract.
How long does the virus live: in pools and ponds, even in tap water, under certain conditions, the virus can persist for up to four or more months. but even without water - on clothes, furniture, household items - it can also ... 2 weeks at room temperature and 2 months at - 4g.
Incubation period: averages 5-7 days, but can vary from 3-14 days
How long is the patient contagious: at least 7 days, but this period can be extended and reach one month in some forms of the disease.
Features: A child gets sick with acute respiratory infections, after 3-5 days there is an improvement, the whole family rejoices at a normal temperature and an appetite that has appeared, but on the sixth day the temperature rises again and stuffs up the nose with renewed vigor - this situation is called the undulating course of the disease. These features of adenovirus can lead to a significant prolongation of the disease, where the acute period of the disease can stretch up to 10-14 days.

Important: So, for example, conjunctivitis is a symptom completely uncharacteristic of either influenza or rhinovirus infection. This means that fever + stuffy nose + pharyngitis (inflammation of the pharynx) + conjunctivitis + adenovirus infection 100%!Remember, conjunctivitis is a contagious disease until it is completely cured!

There are very, very few ways to influence viruses. There are a small number of effective drugs that are far from safe, expensive, used only in some special cases, almost always in hospitals and in severe forms of disease.
99% of SARS do not require any hospitals.
99.9% of acute respiratory viral infections do not require the use of any drugs that affect the virus - in a few days the human body can handle itself with the right help.

Of course, these are not all manifestations of SARS, I have only touched on the main ones that I myself, as a mother of two children, most often encounter.
In my next blog, I will talk about the beast of "acute bacterial infections"

Used material from my handbook
famous doctor E.O. Komarovsky "ORZ: A guide for sane parents"
www.komarovskiy.net/

The influenza virus can be shed from the body of an infected person as early as a day before the onset of symptoms of the disease, and infection is possible through close contact with such a person. From a patient with influenza, the virus is released when coughing, sneezing, talking for 5-7 days. There are observations that in young children, school-age children, in people with reduced immunity, the influenza A (H1N1) pdm09 virus can be isolated longer - 10 days from the onset of the disease or more. With flu complications, for example, in the case of pneumonia, the virus is found in the body for a longer period. The most intensive virus is released at high body temperature.

During the treatment of influenza with antiviral drugs, the intensity of the release of the virus from the body decreases, but the release can last up to 5 days or more.

To reduce the spread of infection, people with influenza during the period of virus isolation, including during the period of treatment with antiviral drugs, isolation (restriction of contact with others) at home or in the hospital is recommended. If you need to leave the house, for example, to a pharmacy, for groceries, call a health worker, it is recommended to follow the rules of respiratory / cough etiquette - cover your nose and mouth with a face mask, and when coughing, cover your nose and mouth with a disposable tissue or handkerchief. It is important for family members caring for a sick person at home to protect themselves from infection - cover their nose and mouth with a mask, wash their hands thoroughly after contact with the sick person.

How long does the influenza virus remain active on objects.

The influenza virus can remain viable for 2-8 hours on various objects (doorknobs, books, bedside tables, tables, children's toys, telephones, etc.), where droplets of the patient's mucus fell when coughing and sneezing. Touching such objects, and then your nose or mouth, you can get infected. Therefore, in rooms where there are people, especially those with influenza, it is necessary to regularly carry out wet cleaning using household detergents.]

Where can I get tested for the flu?

Patients with flu-like symptoms, if indicated, are examined for influenza in medical organizations.

What kills the flu virus.

The influenza virus quickly dies at a high temperature - 75-100 ° C. Some chlorine-containing substances, hydrogen peroxide, detergents (soap, washing powder), antiseptics based on iodine and alcohol also destroy the influenza virus. Therefore, the flu patient's underwear, bedding, towels, handkerchiefs must be washed with soap or detergent, dried in a hot dryer and ironed with a hot iron. Dishes used by a sick person should be washed using household detergents. After coughing, sneezing, caring for the sick, you should wash your hands for 15-20 seconds with warm water and soap or wipe the skin of your hands with an alcohol-containing substance. This will protect against infection.