How long does the orvi virus live outside the body. Influenza virus How long do influenza viruses live in the environment

Quick answer: depends on the type of flu and not only.

Influenza is an acute infectious disease of the respiratory tract. It tends to periodically spread in the form of epidemics and pandemics. There are over 2,000 types of influenza, some of which can be fatal.

As you understand, it is impossible to accurately answer the question of how long the influenza virus lives in the air or in a room, since everything depends on the type of influenza itself. However, there are average data. So, in air, this figure is about 9 hours. Everything is much more complicated if we are talking about the room. Do you know why? Because the virus can “live” for different times on different surfaces! Here's proof for you:

  • On paper - up to 12 hours.
  • On fabric - up to 10 hours.
  • On plastic or metal products - up to 48 hours.
  • On the skin - up to 15 hours.
  • On glass - up to 7-10 days.
  • In sputum - up to 1.5-2 weeks.

Once again, in this case, the information is averaged, but you can still draw the appropriate conclusion.

Do not forget that being in the same room with a flu patient is dangerous for the simple reason that his body contains a huge amount of the virus. When coughing, the virus can be spread over long distances, and saliva particles can settle indoors, although smaller ones can stay in the air for a long time.

Many people are wondering: how infectious is a person with SARS? The chance of infection can grow exponentially. How to overcome the disease and not get complications? How many people can be a carrier of the virus? The answers to these and more questions are below.

You should start with the nature of SARS. What is SARS? SARS is an acute respiratory viral infection. The infection is transmitted by airborne droplets. Its development is caused by various pathogenic microorganisms and viruses, mass infection occurs.

Influenza is the main and most common cause of the disease. But you should not be afraid of the flu, you just need to recognize it in time and start treating it. The cause of the development of the virus may be a weakened immune system and a lack of vitamins of various groups.

Brief description of the virus

A virus is the smallest microorganism, it is impossible to see it with the naked eye. Research takes place with the help of special electron microscopes, which help to recognize them.

The main feature of the virus is its high ability to variability. Three main groups of viruses can be distinguished: A, B, C. Now about each in detail.

Group C viruses are highly stable. If a person has been ill with a similar disease, then in the future the immune system is immune to it throughout life.

Group B viruses can change, but the rate of change is clearly visible.

Group A viruses are the most insidious group. They are constantly changing and causing large-scale epidemics every year.

Different types of flu can affect different age groups. For example, if the virus of group B is most often found in children, then the virus of group C is only in them.

The transmission of a microscopic particle occurs by airborne droplets when coughing and sneezing.

Even the breath of an infected person can give impetus to the development of the disease.

The virus does not live long, but during this time it can enter the body. The life time of the virus in the air is approximately 4 hours, if it gets into saliva and sputum, it can live up to 2 weeks. If the virus is in room dust, then its life span increases up to 5 weeks.

One key point to remember is that any disinfectant kills viruses. Wet cleaning with the use of special tools will eliminate all viruses. You also need to remember that the room constantly needs airing.

Washing bed linen at a high temperature will not leave a chance for any virus. The incubation period usually lasts from 1 to 3 days. During this period, everything possible must be done to prevent the disease from progressing.

In most cases, the disease strikes a person suddenly. You can walk and even actively engage in physical exercises, and after an hour there is a breakdown, chills, body temperature rises to 40 ° C. This condition usually lasts 3 to 5 days.

A person is a carrier of the virus even before the onset of primary symptoms in the form of a headache and fever. By comparing the days, it can be determined that ARVI entered the body in another 1-2 days. As a result, a person is contagious for about 6-8 days.

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Rhinoviruses

Separately, it should be noted rhinoviruses. What are these viruses? They are leaders among the whole variety of acute respiratory infections and occupy about 1/3 of all acute respiratory infections. In most cases, this virus is found in saliva and mucus. They do not have a shell and are much smaller than other viruses. It should also be noted that the route of transmission is airborne.

Children often become infected through shared toys. The incubation period in this case is somewhat different. It is longer - from 2 to 5 days. During this period, all symptoms can appear: cough, runny nose, dizziness. But body temperature most often remains normal. The body, though subject to negative impact while maintaining tone. The duration of the disease itself is 7-8 days. It is easy to calculate: if a person was infected for 2-5 days and sick for 7 days, then the total time when he was a carrier is 9 days or more.

But in a warm, humid environment, viruses live for a long time.

How the flu proceeds, which one is walking now and how long the virus lives

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.

Influenza characteristic

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.

How does the flu develop?

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:

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:

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 the treatment of influenza and colds at home.

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.

Flu treatment with folk recipes

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:

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, the prevention of influenza 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.

How long do influenza viruses live?

How long do influenza viruses live?

The most favorable environment for the spread and life of bacteria of this insidious and dangerous disease- This humid environment, and no matter what it will be, or the mucous membranes of a person, for example, the nose and throat, or it will be just some kind of object in everyday life. Scientists have proven that the influenza virus on a dry hard surface can exist within twenty-four hours, which means that if a healthy person uses this item, then he may well become infected. As for the hit of this virus, when a patient sneezes or coughs, on any object of our everyday life, whether it be a table or a book, he, as a rule, lives within two to eight hours. The most important thing that influenza bacteria do not tolerate is regular wet cleaning, using ordinary detergents, and a very important factor is ventilation.

The life of a virus in a normal environment is short-lived. Some species, once on the railing or things, will not be viable after 5 minutes. In the air, where the virus is with droplets of saliva, it will live for about 15 minutes. Moreover, the colder, the longer the life of viruses. In the environment, he lives the longest on hard surfaces - a table. cabinet, battery, where he can live up to a day. Well, on the other hand, on the fabric (that's what the cotton-gauze bandage is for) or on human skin, the virus will die in 5-15 minutes.

I read such information that viruses can live up to 2!! weeks in house dust, for example. That is why wet cleaning and ventilation is important.

I myself was surprised, but I read exactly such terms.

It is believed that many factors influence the viability of the influenza virus outside the host. All of them have not been fully studied, so doctors talk about the lifetime of the influenza virus very approximately. So, everyone agrees that the influenza virus is not transmitted with water and generally does not tolerate high humidity, so the higher the humidity, the less the virus lives. The same applies to temperature, at high temperatures the influenza virus is not viable and that is why flu epidemics almost never occur in summer. In the air, the influenza virus can live up to 9 hours, a little more on paper, fabric, soft porous surfaces, on metal objects the virus lives even longer - up to a day. Well, on the hands of a person only 15 minutes.

When released into the environment, not for long. The risk of getting infected outdoors if someone sneezes even nearby is low.

But in a warm, humid environment, viruses live for a long time.

On objects, on pens in the office, on telephone handsets, notebooks, they can live from 2 to 8 hours. Therefore, it is desirable to ventilate more often. In open air, viruses die faster, especially if the air is cold. A sick person can shed the virus up to a day before symptoms appear.

I read here on the Internet that the life span of the influenza virus directly depends on external climatic conditions. If it is humid and cloudy, then they can live up to a month, and if it is sunny, then they quickly (within 2-4 days) are destroyed under the influence of ultraviolet rays.

How long does the flu virus live indoors?

How long does the influenza virus live indoors, when and where can they be infected? These are very serious questions, especially when it comes to the effectiveness of preventive measures in constant contact with patients. Each person daily has many contacts with carriers of certain viruses and infections. And the lack of attention to such issues is understandable, because not everyone, having such contacts, becomes infected. Nevertheless, everyone needs to know about this in order to maintain their health. After all, the flu is a dangerous virus, as it causes many complications at any age.

Influenza is a separate and specific type of virus. Perhaps one of the most common among both people and animals. In modern medicine, only three types of influenza are known, which are designated A, B and C. They differ in the degree of complexity of the course of the disease and prevalence. For example, type A is considered more serious, and not only people get sick. This type is rapidly spreading across cities and countries. And types B and C are considered less dangerous, only people get sick with them.

How long does the flu virus live

Before getting an answer to such a question, it is important to understand that each virus and infection can exist differently on different surfaces. For example, in the air itself, the influenza virus lives on average up to 9 hours, and it gets there only by airborne droplets. But, in addition, in almost every room, as a rule, you can find a whole variety of household items. Thanks to this healthy person, a few minutes are enough to catch the flu through the mucous membranes. This is one of the most common ways of contracting this disease.

So, the influenza virus, getting airborne on different surfaces, can live:

  • up to 15 hours on the skin;
  • up to 2 weeks in the sputum of a sick person;
  • up to 10 days on glass surfaces;
  • up to 2 days on metal and plastic objects;
  • up to 10 on fabric products;
  • up to 12 hours on paper.

With the flu, a huge amount of the virus is observed in the body of a sick person. At the same time, against the background of general weakness and fever, he begins to sneeze, cough. This is what puts people around you at risk of getting the flu. When sneezing and coughing, large and small particles of saliva with the influenza virus inevitably fall into the air. Large particles immediately settle on the surface in the room, spreading up to 3 meters around and being less dangerous. And small ones, on the contrary, stay in the air for a long time, are carried by wind or draft for several hundred meters.

Why not everyone is susceptible to infection

It's no secret that not all people become infected with the flu through constant contact with patients. This is where immunity plays an important role. As you know, the higher it is, the more resilient a person is. When a virus enters the body, an immune response immediately occurs. If the immune system is strong, then most likely this virus will be suppressed. If the immune system is weakened, then you can easily get sick. This is how immunity in living beings in nature reacts to any invasion of the body. Although it is believed that in a situation with viruses and bacteria, strong immunity does not always cope.

This only happens when the amount of influenza virus that enters the body does not reach a certain quantitative limit. In such situations, the immune system cannot suppress the virus, and human body gets sick. It can also occur with hypothermia, chronic diseases of the nose and throat. Humidity of the mucous membranes plays an important role. For example, a very dry nasal mucosa can become a favorable environment for viruses. But in this you can find its advantages: after each illness, immunity itself becomes stronger.

Flu Prevention

Prevention of the influenza virus must be carried out not only in direct contact with sick people. Measures to ensure it must always be carried out, especially during periods of cold weather and epidemics. After all, the flu virus lives indoors for a long time.

The most important rules are the ventilation of the rooms where the patients stay, and the observance of the rules of elementary hygiene.

Although the premises must always be ventilated, both in winter and summer, even if no one is sick. It is necessary to moisturize the mucous membranes of the nose, make sure that there are no dry crusts on them.

In the room where the flu patient is located, you need to periodically do wet cleaning. In this case, you can not get carried away with disinfectants. They can cause allergies, which will dry out the mucous membranes in the body. A sick person needs to take care of the people around him, be responsible for their health. When sneezing and coughing, cover your nose and mouth using a handkerchief, special bags, masks, or at least cover yourself with your hands. It is important to understand that with the flu, as with other viral diseases, the period of mass spread of the infection passes exactly when the state of health improves, but there is still sneezing and coughing.

Influenza symptoms - signs of all types of the virus and possible complications

Even the initial symptoms of the flu are pronounced. They serve as an alarm signal indicating that you need to immediately seek medical help, because this disease is very insidious. It affects people of all ages and genders. Hundreds of thousands of people die from it and the complications it causes every year around the world.

Types of flu

There are several varieties of this infectious disease. The type of illness is determined by which influenza virus has entered the body. In this case, the ways of infection are as follows:

Influenza type A

This type of virus infects not only humans but also animals. Vivid representatives of this group of infectious diseases are "bird" and "swine" influenza. A virus of this type provokes a disease of moderate and sometimes severe severity. The insidiousness of this group of infectious diseases lies in the fact that influenza A is able to quickly mutate, forming a new antigenic structure. Often the disease becomes epidemic.

Influenza type B

Diseases provoked by such viruses are dangerous only for humans. They do not apply to animals. Although the influenza B virus also has the ability to mutate, this occurs much less frequently than in members of class A. The frequency of change in antigenic structure is once a decade. The frequency of epidemics is every 5-6 years. They may precede or coexist with influenza A outbreaks. A feature of diseases caused by pathogens of this group is that they spread over a limited area. In other words, they are local.

Influenza type C virus

The pathogen of this group causes diseases accompanied by less serious symptoms (in some cases, they occur with little or no signs). Like the class B virus, it only infects humans and does not pose a threat to animals. Influenza C does not cause an epidemic. Moreover, it does not form serious consequences. However, to date, the provocateur virus is still poorly understood.

Influenza virus - symptoms

The incubation period for such infectious diseases can last from 3 hours to 3 days. More often than not, 1 day passes from the moment of infection to the appearance of the first symptoms. The smaller the amount of the virus enters the body, the longer the incubation period lasts. In addition, the state of the body's defense system affects the rate of development of the disease. The stronger the immune system, the more time passes from the moment the first signs appear after infection.

The initial symptoms of the flu are as follows:

During an exacerbation, the initial signs of influenza are supplemented by the following symptoms:

  • an increase in body temperature;
  • dry cough accompanied by chest pain;
  • conjunctivitis;
  • flushing of the face;
  • excessive dryness of the skin;
  • tinnitus;
  • myalgia.

However, there are also dangerous flu symptoms. If present, call immediately ambulance. The following signs are considered alarming:

  • high fever that lasts more than 5 days;
  • loss of consciousness;
  • convulsions;
  • the appearance of shortness of breath;
  • severe headache that does not subside even after taking painkillers;
  • rash on the skin.

Influenza - severity

What symptoms appear depends largely on the stage of the disease. There are such forms of influenza:

  1. Light - accompanied by a slight rise in body temperature (up to 38 ° C). At this stage, signs of intoxication may be either mild or absent altogether.
  2. Moderate severity - the temperature rises to 39.5 ° C. At this stage, intoxication, nasal congestion, redness of the eyes and other symptoms appear.
  3. Severe form - accompanied by a rise in temperature up to 40 ° C. The signs at this stage are pronounced: they are the same as the symptoms of the flu at the initial stage, only they appear with greater force.
  4. Hypertoxic form - with it the temperature rises above 40 ° C. The central nervous system is damaged. In some cases, respiratory failure occurs.
  5. The fulminant form is dangerous due to the transience of the development of the disease. May lead to death.

Pain with the flu

Discomfort is manifested from the very beginning after infection. The first symptoms of the flu are pain. It appears even before the body temperature rises. The localization area may vary:

fever with flu

This is a reaction of the body's defense system to the intoxication that accompanies this disease. A distinctive feature is that the rise in temperature occurs sharply. Just a few hours, and the indicator indicates a strong deviation from the norm. How long the flu temperature lasts depends on the following factors:

  • the severity of the disease;
  • the body's defense system;
  • taking antipyretics.

flu intoxication

This symptom is a by-product of the work of the immune system, the activity of which is aimed at eliminating the source of infection. Blood, washing the affected tissues, removes dead pathogenic microorganisms. With influenza, severe intoxication is observed. This is due to the fact that viruses multiply at a record speed, as a result of which there are a huge number of them. To neutralize, the body needs to expend a lot of energy. Other flu symptoms are also connected to intoxication. One of them is an increase in body temperature, manifested by chills and fever.

How to distinguish the flu from colds and SARS?

These diseases have many similarities. However, they also have differences. You can understand how to distinguish the flu from a cold based on the course of symptoms:

  1. Temperature - with a cold it is slightly above the norm, with SARS it reaches 38 ° C, and with the flu it rises to 40 ° C.
  2. Intoxication - a cold is devoid of this symptom, and with SARS and flu it is pronounced.
  3. Nasal congestion and runny nose - observed from the first hours with a cold. With SARS, this symptom begins to appear a couple of days after intoxication, and with influenza - as a complication.
  4. Painful sensations - occur with SARS and influenza. With a cold, they are absent.

Only a doctor can accurately diagnose. Most people don't realize they have the flu. Carrying the disease "on their feet", they think it's just a cold. You can judge what it really is by the length of the recovery period. After a cold, a person quickly returns to his usual way of life, not remembering the ailment. Recovery from the flu is delayed by long time. The body after such stress experiences serious consequences.

Flu Complications

The following groups of people are at an increased risk of negative consequences:

  • small children (up to 4 years old);
  • pregnant women;
  • people suffering from heart and lung diseases;
  • elderly;
  • those who suffer from chronic diseases (sinusitis, otitis media, bronchitis);
  • people with problems in the immune system.

The most common complications after the flu are:

Flu - what to do?

Treatment of this disease should be carried out under the supervision of a physician. It is advisable not to take anti-inflammatory and antipyretic drugs before visiting the doctor, as this will distort the clinical picture of the ailment. After examining the patient, the doctor will decide where the person should be treated - at home or in the hospital. In addition, he will prescribe a therapeutic course.

The main conditions for a quick recovery are bed rest and strict adherence to the doctor's recommendations. Here's how to treat the flu:

  • antiviral agents (Tamiflu, Remantadin);
  • antipyretic tablets for flu (Ibuprofen, Aspirin, Paracetamol);
  • electrolyte solutions (Regidron, Humana);
  • antibacterial agents (Macrolides, Fluoroquinolones);
  • antihistamines (Citrin, Suprastin);
  • expectorants (ACC, Lazolvan);
  • drugs that facilitate nasal breathing (Otrivin, Naphthyzin, Farmazolin).

During treatment, you need to drink more: at least 2 liters of fluid per day. It is desirable that the temperature of the beverages consumed be in the range of °C. So the liquid is absorbed faster and will bring maximum benefit to the body. Rosehip tea, dried fruit compote, chamomile or linden decoction are suitable as a drink. Such a drug perfectly eliminates the symptoms of influenza and improves the general condition.

As an auxiliary therapy, folk "drugs" are used. Their use should be carried out under the supervision of a doctor, because the flu medicine prescribed by him may be incompatible with an alternative remedy. This will not only not help get rid of the disease, but also aggravate the patient's condition. For this reason, self-medication is not permissible. Reception of medicines and folk remedies should be carried out only under the supervision of a physician.

Flu Prevention

It is easier to prevent the onset of a disease than to treat it afterward or deal with the negative consequences that have arisen against it. The flu shot is not a panacea that gives a 100% guarantee that the disease will not develop. Timely vaccination helps to alleviate the course of the disease and reduces the likelihood of complications.

In order not to get sick, you need to strengthen the immune system. A good defense system also affects the course of the disease: it alleviates the symptoms of the flu that has begun. The following activities will help strengthen the immune system:

  • hardening;
  • correct balanced diet(it is desirable that the diet contains fresh vegetables and fruits);
  • regular hand washing after visiting the street and public places, before eating, after using the toilet, and so on;
  • taking multivitamin complexes (Dekamevit, Geksavita);
  • regular airing of the room and wet cleaning;
  • moderate physical activity (walking, exercising);
  • lubrication of the nasal mucosa with petroleum jelly or Oxolinic ointment before going outside during the epidemic;
  • rejection of bad habits;
  • minimizing stress;
  • use of personal protective equipment during the epidemic (mask);
  • full sleep and rest.

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How long does the influenza virus live?

Influenza virus is a representative of RNA-containing viruses from the family of orthomyxoviruses, causing acute damage to various parts of the respiratory tract. Transmitted by airborne droplets and contact. 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 does the influenza virus live outside the body 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. So wear it healthy people for preventive purposes is irrational.

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 influenza 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 influenza virus live indoors, when and where can they be infected? These are very serious questions, especially when it comes to the effectiveness of preventive measures in constant contact with patients. Each person daily has many contacts with carriers of certain viruses and infections. And the lack of attention to such issues is understandable, because not everyone, having such contacts, becomes infected. Nevertheless, everyone needs to know about this in order to maintain their health. After all, the flu is a dangerous virus, as it causes many complications at any age.

Influenza is a separate and specific type of virus. Perhaps one of the most common among both people and animals. In modern medicine, only three types of influenza are known, which are designated A, B and C. They differ in the degree of complexity of the course of the disease and prevalence. For example, type A is considered more serious, and not only people get sick. This type is rapidly spreading across cities and countries. And types B and C are considered less dangerous, only people get sick with them.

How long does the flu virus live

Before answering such a question, it is important to understand that each virus and infection can exist differently on different surfaces. For example, in the air itself, the influenza virus lives on average up to 9 hours, and it gets there only by airborne droplets. But, besides this, in almost every room, as a rule, you can find a whole variety of household items. Thanks to this healthy person, a few minutes are enough to catch the flu through the mucous membranes. This is one of the most common ways of contracting this disease.

So, the influenza virus, getting airborne on various surfaces, can live:

  • up to 15 hours on the skin;
  • up to 2 weeks in the sputum of a sick person;
  • up to 10 days on glass surfaces;
  • up to 2 days on metal and plastic objects;
  • to 10 on fabric products;
  • up to 12 hours on paper.

With the flu, a huge amount of the virus is observed in the body of a sick person. At the same time, against the background of general weakness and fever, he begins to sneeze, cough. This is what puts people around you at risk of getting the flu. When sneezing and coughing, large and small particles of saliva with the influenza virus inevitably fall into the air. Large particles immediately settle on the surface in the room, spreading up to 3 meters around and being less dangerous. And small ones, on the contrary, stay in the air for a long time, are carried by wind or draft for several hundred meters.

Why not everyone gets infected

It's no secret that not all people become infected with the flu through constant contact with patients. This is where the immune system plays an important role. As you know, the higher it is, the more resilient a person is. When any virus enters the body, an immune response immediately occurs. If the immune system is strong, then most likely this virus will be suppressed. If the immune system is weakened, then you can easily get sick. This is how immunity in living beings in nature reacts to any invasion of the body. Although it is believed that in a situation with viruses and bacteria, strong immunity does not always cope.

This happens only when the amount of influenza virus that has entered the body does not reach a certain quantitative limit. In such situations, the immune system cannot suppress the virus, and the human body begins to get sick. It can also occur with hypothermia, chronic diseases of the nose and throat. Humidity of the mucous membranes plays an important role. For example, a very dry nasal mucosa can become a favorable environment for viruses. But in this you can find its advantages: after each illness, the immune system itself becomes stronger.

flu prevention

Prevention of the influenza virus must be carried out not only in direct contact with sick people. Measures to ensure it must always be carried out, especially during periods of cold weather and epidemics. After all, the flu virus lives indoors for a long time.

The most important rules are the ventilation of the rooms where the patients are, and the observance of the rules of elementary hygiene.

Although the room must always be ventilated, both in winter and summer, even if no one is sick. It is necessary to moisturize the mucous membranes of the nose, make sure that there are no dry crusts on them.

In the room where the flu patient is located, you need to periodically do wet cleaning. In this case, you can not get carried away with disinfectants. They can cause allergies, which will dry out the mucous membranes in the body. A sick person needs to take care of the people around him, be responsible for their health. When sneezing and coughing, cover your nose and mouth using a handkerchief, special bags, masks, or at least cover yourself with your hands. It is important to understand that with the flu, as with other viral diseases, during the period of mass spread of the infection, it passes exactly when the state of health improves, but there is still sneezing and coughing.

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

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

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 increased attack a large number viruses on the immune system, a malfunction 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 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, the activity of the virus increases and the period of probable infection of others is extended by patients who continue working.
  • 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.

How long does the influenza virus live?

The information provided will help answer these and other questions.

How does the pathogen spread?

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 flu virus live outside

How long do bacteria and viruses live outside the human body?

It all depends on the type of bacteria or virus and the surface they are on. Most disease-causing bacteria, viruses, and fungi require moist conditions to live, so how long they can live outside the body depends on the humidity of the air and the surface.

Cold viruses have been shown to live on indoor surfaces for over seven days. Generally speaking, viruses live longer on smooth (water resistant) surfaces such as stainless steel and plastic than on porous surfaces such as fabrics and fabrics. Although cold viruses can live on surfaces for several days, their ability to cause illness begins to decline after 24 hours.

On the surface of the hands, most cold viruses live much less. Some of them survive only a few minutes, but 40% of rhinoviruses, common cold pathogens, are still contagious on hands for an hour.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), another cold-like virus that sometimes causes severe illness in children, can live on the dinner table for up to six hours, on cloth and paper for up to 20 minutes, and on the skin for up to 20 minutes.

Influenza viruses are transmitted through the hands and infect the human body. On hard surfaces, they can live for 24 hours. Influenza viruses can live on tissue for only 15 minutes.

Like cold viruses, flu viruses live much less on the hands. After the influenza virus has been on the hands of a person for five minutes, its concentration decreases sharply.

Influenza viruses can live in droplets of moisture flying in the air for several hours, and in low temperatures they live even longer.

The parainfluenza virus, the causative agent of croup in children, can live for 10 hours on hard

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List of answers to frequently asked questions about the flu

Swine flu began to spread rapidly in Latvia, and the first case has already been recorded lethal outcome. As of November 11, 165 people have already been infected with the new virus in Latvia.

To inform residents about how to behave in a possible pandemic, the Ministry of Health has published a "list of frequently asked questions" on its website.

A patient who has identified symptoms (see below) that may be indicative of influenza should immediately consult their family doctor by phone. It is advisable to stay at home and not appear in public, so as not to put others at risk of infection.

Information about what exactly needs to be done in case of illness can be obtained from the Latvian Infectology Center, as well as from epidemiologists in the regions of Latvia.

Local governments, in case of an unfavorable situation, can take measures to maintain epidemiological safety - for example, introduce restrictions on public events. But at the moment there are no restrictions.

Influenza caused by the A(H1N1) vīruss virus is a new subspecies of the "human flu" that has become a completely new combination various types this infection. Swine flu spreads from person to person in the same way as regular flu: by airborne droplets. The main danger is viruses that the patient spreads by talking, sneezing or coughing. It is also possible to become infected from objects that an infected person has used.

The influenza virus is able to survive in the air from 2 to 9 hours, it remains on the hands for 8-15 minutes, on paper, cardboard, watch fabric, on the metal surfaces of watches. With a decrease in humidity and air temperature, the resistance of the virus will increase

How long do influenza viruses live?

The most favorable environment for the spread and life of the bacteria of this insidious and dangerous disease is a humid environment, and it doesn’t matter what it will be, or the mucous membranes of a person, for example, the nose and throat, or it will be just any object in everyday life. Scientists have proven that the influenza virus on a dry hard surface can exist within twenty-four hours, which means that if a healthy person uses this item, then he may well become infected. As for the hit of this virus, when a patient sneezes or coughs, on any object of our everyday life, whether it be a table or a book, he, as a rule, lives within two to eight hours. The most important thing that influenza bacteria do not tolerate is regular wet cleaning, using ordinary detergents, and a very important factor is ventilation.

It is believed that many factors influence the viability of the influenza virus outside the host. All of them have not been fully studied, so doctors talk about the lifetime of the influenza virus very approximately. So, everyone agrees that the influenza virus is not transmitted with water and generally does not tolerate high humidity, so the higher the humidity, the less the virus lives. The same applies to temperature, at high temperatures the influenza virus is not viable and that is why flu epidemics almost never occur in summer. In the air, the influenza virus can live up to 9 hours, a little more on paper, fabric, soft porous surfaces, on metal objects the virus lives even longer - up to a day. Well, on the hands of a person only 15 minutes.

I read such information that viruses can live up to 2!! weeks in house dust, for example. That is why wet cleaning and ventilation is important.

The life of a virus in a normal environment is short-lived. Some species, once on the railing or things, will not be viable after 5 minutes. In the air where

How the flu proceeds, which one is walking now and how long the virus lives

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?

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.

Influenza characteristic

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 the virus.

Flu

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Influenza (fr. grippe) is an acute infectious disease of the respiratory tract caused by the influenza virus. Included in the group of acute respiratory viral infections (ARVI). Periodically spreads in the form of epidemics and pandemics. Currently, more than 2000 variants of the influenza virus have been identified, differing in their antigenic spectrum.

According to WHO estimates, from 250 to 500 thousand people die every year from all variants of the virus during seasonal epidemics in the world (most of them are over 65 years old), in some years the number of deaths can reach a million

Often, the word "flu" in everyday life is also used to refer to any acute respiratory disease (ARVI), which is erroneous, since in addition to influenza, more than 200 types of other respiratory viruses (adenoviruses, rhinoviruses, respiratory syncytial viruses, etc.) have been described to date, causing influenza-like illness in humans

To prevent influenza, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends vaccinating all individuals older than 6 months (especially those at risk), using personal protective equipment, reducing contact with the sick, and using antiviral drugs as prescribed by a doctor.

In many European languages, influenza is called "influenza" (Italian influenza - "impact"), a name that arose in Rome in the middle of the 18th century due to the potential virulence of the infection, as if affecting a healthy population.

Seasonal changes from summer to autumn bring not only colorful leaves, cozy gatherings by the fireplace and a series of holidays, but also such unpleasant symptoms for our body as fever, sneezing, runny nose and cough. Yes

The virus was first isolated in the 1930s. Rooster viruses

Researchers at the Harvard of Public Health say certain foods can cause inflammation of the intestines, leading to colon and rectal cancer. Experts conducted a study involving more than a person. In the course of the work, data from two large-scale experiments were analyzed, during which, for 25 years, the potential impact on people's health of a group of various factors was studied.

The dynamic robot-simulator of the baby was invented by the scientists of Saratov medical university. The model is supposed to be used in the classes of students of medical universities and for the accreditation of physicians.

Currently, the popularity of electric toothbrushes is steadily growing all over the world, many people use them for daily oral care. Especially for those who prefer electric toothbrushes, R.O.C.S. developed a unique toothpaste -R.O.C.S. PRO Electro & Whitening.

According to Minister of Health Veronika Skvortsova, in 2-3 years the quality in the industry will be monitored electronically, based on a unified state information system and electronic document management.

A division of Google has invested 20 million pounds in a project to develop a universal drug for all types of flu. The project belongs to the British company Vaccitech. These funds are supposed to be used for 2-year clinical research new drug, involving more than 2,000 volunteers.

How long does the hepatitis C virus live outside the body at room conditions? like dried blood. Is it possible to get infected if blood got on a punching bag two years ago? The pear was rubbed with alcohol.

Hello again, dear blog readers! To cure diseases of the bronchopulmonary system, in combination with medicinal drugs, natural preparations are often used. Badger fat for cough

Most hepatitis viruses are highly resistant to environmental factors and disinfectants, even the AIDS virus is not so viable. D

How long does the influenza virus live?

Influenza virus is a representative of RNA-containing viruses from the family of orthomyxoviruses, causing acute damage to various parts of the respiratory tract. Transmitted by airborne droplets and contact. 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?

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.

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

Hygienic project of Vyacheslav Yurievich and Ivan Vyacheslavovich Konovalov

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT ACUTE RESPIRATORY DISEASES, THEIR COURSE AND SYMPTOMS

Respiratory - is it related to the respiratory system?

SARS is a stable term meaning infections of the upper respiratory tract. Their group includes (the most common) influenza, parainfluenza, rhinovirus (affects mainly the nasal mucosa), adenovirus (affects mainly lymphoid tissue - the tonsils, as well as the conjunctiva of the eye), respiratory syncytial virus (affects the deeper parts of the respiratory system: bronchi, small bronchi-bronchioles and up to the alveoli).

About the features - how to distinguish ARVI from everything else (so that in the process of self-treatment, if it happens, do no harm).

It is in this way that people get sick in a latent form with all sorts of fairly serious diseases, such as hepatitis A, forming lifelong immunity to them :).

ARVI in Russia is diagnosed almost exclusively clinically (i.e. without laboratory confirmation). In case of complications - yes, they are already doing everything in full. Well, they are also looking for a virus in children, because their disease can be more dangerous (for example, parainfluenza in the form of croup, adenovirus in the form of serious conjunctivitis or a mononucleosis-like syndrome).

How to distinguish a viral infection from a bacterial one?

Laboratory - lymphocytosis, neutropenia (this is when there are too many lymphocytes, and too few neutrophils). Clinically - everything usually starts with a viral attack, bacteria join later with ineffective self-healing. After the fifth day of high (above 38) temperature, antibiotics are already justified. If you shy away from them right away, it’s almost all the same for viruses, but we destroy the useful microflora that helps fight them.

Does it make sense in everyday life to distinguish between types of acute respiratory viral infections (if so, how) or should they be treated the same way?

In general, the same.

Sinusitis? Angina? Does this apply to them too?

They are already considered as complications of SARS, when bacterial agents are layered on the “fertile”, damaged soil. Although, for example, with influenza, a child may well develop catarrhal (not purulent) sinusitis due to reactive edema of the mucous paranasal sinuses. It will go away on its own when recovering, it does not require the appointment of antibiotics with a controlled course of the flu.

And, excuse me, cystitis, also like a cold (viral?) happens.

The decrease in the tone of the proactive immune system leads to the fact that those who have always lived there (for example, chronic chlamydia or the herpes virus) multiply and attack. Plus, immune complexes formed when viruses are “captured” in the blood using special systems are deposited in various organs, causing immune inflammation - up to carditis (inflammation of the heart tissue), or glomerulonephritis (damage to the glomeruli in the kidneys).

What is a "cold under the nose"? Herpes or something.

Herpes labialis (labial). Caused by the herpes simplex virus. We are almost completely infected with them since childhood. It lives in the ganglia of the trigeminal nerve (in the region of the zygomatic bone / temple). When immunity is weakened (hypothermia, stressful situations, SARS), it actively multiplies and crawls out in the form of bubbles on the lip, oral mucosa.

And the flu is also in business here, am I not confused?

Yes sir. In the lists of diseases - “flu and SARS”, they always go hand in hand.

Can I casually say a few words about the new one in the context of differences from previous strains?

To put it succinctly - until the vaccines were made (a matter of time), more vicious in severe cases. But it all depends on the initial reactivity of the body and the presence of chronic diseases in it.

Interested in the features of the course and treatment of SARS in children! How to treat normally, what complications are possible, how to notice and prevent them in time. Something like that.

In children, all complaints and manifestations are more general, the symptoms are more pronounced, quickly onset and acute.

In very small (up to 3 years old) SARS may be accompanied by abdominal pain, moderate diarrhea. This is a functional state due to inflammatory substances, which are excreted in abundance in children, and not an intestinal infection.

In small ones, any edematous processes begin faster due to well-developed vessels in the mucous membrane. That is, nasal congestion, hoarseness, congestion and pain in the ear quickly develop.

Features of treatment - from antipyretics, only paracetamol (panadol, kalpol) and ibuprofen (nurofen) are allowed. It is better to use suppositories, because they are quickly absorbed, quickly have an effect and less irritate the gastric mucosa.

Another of the features is a good effect from the use of physical cooling methods (undress, put under a fan, wipe the skin cold water with vinegar and vodka). The temperatures at which it is necessary to knock it down in children are above 38.5. In adults - 39.5.

If it's about children, explain the connection between teething and snot, please.

When teething, there is inflammation, and in children, reactions capture the adjacent areas: teeth are cut, and inflammation goes to the nose too. And it can also affect the belly - the teeth are part of the digestive system.

It is also interesting how green snot differs from transparent ones.

Transparent - mucus, green - pus. If yellow and green, then bacteria have joined.

Illuminate the nature of bone fracture.

Most of the viruses that cause ARVI (especially the flu) lead to disturbances at the level of microcirculation. This leads to disruption of the blood supply to individual cells throughout the body. Special substances are released - pro-inflammatory cytokines, histamine-like substances, which several times increase the sensitivity of pain receptors in response to exposure. As a result, what used to be ticklish becomes unbearably painful.

Dry and wet cough - how to distinguish?

Dry is that without gurgling and without coughing. Unproductive, in short.

What violations temperature regime can occur with diseases of the ARVI category?

In the tower (in the hypothalamus) there are cold and heat receptors, they regulate heat production and heat release.

With a viral infection, this center is disturbed, the pendulum shifts towards a decrease in the sensitivity of the heat receptor and an increase in the sensitivity of the cold one. The body seeks to equalize the balance by increasing systemic temperature through hormonal regulation, fat breakdown, vascular response, and sweating.

Can a person carry SARS without fever?

Maybe. This happens in two cases - either when the virus could not have a systemic effect and was shot by proactive immunity at the level of the local mucosa (a runny nose and that's it), or when the human immune system has serious changes, so that the virus, being in the body, does not cause any response body reactions. This is a serious condition that requires a comprehensive approach.

Should I get vaccinated or not?

Currently, there are only flu vaccines. The Institute of Influenza monitors the circulation of certain strains every year (the virus mutates every year, and it can mutate a little - with gene drift that occurs every year, or maybe a lot - with a shift that happens about once every 10 years). Thus, the vaccine for the next autumn-winter season is being developed and ready around the beginning of autumn - September. Then it makes sense to vaccinate.

We must remember a few facts - vaccines are formed against the most statistically probable strains of the virus (usually three different strains), the protective level of antibodies is formed no earlier than 1-2 weeks after the completed vaccination course (usually these are two vaccinations with an interval of 1 month ).

To date, the vast majority of influenza vaccines are inactivated (that is, they contain either killed viruses, or generally only pieces of them). This means that a person cannot physically get the flu after using such a vaccine. All cases of the disease in the early post-vaccination period are usually associated with contact of this person with other sick people.

The vaccination itself is not considered to be a greater stress factor for the body than other stress factors (lack of sleep, poor nutrition, emotional and physical overload). Statistically, vaccination does not increase the incidence of other SARS.

They say (heard this), it is necessary, like, once a year to get a good cold and get sick with a temperature and all things. It's like they say it's useful. Healthy?

Immunity can be "acquired" passively - hardening, proper lifestyle, physical education, diet. You can - actively: when a virus hit you and you overcame it.

ARVI diseases differ in that they no longer develop as a result of damage to body tissues by the virus, but as a result of a powerful response of the body in response to the introduction of the virus. Thus, an easily current ARVI is a stimulator of a number of adaptive systems of the body.

For example, children of a period of years sensitive to ARVI should often get sick with them in order to harden the body for really massive clashes with other people (at school). Plus, active growth is rushing in the moments after the temperature drops - due to somatotropic hormone (health knows about it).

Well, when a person reacts poorly to an infectious agent, a chronic and implicit course of the disease develops. This indicates a low resistance, which dictates that a person contact a specialist for further proceedings, with which this is connected.

How to get sick then if you don't get sick at all? 🙂

No way - to arrange prevention: hardening, nutrition, sleep patterns, diets, physical education.

How to increase immunity: what to eat and drink?

Non-specifically, it is possible to influence only, the direct dependence is implicit. I'm not talking about drugs, but about nutrition. Food should be varied enough to have the whole set of vitamins and minerals. Enough protein in composition (hello to losing weight women): antibodies are protein structures.

Why didn’t you fall ill during a harsh trip knee-deep in ice, but at home at the computer it blew from the draft?

In a harsh campaign, the body and psyche are tuned to overcome obstacles, they spend a lot of resources for this. And at home at the computer you are relaxed.

How not to get sick, if guaranteed in a contagious environment (do not offer a gas mask and other muzzles).

The same rimantadine can be taken prophylactically. Not sure if it will help.

Is it possible to somehow check the level of the immune system?

Can. It is possible to make an immunogram on the analysis of a blood from a vein.

What and why is fraught with the transfer of acute respiratory infections "on the legs" 🙂

As I already wrote above, the problem of acute respiratory infections is not in hellishly evil viruses, but in a hellishly evil reaction of the body to their appearance. The body beats by itself due to the restructuring of its work. Activation of adaptation mechanisms is fraught with a complete transition of the body into regeneration mode. At this point, there is a failure both in the immune system (proven by the study of immunograms in those who fell ill and those who recover - serious shifts), and in the autonomic system. nervous system, which in turn strongly controls the blood supply and the functionality of organs.

Physical and mental stress at these moments acts even more finishing on adaptive mechanisms, leaving the body practically naked and unarmed against a host of various microscopic creatures that are always around and just waiting for the body to weaken.

As a result, the addition of a secondary bacterial infection in different systems (sinusitis, otitis media, pneumonia).

Also, the overclocked immune system already produces a large number of immune complexes that are deposited in various organs and tissues. Thus, after the flu, you can earn a complication in the form of severe pyelonephritis, thyroiditis, rheumatoid arthritis, endocarditis or polyradiculoneuritis - choose!

Given that the inflammatory substances released at the time of illness have destructive power, it turns out that the body burns itself.

What kind and in what case do complications occur with "ARVI on the legs"?

The most common with influenza are pneumonia (pneumonia), glomerulonephritis (kidney damage), endocarditis (heart damage), arthritis (joint damage). All this is a consequence of the fact that the body rushed after the owner on business, instead of devoting himself entirely to the struggle.

How not to infect if you get sick, but you have to communicate a lot, for example, negotiations.

No way. You can not do this, it is the cause of epidemics.

Personal protective equipment by the type of masks is effective only within 2-4 hours from the start of their use. Then you have to change.

Are there any “decision points”, like right now I got sick / rested for 4 hours, but the total time of illness will be reduced by 4 days. Those. if an active regimen is required, there is no time to get sick, then when can the most effective effect on the disease be carried out?

No, this is all harmful, it is not recommended to write about it. Like, "eat drugs."

The meaning of the disease is to mobilize the body for this process, that is, our body accepts the conditions of war and goes into energy saving mode, increased formation of various substances, depressing our "normal" rhythm of life. If you keep the rhythm of life, you can lead the disease to a protracted course, complications and depletion of the body.

Apart from useful tips on a subject, I think it would be interesting to debunk some of the so-called. folk recipes that only worsen the course of the disease.

Most of the so-called. folk recipes(drink vodka, take a bath, squat with a barbell, mustard plasters, cut off a toe) appeals to local irritation of the mucous membrane, which improves blood flow to it. In some cases, this accelerates the processes of repair-recovery, and also has a stimulating effect on the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal system, “accelerates” metabolism, raises the temperature, which allows faster destruction of infectious particles, and also stimulates the regenerative forces of the body.

If the body is weakened, then such methods can only be harmful.

Highlight the nature of the need to "drink more" and the effective and ineffective ways to drink it

An increase in temperature as a consequence and a mechanism for combating SARS increases the flow of fluid with respiration and sweating. The vegetative system is also stimulated, increasing the volume and frequency of urination. With a runny nose, large volumes of water are also lost. It is necessary not only to restore this water, but in excess - so that the body “washes out” all the toxic decomposition products of its own cells of the respiratory tract.

How correct and effective from the point of view of medicine is the home method of treatment, with a large amount of liquids driven through the body (hot tea, milk, broths, regular sweating)?

Alcohol and SARS - how to combine useful and pleasant?

No way, alcohol increases intoxication and disrupts blood supply by reducing pressure.

What is the position of medicine regarding the mixture of vodka + pepper + honey in such cases.

Negative. Better tea.

Like vodka with pepper. It worked for me, it didn't always work for others. Suffering - why?

The local irritating effect depends on how tired the body is, how ready it is to “break” itself. The point is to mobilize defense systems at the level of local mucous membranes. If the virus is serious and has already multiplied, such procedures, in addition to increasing intoxication, will not help much, plus, they can tear the mucous membrane due to a chemical burn.

Is it true that vaunted all sorts of miracle remedies such as coldrex / teraflu, etc., if they are useful, then only when they are used at the first suspicion of a cold, and if you have already caught a cold properly, then there will be no sense in “treating” them ?

Let's not talk about the "vaunted miracle cures", there are a lot of them and they are different.

At the first suspicion of a cold, antiviral drugs are effective - such as rimantadine, Tamiflu, as well as immunostimulants such as interferon, t-activin, ribovirin, etc. But this is all only on prescription, although it is sold - alas - freely.

The fact is that most of the viruses that cause SARS live in the body for only an hour, all other reactions are the response of a raging organism to this brief visit. Therefore, ARVI monotherapy is ineffective, a comprehensive fight is needed - both with the virus (if it has time), and with symptoms, to prevent complications.

Yes, it is very interesting to hear anything about medicines: what is the difference, what is the active ingredient inside, what is better, etc.

Now there are so many different complex preparations that I will go on horseback.

Of the antiviral drugs, there are two main drugs: rimantadine and oseltamivir (Tamiflu). They are drunk only if they started drinking from the first day of the disease. Moreover, Tamiflu is active exclusively against the influenza virus, and rimantadine seems to help with other SARS. They should not be given to children under 14 years of age - they are difficult for the liver.

Antipyretics - paracetamol and ibuprofen.

Antihistamines - fenistil, zirtek, erius, claritin, suprastin.

Local antiseptics for rinsing - soda-salt solution (per liter of water, a tablespoon of salt, a tablespoon of soda), extract or decoction of sage.

In the nose - vasoconstrictor (not longer than 3-4 days in a row!) such as Nazivin, Naphthyzinum.

With a wet cough - ACC, Ambroxol (Ambrobene).

Drink plenty of acidified water (cranberry juice).

From the point of view of filling and action, are Theraflu and Fervexa suitable?

In teraflu, paracetamol (antipyretic), pseudoephedrine (reduces autonomic manifestations, reduces swelling of the mucous membranes) and chlorphenamine (an antihistamine, reduces sensitivity and soreness, reduces swelling of the mucous membranes).

Fervex - paracetamol, pheniramine (antihistamine), ascorbic acid (antioxidant).

In general, they are quite digestible preparations.

Alcohol, when using the same Ferveks, they say it’s impossible (like it hits the liver hard). How true is this?

The use of all kinds of Nazivins, naphthyzines, etc. for a cold.

Instead, a salt solution is better. Naphthyzines and Nazivins - no longer than 3-4 days, then categorically cancel.

About all sorts of drops / sprays for the common cold: on the basis of what they happen, what mechanisms of action, what side effects.

Two main groups: vasoconstrictor (naphthyzinum, nazivin) - are extremely effective in single applications.

They narrow the vessels, which limit the leakage of fluid through the vessels into the submucosa, reducing swelling. They are addictive.

The second is saline solutions (aqua-maris). They draw water from the mucosa onto themselves, removing it by blowing it out. Have no side effects.

How often can they be used

The first - no longer than 3 days, the second - as long as the swelling of the nose persists.

Washing with saline (half a teaspoon per 250 ml), instillation of vegetable oil.

Vasoconstrictor (Nazivin) - no longer than 3-4 days, cancel as early as possible, leads to mucosal atrophy.

How, when and how to bring down the temperature.

Wiping with cold water with vinegar and vodka (a third of water, a third of vodka, a third of vinegar).

Paracetamol (15-20 mg/kg).

Ibuprofen (10-15 mg/kg).

Rinse with soda, bioparox, sage decoction.

With dry and unbearable - codelak (better not). Became wet - ACC, fluifort, ambroxol.

About cough - how to deal with bouts of dry cough, how to prevent them.

There are drugs that block the cough reflex in the respiratory center, containing codeine, such as codelac. The use of antihistamines, such as suprastin, can also help - they reduce the sensitivity of receptors.

How much better / worse is it to use Theraflu, etc. instead of Naphthyzinum? drugs?

These are different drugs.

Are there more or less safe "drugs against snot" outside of Theraflu etc.? If so, should they be used?

Salt solutions - aqua-maris.

And what is the fundamental difference between Aquamaris, saline and just water with salt? Well, other than the price?

Is it correct to use teraflu, etc., in such a situation? in order to free the nose?

Rinse your throat and nose with a soda-salt solution.

By the way, I wanted to for a long time, but I was embarrassed to ask - how to rinse your nose?

You can do it in a yogic way - you pour salt water into a small teapot, tilt your head over the sink, turn it to the side, pour it into the “upper” nostril from the teapot, breathe through your mouth, do not draw water into yourself, it should pour down from the other nostril.

Then you blow your nose, then your legs together at attention, tilt down and exhale sharply with your nose 30 times, then pinch one nostril with your finger, another 30 times, then the other, another 30 times.

Repeat until the sensation of water in the nose disappears. The nose must be dry.

It can be simpler, less effective - you soak a turunda made of cotton wool or gauze in salt water and stuff it into your nose, for three to five minutes. Then you pull it out.

If the child is small, it is dangerous to wash his nose with water - it can rise to the auditory tube, flood it or transfer an infectious agent (virus) into it, which will lead to the development of otitis media (catarrhal, which can be complicated by purulent).

Children should rinse their nose very carefully, instilling a saline solution (aqua maris, aqualor or just physiological NaCl salt solution) 2-4 drops into each nasal passage, followed by blowing. A small child does not know how to blow his nose, so he will swallow mucus and physical. solution. There is nothing wrong with this, viruses are inactivated by hydrochloric acid of gastric juice.

1) Washing the nasal passages (see above - saline solutions)

2) The use of vasoconstrictor drugs (used for swelling of the nasal mucosa to ensure a normal outflow of mucus from the nasal passages and paranasal sinuses, which prevents the development of their inflammation - sinusitis, frontal sinusitis, ethmoiditis and their combinations). In this case, it is important to observe the age dosage: for newborns, the concentration of the active substance is not more than 0.01%, for young children 0.025%, older - 0.05%. At the rate of about 2-3 drops in each nasal passage 3 times a day. An overdose is dangerous in children, as it can cause cardiovascular disorders (pressure drop, decrease in blood pressure). heart rate, decrease in body temperature).

These drugs are not recommended for longer than 3-5 days, because they cease to act effectively. With their further use, drug-dependent rhinitis (runny nose) may even develop due to atrophy of the nasal mucosa.

3) The use of antiseptic drugs (many of them are no longer effective in their antiviral action, but can be used as physical method cleaning - for example, protargol 2%. There are effective drugs - for example, octenisept (requires dilution for use in the nose about 1 to 8 s clean water). They are used strictly after cleaning the nose with saline solutions and after the start of the action of the vasoconstrictor drug. The point is that the antiseptic reaches the deep sections of the airways.

How to effectively overcome a freshly caught ARVI, when, for example, you have returned from work and you feel that you are ill.

Hot tea with honey and raspberries, measure the temperature, and sleep under the covers.

About children will be, well. About pregnant women, it would be like “but you can’t eat it during pregnancy, but you can definitely see a doctor” - well, I don’t know how it’s customary there

During pregnancy, you should immediately consult a doctor, I really do not recommend self-medication, because there are only one or two drugs for the treatment of pregnant women.

When it's time to go to the ENT - how many diseases for the period. Or any symptoms.

To the ENT - with angina with overlays, with a pronounced increase in lymph nodes, with nosebleeds, with pain in the ear, with pain in the forehead and upper jaw when bending (and without bending).

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Questions and answers about SARS: 37 comments

Very helpful and good advice.

Hello! Thanks for the tips, I found them very helpful.

How do you feel about Arbidol? Personally, it helps me: ARVI flows easily and naturally. The only embarrassing thing is that any residual effects persist for a long time (dry cough, wheezing in the throat, coughing). How to finally defeat the disease?

As with other biostimulants - with caution.

I'm sorry, but I don't understand what "carefully" means. to drink or not to drink? Maybe he (arbidol) cripples the immune system or something else. The instructions for the drug do not indicate anything other than possible allergic reactions.

Is human interferon also a biostimulant?

These are the most obvious, studied effects of immunostimulants.

Is it possible to get ARVI again immediately after recovery, for example, after wiping yourself with a towel that you used when you were sick? or how long will the body “not be able” to get sick with this virus? and in general, how often do you need to change things (dishes, towels) during an illness, or is it a damn thing for a sick person?

You can get sick again, but rather not from underwear, but from relatives living with you - virus carriers. Of course, this does not exclude the need for strict personal hygiene. And about the period of recovery of the body from the disease - it all depends on the strength of the individual immunological reaction and the type of metabolism.

Thanks for such a complete article.

Now all relatives and friends will be properly treated.

Thanks for such a complete article. As times your advice in deal went.

So far, the best thing I've read on the topic on the net!) Thank you.

Hello! Thank you very much for the article! I have been sitting at home for three days with SARS. I have tried all the folk methods of treatment. Nothing helps. There is a whole set of sores: runny nose, throat, ligaments, wild headache, pain in the heart area. I haven’t taken traditional medicines for more than three years. Homeopathic medicines have no effect, unfortunately. Cough and a lot of mucus, the nose doesn’t breathe, in general, at least lie down and die. !

Tell me, is fasting curative?

Is. Therefore, it has strict medical indications, must be prescribed by a specialist doctor and requires medical supervision for the entire period.

And if there are any principles for self-treatment of these diseases?

Principles of nutrition and fasting.

My child and I got SARS. The acute stage has passed, I am being treated on the 7th day (I drink Amixin and Ascoril), the child is on the 5th day (drinks Arbidol and Ambrobene). Dad got sick. We are afraid of a worsening condition and re-infection (weak immunity, both are allergic). Should we isolate dad from us or not? And what measures can we take in this situation?

The main measure is contact with your attending physician, who made appointments and has an objective idea about your family, the state of health of its members and the characteristics of the current disease. Only he, and only in person, has the right to answer your questions. Get well.

Thanks a lot for the article! Like a breath of fresh air among a host of publications in which both oscilococcinum and anaferon are sure to shine, and the devil knows what homeopathy is the scourge of our wild society. And here - everything is reasonable, clear, clear. Thanks again! You are doing important work.

Thank you. While I'm looking for information. Everything is available as possible and a professional approach is felt. Questions later))

now the questions have matured: can you advise something for asthmatics who have ARVI and, therefore, have received an exacerbation of the disease (constant wheezing, coughing, suffocation) ((((

Marina, the most important thing you need to do in this case is to contact a pulmonologist-allergist, with whom you should be registered for your underlying disease (bronchial asthma). The fact is that your individual treatment regimen will also depend on the availability and volume of “basic” therapy (that is, those drugs and procedures that you must use outside of attacks).

I can only say that two basic principles of treatment must be observed in this case: 1) ensure the patency of the bronchi (expand them, remove their inflammation, actively remove sputum) and resolve the issue of prescribing antibacterial drugs (since the line between ARVI and activation of one's own internal bacterial microflora in such cases is very, very thin).

Also, personally, I would advise you to think about vaccination against pneumococcal infection (for example, Pneumo-23 or Prevenar) and annual mandatory influenza vaccination, which would reduce the frequency of such exacerbations.

Thanks, very detailed and clear!

Thanks, interesting and helpful!

There is an important question for me. My son (8 years old), after ARVI, developed severe thinness, close to exhaustion. Appetite is good, but weight gain is not observed. How can you help him?

Natalya, it is necessary to understand individually: after SARS does not always mean that due to SARS. Was it SARS, or under this masked the debut of any systemic disease. Associated health problems, if any. You should consult with your pediatrician.

Thanks for the accessible article! Right now I’m lying at home with some kind of infection: my nose is running, my whole body is aching, my head is breaking, the vidon, to put it mildly, is not very ... 🙂 Today is the 2nd day (yesterday it was easier), the temperature does not rise above 36.5. I think the body gave up without a fight 🙁 What do you recommend? I myself drink kagocel, eleutherococcus, vitamins, absorbable tablets with echinacea, pinosol in the nose + drink plenty of water. I am very confused by the lack of response of the body in the form of temperature. To say that the body managed to kill the virus before its reproduction is not true, the symptoms are on the face + the state of complete weakness. Can you advise something about this. I read about your blood test immunogram, when is the best time to do it? Thank you very much!

It's me again 🙂 just in case I took the temperature, now it's 37.4 (and last night it was no more than 36.5). Apparently, after all, some work is being done to destroy the reptiles :)) My questions remain valid: about the immunogram and the correctness of the treatment I prescribed for myself. When would you advise me to go to work, so that later without a second take? I took a day off, but it seems that this is not enough ...

Thanks again!

Tatyana, I see no reason to prescribe so many immunomodulatory drugs, provided that you are sick with a common ARVI. However, through the Internet, according to your description of the picture of the disease, it is at least unprofessional to give advice on managing a patient. Contact your local therapist, by law you can be provided sick leave for 3+ days.

Hello. I've wanted to ask for a long time. Why do some drugs cost some crazy money, tens and even hundreds of thousands of rubles. Whence such prices for medicines which are let out serially? Are expensive components used there or is each bottle made by a team of pharmacists manually synthesized? Who sets these prices? Is it possible to reduce these prices to the cost of conventional mass drugs? Are you aware of such cases in practice?

The answer is, of course, more complex. But if in a nutshell - the cost - the subject of the pharmaceutical business. And everything, the policy that he determines.

It is very difficult to carry the disease “on the legs” and, as it is true, it is indicated in the article, it is fraught with consequences, but still sometimes it is not possible to lie down in bed. I work on shifts and it’s problematic here with time off, I was cured with amixin for the last time, in about two days. I am very glad that some medicines help so quickly.

Thank you very useful article

Thank you for the article. Please tell me, if an adult is sick 8-10 times a year with various acute respiratory viral infections, what can you advise. Could this be due to the fact that as a child he had many infectious diseases?

Hello. Frequent incidence of SARS in adults may be a symptom of more serious health problems. For example, acquired immunodeficiency states, including those due to damage to the immune system by chronic recurrent infections - mycoplasma, herpetic, etc. Observation by an immunologist is necessary. In childhood, frequent SARS are the norm, since an intact child essentially teaches the immune system all the various forms of respiratory viral infections, the number of which exceeds 100. If the state of the child’s immune system is adequate, then short-term SARS without complications, even if there are 6-10 of them per season, are not indicative of immunosuppression.

Hello, what should I do when I was in the hospital in the ENT department (with a sore throat), then with a heart (with suspicion of endocarditis), then finally the tonsils were removed (they assured that everything was fine with the throat, it would pass), 3 months had passed after the operation, and health has not improved (temperature 37-37.5 gr. weakness, lamota of the muscles of the joints)? Where to look for a specialist (specialists) who will treat (and not pretend to treat)? Can you advise...

Vladimir, it is necessary to be re-examined by a therapist to exclude autoimmune pathology, which often occurs after an untreated streptococcal infection.

It is necessary to check the heart, blood vessels, kidneys, joints.