Colds are a disease that occurs all year round, and they are particularly easy to spread during flu season. If you have a cold, you should try to avoid contact with others and take medicine in time. Treat colds. Colds are divided into viral colds and bacterial colds. Viral colds have a certain transmission time. Do you know how long it takes?
1. The cycle of influenza transmission
1. How long is the infectious period of influenza and colds?
The course of acute infectious diseases is generally divided into the following stages:
1 The incubation period
refers to the time from the virus invading the human body to the onset of clinical symptoms period until. Taking influenza virus as an example, most incubation periods are 2-4 days, the shortest may be less than 1 day, and the longest may be up to 7 days. At this stage, the virus mainly colonizes the body, gaining a foothold and waiting for the opportunity to attack.
2 Prodromal phase
The period from the onset to the obvious onset of symptoms. During this period, the virus begins to replicate itself in large quantities, preparing to organize an "attack" on the human body. Symptoms in the prodromal phase are generally very mild and non-specific, and mostly last 1-3 days. Those with acute onset may not have a prodromal period.
3. Obvious Symptoms
During this period, the replication of the virus has reached its peak, all symptoms and signs are most obvious, and the body's own immune system has just begun to recognize the "enemy." ”, it has not yet had time to organize an effective “counterattack force”, or it has just begun to launch a “self-defense counterattack.”
4 Recovery Period
The body's immunity has increased to a certain extent, the "self-defense counterattack" has won most of the victory, the pathological and physiological processes in the body are basically suspended, and the symptoms and signs basically disappear. At this time, the virus may not be completely eliminated from the body, and the infectivity will continue for a period of time, but the appetite and physical strength will gradually recover, and the antibodies in the serum will gradually rise to the highest level.
5 Relapse and relapse
After entering the recovery period, sometimes the virus latent in the body reproduces again, causing symptoms to reappear, which is called relapse. During the recovery period, when the patient's body temperature has dropped to normal, he or she becomes febrile again, which is a relapse.
Theoretically speaking, patients in the above five periods all carry viruses in their bodies and are all contagious to a certain extent, especially the transition from the prodromal stage to the obvious symptom stage and the entire symptomatic period are infectious. For the strongest.
Most common colds and flu without complications can be cured in about 5-7 days, and those that take a little longer are generally no more than 10 days. In the middle of the course of the disease, that is, days 3-4, symptoms are usually the most obvious. Therefore, the duration of the influenza virus in the respiratory tract is basically synchronized with the course of the disease, mostly lasting 3-6 days. Infants and people with compromised immune function may last longer, more than a week. The duration of human infection with some special types of influenza viruses, such as H5N1 and H7N9, can last up to 1 to 3 weeks. There are many types of common cold viruses and cannot be generalized, but the approximate course of the disease is similar.
2. If you have a cold, under what circumstances do you need to be quarantined?
Common cold
Most common colds have triggers, such as temperature changes, rain, cold, overwork, staying up late, emotional shock, etc. The main cause of the disease is the decline of autoimmunity. The virus that causes the common cold may already be present in your nose, throat, etc., just waiting for the opportunity to get sick.
Therefore, generally normal healthy people have a low chance of being infected, and most common colds do not require particularly strict isolation measures. Mainly pay attention to washing your hands frequently, avoid touching your mouth, nose, eyes and other parts with dirty hands, try to avoid entering and leaving crowded places, and wear a mask when necessary.
However, if there are more than two cold patients in your home in a short period of time, you should be vigilant. This shows that the virus causing the cold is relatively contagious and pathogenic. At this time, the home must frequently open windows for ventilation and take certain measures to isolate, especially infants, young children, the elderly and patients with low immunity.
Influenza
Influenza viruses are much more contagious and pathogenic than common cold viruses, so it is more necessary to take appropriate isolation measures in a timely manner. In the following two situations, early isolation measures must be taken:
Some influenza viruses are highly contagious, have severe symptoms after infection, and can easily cause serious complications such as viral pneumonia and myocarditis. If confirmed, strict isolation should be carried out. Close contacts should also be quarantined and observed appropriately.
If the symptoms after infection are not serious, but cause a large-scale epidemic, if sporadic cases occur in collective units, schools and other institutions, they should be isolated early. If there are multiple cases, work and classes should be suspended in time.
The time for lifting isolation is generally 48 hours after the heat subsides. The observation time for close contacts should be more than 3 days.
3. So, how to distinguish between the common cold and the flu?
Generally speaking, the symptoms of the common cold are relatively mild, with nasal symptoms (nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing) being the main symptoms, and other symptoms such as dry throat, sore throat, cough, etc. may also be present. There may be no fever or only low fever. Only a few severe cases have symptoms such as high fever, muscle pain, and fatigue.
Influenza has an acute onset and relatively severe symptoms, including chills, chills, fever, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, general malaise, loss of appetite, etc. Can be high fever. A few cases may cause vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Symptoms such as runny nose are relatively mild or not obvious.
Another basis for judging influenza is whether there is an influenza epidemic in the surrounding area.
Mild influenza and sporadic influenza are difficult to distinguish from the common cold. Even if you go to the hospital for examination, it is difficult for most hospitals to distinguish (confirmatory examinations are expensive, time-consuming and labor-intensive, and are not necessary for most patients). However, since the consequences are mostly mild, it is usually not a problem to treat it as a common cold.
4. How to prevent being infected with colds?
1. Improve your own immunity
A strong immune system is the foundation for preventing virus invasion. So we have to do the following:
Exercise more and improve physical fitness.
Pay attention to keeping warm and add or remove clothing in time according to changes in temperature.
Pay attention to rest and avoid staying up late and being tired.
Keep yourself in a good mood.
Avoid catching cold, rain, etc.
2. Cut off the transmission route of the virus
Go to crowded places as little as possible.
In closed environments with many people, windows should be opened frequently for ventilation.
Develop good hygiene habits, wash hands frequently, and wear a mask when necessary.
In case of suspected influenza epidemic cases, early isolation is required.
3. Get the flu vaccine in time
Although the protective effect of the flu vaccine is not 100%, it can still significantly reduce the risk of influenza and serious complications in recipients. Influenza vaccination is required every year because the circulating strains of the influenza virus may change every year, and the vaccine will be developed to target the prevailing strains that year. Getting the flu vaccine 1-2 months before the peak of the flu epidemic can more effectively exert the protective effect of the vaccine. Influenza virus antibodies only last about a year. Get vaccinated every year to maintain immunity.
2. Virus-causing dietary therapy
1. Drink more boiled water
When the human body is infected with a virus and causes a cold, its own immune system will kill the virus through physiological regulation. It has the function of killing and expelling viruses. Drinking more boiled water at this time can relieve the symptoms of colds (sore throat, cough, phlegm), and secondly, it can promote the excretion of toxins and garbage from the body.
2. Cabbage and radish soup
Ingredients: 500g cabbage, 120g white radish
Preparation method: chop the cabbage and radish into slices, add Boil 800ml water to 400ml, add appropriate amount of brown sugar and serve. Take 200ml once in the morning and evening every day for three days to cure the disease.
Efficacy: White radish is cool in nature and enters the stomach meridian. It can promote digestion, accelerate gastrointestinal motility, relieve cough and reduce phlegm. Cabbage and radish soup is especially effective in treating viral infections in children.
3. Shredded ginger and radish soup
Ingredients: 25g shredded ginger, 50g radish
Preparation method: cut the ginger into shredded ginger. Cut the radish into slices, add 500ml of water and cook for about 15 minutes. Add appropriate amount of brown sugar and serve. Take once in the morning and once in the evening, 200ml each time for children, adults can increase the amount appropriately.
Efficacy: Ginger can warm the stomach and dispel cold, radish can reduce phlegm and relieve cough. Ginger and radish soup has a good effect on viral infections.
4. Watermelon and tomato juice
Ingredients: appropriate amounts of watermelon and tomatoes
Preparation method: remove the flesh from the watermelon and remove the seeds, and beat the watermelon into fine pieces with a juicer juice, pour into a large bowl and set aside. Blanch the tomatoes with boiling water, peel and remove the seeds, use a juicer to make the juice, add the watermelon juice and mix well.
Efficacy: Watermelon tomato juice is suitable for symptoms of colds, thirst, fever, irritability, red and hot urine, loss of appetite, and indigestion. This diet has good appetite, sweet and sour taste, and is suitable for children who don’t like to take medicine.
5. Silver Flower Hawthorn Drink
Ingredients: 30g honeysuckle, 10g hawthorn, 250g honey
Preparation method: Put honeysuckle and brake into the pot, After boiling over high heat for 3-5 minutes, filter out the liquid. Add more water and simmer once more to filter out the medicinal liquid. Combine the two ingredients, add honey, mix well, and serve.
Efficacy: This recipe is suitable for viral infections such as fever, headache, thirst, loss of appetite and other symptoms.
The cold virus is contagious, but the virus will not survive outside the body all the time. It must find a host. The virus will continue to spread, so we Infection prevention measures should also be taken. After you recover from a cold, don't take it lightly. Once you come into contact with the host again, you will be infected again.