Viruses

Viruses are very small particles (an individual viral particle is called a virion) that are nonliving but which contain genetic information and can infect other organisms. Those that can...

Meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord. It can be caused by a virus or bacteria. Viral meningitis is the most common form of meningitis in the United...

Viruses are capable of spreading to a human host in a variety of ways. Since a virus is incapable of surviving on its own, it needs a host so that it can multiply. Viruses are capable of infecting...

Viral meningitis is most often caused by an enterovirus. These viruses are typically spread by coming into contact with fecal matter of an infected person. Common ways to spread viral meningitis...

Many healthy people can succumb to the flu when bombarded repeatedly by mutating viruses during flu season. Thankfully there are many natural supplements that can help boost the immune system and...

A cold is a brief condition caused by infection with a virus that affects the nose and throat. The variance of symptoms experiences during cold is due partly to the large number of different...

Antiviral agents are drugs that are designed to interrupt the reproduction of viruses. They help the body have a fighting chance against viral illness. Common viral illnesses include colds, the...

Influenza viruses cause the flu, a mild to severe respiratory infection that sometimes is fatal. Since there is no cure for flu, vulnerable people are at greater risk of dangerous,...

Enteric cytopathic human orphan (ECHO) viruses are common viruses that cause gastrointestinal infections and skin rashes. ECHO virus may also be referred to as a nonpolio enterovirus infection.

There are many different kinds of viruses. Most viruses are classified by their manner of replication, which can either be by DNA or RNA. Retroviruses are viruses that use RNA to replicate, inject...

Viruses are pieces of genetic material that can enter the body and destroy cells. Some viruses can pass from person to person through the air, while others are exchanged through bodily fluids....

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends seasonal flu vaccinations for most people--especially those with weakened immune systems, young children, pregnant women and senior...

For more than a century, ultraviolet light has been deemed a cogent method for causing harmful waterborne diseases and viruses to become inactive. However, in some cases, it may serve as a trigger...

When viruses infect skin cells, the ensuing immune reaction and destruction of the cells appear as a rash. Rashes can be of different forms, including raised papules, blisters, or just redness...

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Norwalk virus causes more than 23 million viral gastroenteritis cases and over half of all food-borne outbreaks in the U.S. The virus...

A virus is responsible for diseases such as chicken pox, AIDS and hepatitis. Some viruses can be prevented by immunizations; others are long-term diseases that have no cure or preventive mechanism.

Viral meningitis is a viral infection of the protective membranes that cover the spinal cord leading up to the brain. Affecting mostly children, it is important to understand factors dealing with...

Avian flu is a serious virus that poses great health risks to humans, but the flu takes many forms. Understanding the different types of avian flu helps doctors treat symptoms and helps scientists...

Bird flu is a type of influenza that mainly affects birds, but human cases and deaths have been reported. The bird flu is more dangerous than many other types of flu, with about half of those who...

Preventing the spread of cold and flu viruses isn't as hard as the media makes it out to be. Naturally, you should be concerned about the H1N1 and other flu viruses, but there's no need to panic....

Viral infections are caused by tiny organisms that enter the body and attack cells. These organisms are smaller than any other type in the body, including parasites, bacteria and fungi. When a...

Pink eye, or conjunctivitis, is an infection of a membrane called the conjunctiva that covers part of the eye and the eyelid. The condition gets its name because it causes inflammation that then...

Viruses are organisms that prefer to infect one kind of cell or tissue depending on their type. Stomach viruses infect the lining of the stomach and intestines while influenza most often infects...

The Greeks of old told the myth of Pandora's Box, an ancient contraption that the curious Pandora opened, unleashing all the world's sickness and disease. Although medical science has disproved...

There are many types of respiratory viruses, and the resulting illness can be mild or severe depending on your health and the virulence of the virus. Respiratory viruses are often highly...

Hepatitis C is the most serious of six hepatitis viruses, all of which attack the liver and prevent the organ from functioning normally. People who have hepatitis C are often unaware of it because...

The stomach virus is typically transmitted by people who don't wash their hands and people who eat after others who have stomach viruses themselves. Discover how viruses can live on the hands for...

Flu shots are given every year, starting in the fall. The shot is basically a vaccine for the flu virus. One shot has the components for multiple flu viruses, due to the fact that the virus...

An antivirus such as Tamiflu is a drug that selectively destroys a host cell's parasite. Its mechanism of action depends on its selectivity and specificity on the target virus. Several successful...

A virus is a a cellular microorganism that uses the structures of surrounding healthy cells to spread an infect a host. Since a virus does not have the necessary cell structures to replicate...

"Stomach virus" is an umbrella term used to describe the illness resulting from a range of viruses that infect the digestive tract, including rotaviruses, astroviruses, sapoviruses, and...

Stomach viruses can affect people of all ages, children under five years old are the most commonly infected age group. In the United States, the most common time to get a stomach virus is between...

Viral meningitis, also called aseptic meningitis, occurs when the fluid and meninges (membranes) surrounding the brain and spinal cord become inflamed. The condition isn't normally fatal and...

Influenza (often referred as "the flu") is a respiratory disease that is caused by a group of viruses. There are three types of influenza viruses, but only two cause pandemic diseases in humans. ...

The illness commonly called stomach flu causes nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, but it isn't really flu. It's actually viral gastroenteritis. You can develop this illness after ingesting one of...

A virus is a very small infectious agent that needs a host in order to grow and reproduce. When it enters the stomach, it can cause diseases like gastroenteritis, which is more commonly known as...

A stomach virus, also known as gastroenteritis and "stomach flu," is a virus that affects the stomach and intestines. Though not an influenza virus, a stomach virus is an infection that causes...

All viruses can be considered a threat to the human body. Individuals get mildly sick or even deathly sick depending on the severity of illness that the human is infected with as a result of the...

Viruses are everywhere and are, for the most part, untreatable. Luckily, your body is ideally equipped to combat most viruses that are likely to attack it. We're all accustomed to the common...

Herpes simplex viruses are widely spread throughout the human population. Between 50% to 80% of adults have been exposed to a herpes simplex virus by age 30. Up to 80% of patients with an active...

Stomach viruses tend to be contracted via the ingestion of contaminated food. While many diseases of the stomach and small intestine are viral in nature, many gastrointestinal diseases can be...

Dengue hemorrhagic fever is a serious viral disease that is generally associated with severe febrile symptoms (extremely high fevers). With appropriate medical care, the mortality rate of dengue...

The human body has a remarkable defense system that protects us from millions of microbes, viruses, bacteria, parasites and toxins that want to raid, attack and break down the body. This amazing...

We all wish there was a magic cure to help prevent us from EVER getting any sort of viruses. However there is no way that you can avoid getting sick here and there, but there are ways that you...

With flu season swiftly creeping upon us, it is essential that we consider ways in which we can keep ourselves healthy and flu free. The rlu, also known as influenza, is a virus that infects the...

Viral gastroenteritis is a stomach flu caused by several different viruses. It can affect anyone, is usually not a serious condition and goes away in a fairly short time. It is, however, highly...

Common viruses range in severity from a runny nose to horrible coughs, and sometimes even vomiting and diarrhea. How to treat common viruses depends on what symptoms are present and treating them...

A virus is a microbiotic infectious agent that requires a host cell to replicate. Viruses cause a wide array of diseases ranging from the common cold and flu to Ebola and AIDS. Due to the severity...

A virus can cause an infection ranging from the more innocuous, such as a cold or chicken pox, to the more malevolent, such as hemorrhagic fever or rabies. Though some viruses do not have a cure,...

Due to the dangerous nature of several viruses, it is extremely important to seek medical care if you have been exposed to a nocuous virus. However, the vast majority of viruses that people are...