OVERVIEW
Coronavirus infections are very common in the world. Coronaviruses infect only vertebrates and are gastrointestinal, respiratory, and neurophilic. They cause human diseases mainly in the respiratory system, with upper respiratory tract infections being the most frequent, and they are one of the main pathogens of the common cold, with the lower respiratory tract seldom involved. All age groups can develop the disease, and the infection rate of children is higher. Currently, coronaviruses can be categorized into 6 types, namely: common coronavirus 229E, OC43, NL63, HKU1, SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) coronavirus. SARS coronavirus infections have not recurred globally since 2004.
Questions you may be concerned about
What is the difference between a common fever and a coronavirus infection
There are obvious differences between common fever and coronavirus infection in terms of accompanying symptoms and degree of fever.
1. Accompanying symptoms: Common fever often occurs after catching a cold, overexertion, or staying up late for a long time. Patients may have a runny nose, sore throat, coughing, sneezing and so on. Coronavirus infection patients may be combined with generalized fatigue, dry cough, chest tightness and other symptoms, such as respiratory failure can occur if the condition is more serious.
2. Degree of fever: ordinary fever temperature rise is more obvious, while the coronavirus infection tends to appear low fever, body temperature in 37 ℃ ~ 38 ℃ or so.
If the fever symptoms fail to improve or even gradually aggravate, it is necessary to consult a regular hospital in a timely manner, and cooperate with the doctor to improve the examination and standardized treatment.
Causes
Coronavirus is a single-stranded RNA virus that resembles a corolla or corona. The pathogenesis of coronavirus invades the ciliated epithelial cells on the surface of human respiratory tract, replicates and spreads in them, and directly causes damage to the infected cells, resulting in localized lesions or systemic toxaemia.SARS Coronavirus has a wide range of invasiveness and strong vasculophilicity, and vascular endothelium is likely to be one of the most specific target cells for the SARS Coronavirus.
Symptoms
The incubation period for common coronavirus infections is 2 to 5 days. It mainly causes upper respiratory tract infection, which may include fever, chills, headache, runny nose, sore throat and cough. The majority of patients present with mild symptoms, with a very small number of severe cases. Duration of the disease is 2 to 18 days, an average of one week; a small number of diarrhea, bronchitis, pneumonia and pleural effusion, etc. SARS coronavirus-induced severe patients with severe and rapid progress, prone to respiratory distress syndrome.
Laboratory tests
1. Blood tests
Peripheral blood leukocyte count is normal or decreasing, lymphocyte count is decreasing in absolute value, and blood sedimentation is increasing moderately.
2. Chest X-ray examination
The chest X-ray examination shows increased texture of both lungs, and there is no other abnormality in general. patients with SARS coronavirus infection mainly show ground glass shadow and solid change shadow of the lungs, and some of the patients’ condition progresses rapidly, and they show large patchy shadows. 3. virological examination
Nasopharyngeal secretion of 2-4 days after the onset of the disease is the most reliable method to separate the virus, and the diagnosis should be confirmed by virological examination.
4. Molecular biology examination
Reverse transcription polymerase reaction (RT-PCR) to detect viral RNA is helpful for early diagnosis.
5. Serologic test
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunofluorescence assay (IFA) are commonly used to detect specific IgG antibodies, and a 4-fold or more increase in serum antibody titer during the recovery phase compared with the acute phase has diagnostic value.
Diagnosis
Common coronavirus infections occur most often in children, but also in adults, with mild symptoms, most often presenting as katharoscopic symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections, which can be without fever, and are more common in winter and spring. Confirmation of the diagnosis can be made by RT-PCR for viral nucleic acid (RNA) detection; or detection of double serum specific IgG antibodies with 4-fold or more elevation has diagnostic value.
Questions you may be concerned about
Is a runny nose a coronavirus infection?
A runny nose can be caused by a coronavirus infection or an infectious disease of the upper respiratory tract such as allergic rhinitis.
1. Coronavirus infection: Typical manifestations are fever, cough, sore throat, etc. Some are accompanied by gastrointestinal symptoms such as abdominal pain and diarrhea. A runny nose alone is not a typical manifestation, but the possibility of infection cannot be ruled out. Some people infected with coronavirus infection do not have any symptoms.
2. Allergic rhinitis: The typical manifestation of allergic rhinitis is sneezing and running nose. Some of them may be accompanied by nasal itching and abnormal sense of smell. It is more common in spring and fall. There is often a family history of allergic rhinitis.
3. Other upper respiratory tract infections: a runny nose can be caused by other viruses such as rhinovirus and other acute upper respiratory tract infections.
There may also be other diseases associated with a runny nose. It is recommended to go to the hospital in time, improve the examination to clarify the cause of the disease, and then give targeted treatment or treatment.
Is a sore throat a coronavirus infection?
Sore throat does not necessarily indicate a new coronavirus infection.
Sore throat can be caused by common cold, flu, pharyngitis, tonsillitis and other diseases. It is not possible to determine the cause of the disease by one symptom alone.
Symptoms of novel coronavirus infection are similar to those of influenza, such as sore throat, dry throat, malaise, fever, and cough. If any of these symptoms are present, a nucleic acid test is needed at the same time to clarify whether it is a coronavirus infection.
If you have traveled to an intermediate- or high-risk area, come into contact with a new coronavirus patient or a close contact of the patient, and develop a sore throat, coronavirus infection is highly suspected, although ancillary tests, such as a nucleic acid test, are still needed to confirm the diagnosis.
If one has not been to an intermediate- or high-risk area and has no history of exposure to new crowns and develops symptoms such as sore throat, suspicion of other upper respiratory tract infections such as influenza is highly likely. However, regardless of the epidemiologic history, the occurrence of symptoms such as sore throat, should promptly go to the local fever clinic to check, under the guidance of the doctor for the next step of treatment.
Pay attention to the need to wear a mask when going out, pay attention to personal protection, and seek prompt medical attention for suspicious symptoms.
Is a fever of 37.5 degrees Celsius a coronavirus infection?
A fever of 37.5 degrees Celsius is not necessarily a coronavirus infection, but may also be caused by a cold or connective tissue disease. You need to consult a doctor to find out the cause.
1. Coronavirus infection: Coronavirus infection is caused by the new coronavirus, currently a more infectious infectious diseases, in addition to fever, patients can also appear sore throat, fatigue, cough, dyspnea and other symptoms, diagnosis needs to improve the nucleic acid test results.
2. Colds: acute inflammation of the nasal cavity, larynx or pharynx, patients can appear pharyngeal itching, fever, lack of symptoms, but the contagiousness is lower than the new crown, the harm is also smaller than the new crown.
3. Connective tissue diseases: Suffering from connective tissue diseases such as rheumatoid rheumatoid, patients may have fever, joint swelling and pain, and even joint deformity.
After the fever is found, we should consult a doctor in time to clarify the cause of the disease and treat the cause.
Treatment
There are no specific therapeutic drugs. The efficacy of ribavirin is not clear, and it has a deforming effect on the fetus, so it is forbidden for pregnant women. Coronavirus infection can be self-cured in mild cases, and bed rest is recommended for moderate or severe patients. Treatment is mainly symptomatic and supportive. General treatment includes bed rest and drinking plenty of water during the fever period. High fever can be given physical cooling or taking antipyretic and analgesic, pay attention to children prohibited salicylic acid antipyretic and analgesic; wheezing, cyanosis, should be given oxygen, antispasmodic and asthma treatment; combined with bronchiolitis, pneumonia, should be given to resolve the phlegm to stop coughing, phlegm expectoration, to keep the airway open treatment, tracheotomy and artificial assisted respiration if necessary, for the combined liver, kidneys, heart and other organs function damage, should be treated accordingly. If secondary bacterial infection, effective antibacterial drug treatment should be given promptly. Hormone therapy is still controversial.
Prevention
The current measures to prevent respiratory viral infections are mainly:
1. Popularize the knowledge of hygiene, strengthen the physical exercise, and avoid getting cold.
2. Avoid going to densely populated public places during epidemics of respiratory viral infections.
3. Patients should wear masks or respiratory isolation.