Common viruses in humans list

The body fights viruses by breaking down the viral genetic material via RNA interference. The immune system then produces antibodies that bind to viruses to make them noninfectious. Lastly, T cells are sent to destroy the virus. Antiviral drugs can treat viruses by inhibiting viral development and slowing down disease progression. These drugs help fight the flue, chickenpox and forms of hepatitis. Vaccines create a herd immunity that helps prevent an outbreak. There are five different types of viruses: Conjugate vaccines, inactivated vaccines, live, attenuated vaccines, subunit vaccines and toxoid vaccines.

There are several ways people can slow the spread of a virus in lieu of drugs or vaccination. These include thorough and frequent hand washing, eating a fruit and vegetable-rich diet, using an alcohol-based sanitizer and getting enough sleep each night. Around the world, nurses contribute to the prevention, management and containment of viral outbreaks by caring for infected patients and educating the public on prevention strategies.

Advanced practice nurses also fill a leadership role that involves working with government leaders and advocating for health care equality. Across a variety of roles and specializations, nursing professionals fight viruses in numerous ways.

Some of their methods are direct, such as preventing surgical infections. Others are legislative in nature, such as advocating for care equality by questioning imbalanced care delivery systems.

Some of the viruses on this list are preventable through vaccination. This virus is transmitted when body fluids, like blood and semen, from an infected person enter the body of another person.

For example, infected mothers can pass the virus to their newborns during birth, an infected person can pass it to their sexual partner and an infected drug addict can pass the virus by sharing needles with another person.

The hepatitis B virus causes acute viral hepatitis liver infection , which starts with general ill health, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, body aches, mild fever and dark urine, then progresses to the development of jaundice.

Complications include fulminant hepatic or liver failure, chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma liver cancer. There are eight types of herpes viruses, out of over , that routinely affect humans: herpes simplex virus type 1 HSV-1 and 2 HSV-2 , varicella-zoster virus, cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, and human herpesvirus 6,7 and 8. HSV-1 is a highly contagious and common infection throughout the world, passing through contact with the saliva, cold sores or mouth surface of an infected person.

This virus commonly causes oral herpes, of which one symptom is cold sores or ulcers in or around the mouth. It can also cause genital herpes when an infected person performs oral sex on another person, with one symptom being cold sores or ulcers on the genitals. Although it is also a lifelong infection, many infected people experience either mild or no symptoms. Antiviral drugs can suppress the virus and reduce the severity and length of the symptoms, but cannot remove the virus from your body.

HIV is transmitted by sexual contact, blood transfusion, contaminated needles and during delivery of a newborn. Practising safe sex, screening for the virus during blood donation and avoiding needle-sharing among drug addicts are among the ways to prevent HIV infection. In some, the infection persists and results in warts or pre-cancerous lesions that can lead to cancer of the cervix, vulva, vagina, mouth or throat.

There is no treatment for an HPV infection, but there are vaccines to prevent infections by the most common types of this virus. This virus is transmitted through contact with droplets from an infected person when they cough or sneeze. It causes mumps. Symptoms include swollen and tender salivary or parotid glands, difficulty chewing, fever, headache, muscle aches and loss of appetite. This virus usually causes infections in animals, but one type, parvovirus B19, only infects humans.

Parvovirus B19 is highly infectious and spreads through contact with droplets from an infected person when they cough or sneeze.

This virus is transmitted via the faecal-oral route, meaning that the virus enters the body through the ingestion of infected faecal matter. Initial symptoms of polio include fever, fatigue, headache, vomiting, stiffness in the neck and pain in the limbs. Supportive treatments such as bed rest, pain control, good nutrition and physical therapy to prevent deformities from occurring over time, can help reduce the long-term symptoms due to muscle loss. This virus usually infects domestic and wild animals, and is spread to humans through saliva when an infected animal bites them.

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These viruses can also be spread through contaminated objects, such as doorknobs, tabletops, and personal items. If you touch one of these objects and then touch your nose or eyes, you could develop a disease.

Respiratory viral diseases usually heal on their own. But over-the-counter OTC medications, including nasal decongestants, cough suppressants, and pain relievers, can help to reduce symptoms.

In addition, Tamiflu, an antiviral drug, is sometimes prescribed if someone is in the very early stages of developing the flu. The best way to avoid respiratory viral diseases is to practice good personal hygiene.

Wash your hands often, cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze, and limit your interactions with people who show symptoms of a respiratory condition. Gastrointestinal viral diseases affect your digestive tract. The viruses that cause them are contagious and usually lead to a condition called gastroenteritis , also called the stomach flu. Gastrointestinal viruses are shed in the stool during bowel movements. You can also get the virus from sharing utensils or personal objects with someone who has a virus.

In many cases, they resolve on their own within a day or two. In the meantime, drink plenty of fluids to replace those lost from diarrhea or vomiting.

You can prevent gastrointestinal viral diseases by washing your hands often, especially after using the bathroom. Wiping down contaminated surfaces and not sharing personal items or eating utensils can also help. Many exanthematous viruses are spread through respiratory droplets from the cough or sneeze of someone with the virus. Other exanthematous viral diseases, such as chickenpox and smallpox, can be transmitted by coming into contact with fluid in broken skin lesions.

Chikungunya virus is spread through a mosquito bite and cannot be transmitted from person to person. Treating exanthematous viral diseases focuses on managing symptoms. Fever-reducing medications, such as acetaminophen, can help with some of the more bothersome symptoms. Measles, rubella, chickenpox, shingles, and smallpox can all be prevented through vaccination.

You can reduce your risk of a chikungunya virus infection by protecting yourself from mosquito bites. Learn more about viral rashes. The hepatic viral diseases cause inflammation of the liver, known as viral hepatitis. The most common types of viral hepatitis are hepatitis A, B, and C. It is worth noting that diseases caused by other viruses, such as cytomegalovirus and the yellow fever virus, can also affect the liver.