Virus symptoms
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Understanding Virus Symptoms: A Comprehensive Overview
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Symptoms
Common Symptoms in Children and High-Risk Adults
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a significant cause of lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs), particularly affecting young children, older adults, and immunocompromised individuals. In children under five, the most frequently reported symptoms include nasal discharge or congestion, cough, shortness of breath, feeding abnormalities, and fever, with hospital stays ranging from 2 to 7.5 days depending on the region1. In high-risk adults, common symptoms include cough, sputum production, dyspnea, and fever, with hospital stays ranging from 6 to 15 days1.
Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) Symptoms
Early and Late-Stage Symptoms
During the 2013-2016 West African Ebola outbreak, identifying symptoms early was crucial for effective isolation and treatment. Early non-specific symptoms included diarrhea, fatigue, vomiting, fever, muscle pain, and cough. Late-stage symptoms that were more predictive of EVD included confusion, conjunctivitis, dysphagia, and jaundice2. These findings highlight the importance of symptom recognition for timely diagnosis and treatment.
Long COVID Symptoms
Persistent Symptoms Post-Acute Infection
Long COVID, or post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC), is characterized by symptoms persisting at least four weeks after the initial SARS-CoV-2 infection. Common symptoms include fatigue, dyspnea, olfactory dysfunction, myalgia, cough, and gustatory dysfunction. These symptoms can last for months and significantly impact quality of life3 9. The variability in symptoms and their persistence underscores the need for ongoing research and tailored patient care.
Common Cold and Influenza Symptoms
Mechanisms and Symptomatology
The common cold and influenza are diagnosed based on symptomatology, including fever, anorexia, malaise, chilliness, headache, muscle aches, sore throat, rhinorrhea, sneezing, nasal congestion, cough, watery eyes, and sinus pain. These symptoms are primarily driven by the body's immune response to the viral infection4 10. Understanding these mechanisms can help in developing better symptomatic treatments.
Gastrointestinal Symptoms in COVID-19
Prevalence and Virus Shedding
COVID-19 is not only a respiratory illness but also presents gastrointestinal symptoms such as anorexia, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. In a Hong Kong cohort, 25.4% of patients exhibited gastrointestinal symptoms, and 48.1% had detectable viral RNA in stool samples, even after respiratory samples tested negative5. This highlights the need for caution in handling fecal samples to prevent transmission.
Symptom Severity in COVID-19
Association with Disease Severity
In COVID-19 patients, fever, cough, fatigue, dyspnea, and myalgia are common symptoms. Dyspnea, in particular, has been associated with severe disease outcomes, indicating that patients with respiratory symptoms should seek medical attention promptly6. This association helps in risk stratification and management of COVID-19 patients.
Smell Dysfunction in COVID-19
A Potential Biomarker
Loss of smell and taste has been frequently reported in COVID-19 patients and is recognized by the World Health Organization as a symptom of the disease. This symptom can serve as a potential biomarker for early diagnosis and isolation of infected individuals7.
Conclusion
Understanding the symptoms associated with various viral infections is crucial for timely diagnosis, treatment, and management. From RSV and Ebola to COVID-19, recognizing the common and predictive symptoms can aid in better patient outcomes and control of disease spread. Continued research and synthesis of symptom data are essential for improving clinical practices and public health responses.
Sources and full results
Most relevant research papers on this topic
Systematic literature review of the signs and symptoms of respiratory syncytial virus
RSV symptoms in young children and high-risk adults can last for weeks and vary based on geography, with common symptoms being lower respiratory tract infections.
Systematic ReviewMeta-analysis of predictive symptoms for Ebola virus disease
Confusion, conjunctivitis, dysphagia, and jaundice are highly predictive of Ebola diagnosis, while early symptoms like diarrhoea, fatigue, vomiting, fever, muscle pain, and cough are also useful for future risk stratification.
Meta-Analysis
Rigorous JournalSymptoms and signs of long COVID: A rapid review and meta-analysis
Long COVID symptoms include fatigue, dyspnea, olfactory dysfunction, myalgia, cough, and gustatory dysfunction, with high heterogeneity in meta-analysis affecting pooled incidence estimates.
Meta-AnalysisRigorous JournalUnderstanding the symptoms of the common cold and influenza
New knowledge of cytokines helps explain some previously folkloric symptoms of colds and flu, improving our understanding of their mechanisms.
Highly CitedGastrointestinal Manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Virus Load in Fecal Samples From a Hong Kong Cohort: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
17.6% of COVID-19 patients in Hong Kong had gastrointestinal symptoms, and 48.1% had virus RNA detected in their stool samples, highlighting the need for caution in fecal sample collection and endoscopic procedures.
Meta-AnalysisHighly CitedAssociation Between Symptoms and Severity of Disease in Hospitalised Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Dyspnea is associated with the severity of COVID-19, and people with existing respiratory illnesses should seek medical attention if they experience this symptom.
Meta-AnalysisRigorous JournalSmell dysfunction: a biomarker for COVID‐19
Smell dysfunction may serve as a biomarker for COVID-19, as it has been associated with patient-reported symptoms but no empirical olfactory testing has been performed.
Highly CitedDistinguishing Viruses Responsible for Influenza-Like Illness.
Distinguishing influenza-like illness viruses is crucial for future diagnostics, mitigation, modeling, and pandemic preparation.
Systematic ReviewLong COVID or Post-acute Sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC): An Overview of Biological Factors That May Contribute to Persistent Symptoms
Long COVID or Post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) symptoms may be driven by various biological factors, requiring individualized therapeutic approaches to effectively manage care for specific patients.
Literature ReviewHighly CitedThe pathogenesis of influenza virus infections: the contributions of virus and host factors.
Influenza virus infections are primarily caused by both virus and host factors, with host factors playing a crucial role in the development of severe symptoms and the spread of the virus.
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