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A viral infection is a proliferation of a harmful virus inside your body. Viruses cannot reproduce without the assistance of a host. Viruses infect a host by introducing their genetic material into the cells and hijacking the cell’s internal machinery to make more virus particles.
Viral infections occur when a virus enters the body and invades the inside of the body’s cells in order to reproduce. If the body’s immune system is unable to fight off the virus, it multiplies and spreads to other cells, repeating the process and leading to a widespread infection.
Is a viral infection serious?
Viral infections that may be minor in normal, healthy individuals can be quite severe for people who have a weakened immune system. Almost any virus can lead to sepsis. Sometimes called blood poisoning, sepsis is the body’s often deadly response to infection.
Where do you get viral infections?
There are many ways that you can become infected with a virus, including:
- Inhalation. If someone with a viral infection sneezes or coughs near you, you can breathe in droplets containing the virus.
- Ingestion. Food and drinks can be contaminated with viruses.
- Bites.
- Bodily fluids.
If it’s a viral illness, typically symptoms are shorter lasting and classically the symptoms include fever, chills, sore throat, nasal congestion, runny nose, cough, and a lot of times you can have some body aches.
For most viral infections, treatments can only help with symptoms while you wait for your immune system to fight off the virus. Antibiotics do not work for viral infections. There are antiviral medicines to treat some viral infections. Vaccines can help prevent you from getting many viral diseases.
How to identify signs of viral infection?
How to Identify Signs of Viral Infection Check your temperature. Notice if diarrhea and/or vomiting are present. Observe whether a cough is present and if there is congestion. Notice whether a runny nose or sore throat are present. Notice if headache and/or body aches are present.
Can you catch a viral infection?
Best answer: Yes you could. A viral infection (colds are viral infections) is an infection caused by a virus. It’s different from a bacterial infection, which is caused by bacteria (antibiotics are only effective on bacterial infections). The best way to prevent catching the viral infection is to wash your hands often with plain soap and water.
The short (and obvious) answer is viral infections are caused by viruses, and bacterial infections are caused by bacteria. Illnesses like influenza, or “the flu,” and upper respiratory infections (URIs) fall under the category of viral infections, while illnesses such as pneumonia, sinusitis and ear infections are considered bacterial infections.
Viruses can be spread or transmitted through various ways. Some people may get a viral infection by swallowing or inhaling virus, by being bitten by insects, through sexual contact or through transfusion of contaminated blood.