What is the incubation period for viral pneumonia? This is the main question of this article, to which you will find the answer here. In general, this is one of the most dangerous diseases for those who have significantly reduced immunity.
What is this disease? The main signs of viral pneumonia in adults
The disease is characterized by an acute inflammatory process. This is what affects the lower respiratory tract. The main causative agent of pneumonia are viruses.
How is viral pneumonia transmitted? By airborne droplets. Thus, it can be easily infected.
Pneumonia is caused by herpes viruses of the 1st and 3rd groups, parainfluenza, respiratory syncytial, B and A, adenoviruses.
The disease develops within a few days after infection.
In addition, viruses of such ailments as chickenpox, measles can provoke the disease.
After 6 days, pneumonia combines with a bacterial infection. This suggests that the disease is becoming more complicated. The disease becomes viral-bacterial.
The signs of the considered viral pneumonia and the common cold at the beginning of the disease are very similar. Therefore, sometimes they are confused.
The main symptoms of the disease include:
- severe headaches;
- increase in body temperature;
- shortness of breath and shortness of breath;
- dry cough and chills;
- copious discharge from the nose - runny nose;
- chest pains;
- severe weakness of the whole organism;
- body aches;
- Red eyes;
- wheezing, which is clearly audible when listening to a specialist;
- signs of poisoning, such as vomiting and nausea;
- blue limbs due to frequent and severe coughing.
During an ailment, a person cannot fully perform any work. His body is completely weakened.
Symptoms of viral pneumonia can occur collectively or in turn. Each subsequent period of the disease goes differently. This factor is influenced by individual manifestations of the virus.
Every day, viral pneumonia is becoming more complicated. If you do not treat the ailment and think that this is just a common cold, then subsequently pus may appear in the sputum. This suggests that a bacterial infection has also begun to develop.
Pneumonia: incubation period, what is it?
The duration of this moment depends on factors such as the patient’s age, human health, individual characteristics of the body and the type of virus that caused this ailment.
Typically, in viral pneumonia, the incubation period in adults is about three days. It also happens that the symptoms of the disease appear much later. In pneumonia, the incubation period passes without any signs. Sometimes a slight increase in body temperature may be observed in the patient.
Sometimes some people ask questions like: “Is pneumonia contagious or not? Is the incubation period dangerous for other people? ” If the first question was already answered at the beginning of the article, then the second can be answered in the same way. If a patient with viral pneumonia, whose incubation period has not yet ended, sneezes or coughs in the direction of another person, then he will infect him. Together with the sputum and saliva of the patient, a huge amount of bacteria is released. At that moment, when a person nearby breathes them in, he will also get sick.
How is viral pneumonia transmitted yet? You can get infected not only by airborne droplets, but also household. In the case when the virus gets on any objects, it will live in an active form and be dangerous for several hours. Therefore, if a person touches such dishes, and then rubs his eyes, then he will become infected with this ailment.
Thus, in pneumonia, the incubation period represents the length of time in which the person does not suspect that he is sick. In this case, he can transmit this virus to the people around him. Therefore, you must follow the rules of hygiene, namely, for example, when sneezing, cover your nose and mouth with your hand.
What is SARS?
This name applies to a combination of infectious and inflammatory lesions of the lung tissue. In this situation, pathogens are chlamydia, mycoplasmas, legionella and viruses. Based on which microorganism is the source of the disease, they talk about this type of pneumonia. Thus, 4 types of this disease are distinguished. In atypical pneumonia of the viral type, the pathogen is referred to as coronovirus.
A specialist can confirm the diagnosis only after a series of laboratory tests. Basically, antibiotics are prescribed for treatment.
In SARS, the incubation period is 3 to 10 days. At the beginning, the disease develops like a common cold.
How is the disease diagnosed?
Only a doctor can accurately determine viral pneumonia and prescribe the correct treatment. He studies the epidemiological situation and history. Next, it will be necessary to pass a general blood test and undergo an x-ray examination.
Most often, outbreaks of viral pneumonia occur in winter. At this time, a large number of people also suffer from SARS. The disease considered in the article is characterized by varying degrees and forms of respiratory failure.
In the presence of pneumonia in the X-ray image, small focal shadows and increased interstitial pattern can be seen in the lower lobe of the lungs . In addition, the specialist studies bronchial lavage and sputum.
The doctor studies all the tests and excludes other diseases that have similar symptoms. After that, it denotes the type of virus that caused this ailment.
What are the features of pneumonia without fever?
This type of disease is much more dangerous and can lead to bad consequences. Here, a person does not know that he has contracted viral pneumonia, since there is no increase in body temperature.
The patient has a slight malaise. Usually, nobody does anything with this, which leads to an aggravation of the situation.
Pneumonia without temperature appears due to weakened immunity, taking a large number of antibiotics, frequent use of cough tablets and the presence of a constant focus of infection in the lymph nodes.
The main signs of this type of ailment are weakness and lethargy, whistling breathing, pallor of the skin, severe fatigue and excessive sweating, muscle pain.
Duration of treatment for the disease
The patient’s recovery depends on factors such as the severity of pneumonia, the body’s response to antibiotics, and the type of pathogen.
Basically, the disease is treated from 7 to 21 days.
Whether a patient needs to go to hospital is determined by the doctor. If the patient has a mild or moderate condition, then treatment can be carried out at home.
A prerequisite for this is a mandatory and constant visit to the patient. In severe viral pneumonia, the patient should be treated in a hospital.
As a rule, with an ailment, antibiotics and corticosteroid drugs, cough tablets and antipyretics are prescribed. Also, the patient should drink more water.
Medicines are prescribed by a doctor. It all depends on the degree and severity of the disease. In this case, you can not self-medicate. All recommendations of a specialist must be observed.
How is antibiotic treatment?
When viral pneumonia combines with a bacterial infection, in this case, the doctor prescribes these medications. The antibiotic is selected depending on the age and severity of the patient's condition. Medications are administered intramuscularly, orally or intravenously.
Mostly fluoroquinolone antibiotics are used for treatment.
Folk remedies for viral pneumonia
The main method of treatment is, of course, the use of medications prescribed by a specialist. But folk remedies can also be used.
Herbs have anti-inflammatory, anti-allergenic and vasodilating effects. They help fight the virus.
So, coltsfoot helps well. To do this, you need 2 tablespoons of leaves. They are poured with a glass of boiling water and allowed to infuse for 30 minutes. A decoction must be taken three times a day for a quarter cup.
Also use infusion of agave. The crushed leaves are transferred to a glass dish. A few tablespoons of honey and a cup of red wine are also added here. Received insist 7 days. Then take one tablespoon before a meal.
With viral pneumonia, decoctions from herbs such as medicinal marshmallow, medunica and elecampane should be used.
The consequences and complications of the disease
Viral pneumonia is considered one of the dangerous diseases. With untimely treatment, there can be sad consequences, including death.
Other complications of the disease include meningitis, sepsis, inflammation of the heart muscle, abscess and pulmonary edema, bronchial obstruction syndrome, toxic toxic shock.
What will be the consequences of viral pneumonia depends on the patient's condition and the severity of the disease. In order to avoid the listed complications, at the first signs it is necessary to consult a specialist and receive proper treatment.
Disease prevention
In order to minimize the risk of contracting viral pneumonia, a few simple rules should be followed.
It is necessary to regularly vaccinate against this ailment. In the diet of any person should be only healthy food, which contains a large number of trace elements and vitamins. You should also timely and fully relax, regularly take walks in the fresh air.
When visiting crowded places, it is necessary to use antiviral ointments, to avoid crowds during periods of epidemic.
To strengthen immunity, vitamins should be taken, as well as regular exercise.
Thus, if you follow a few simple tips, the risk of getting sick will be very small. But if, nevertheless, the first signs of the disease appear, in order to avoid complications, you must definitely consult a specialist.