Causes of Parainfluenza virus type 2
Parainfluenza virus type 2 Causes: Book Excerpts
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there may be many causal factors.
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Causes of Parainfluenza virus type 2: Online Medical Books
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Influenza:
Causes and incidence
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))
Transmission of influenza occurs through inhalation of a respiratory droplet from an infected person or by indirect contact with a contaminated object, such as a drinking glass or other items contaminated with respiratory secretions. The influenza virus then invades the epithelium of the respiratory tract, causing inflammation and desquamation.
One of the remarkable features of the influenza virus is its capacity for antigenic variation into numerous distinct strains, allowing it to infect new populations that have little or no immunologic resistance. Antigenic variation is characterized as antigenic drift (minor changes that occur yearly or every few years) and antigenic shift (major changes that lead to pandemics). Influenza viruses are classified into three groups:
❑Type A, the most prevalent, strikes every year, with new serotypes causing epidemics every 3 years.
❑Type B also strikes annually but causes epidemics only every 4 to 6 years.
❑Type C is endemic and causes only sporadic cases.
Each year, tens of millions of people in the United States get the flu; about 114,000 people get sick enough to be hospitalized, and about 36,000 people die.
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Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005
Parainfluenza:
Causes and incidence
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))
Parainfluenza is transmitted by direct contact or by inhalation of contaminated airborne droplets. Paramyxoviruses occur in four forms — Para 1 to 4 — that are linked to several diseases: croup (Para 1, 2, 3); acute febrile respiratory illnesses (1, 2, 3); the common cold (1, 3, 4); pharyngitis (1, 3, 4); bronchitis (1, 3); and bronchopneumonia (1, 3). Para 3 ranks second to respiratory syncytial viruses as the most common cause of lower respiratory tract infections in children. Para 4 rarely causes symptomatic infections in humans.
Parainfluenza is rare among adults but widespread among children, especially males. By age 8, most children demonstrate antibodies to Para 1 and Para 3. Most adults have antibodies to all four types as a result of childhood infections and subsequent multiple exposures. Incidence rises in the winter and spring.
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Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005
Haemophilus influenzae infection:
Causes and incidence
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))
H. influenzae, the cause of this infection, is a small, gram-negative, pleomorphic aerobic bacillus. Transmission occurs by direct contact with secretions or by respiratory droplets. It infects about half of all children before age 1 and virtually all children by age 3, although a haemophilus influenza b vaccine given at ages 2, 4, and 6 months has reduced this number.
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Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005
Influenza:
Causes
(Handbook of Diseases)
Transmission of influenza occurs through inhalation of a respiratory droplet from an infected person or by indirect contact such as using a contaminated drinking glass. The virus then invades the epithelium of the respiratory tract, causing inflammation and desquamation.
One remarkable feature of the influenza virus is its capacity for antigenic variation. Such variation leads to infection by strains of the virus to which little or no immunologic resistance is present in the population at risk. Antigenic variation is characterized as antigenic drift (minor changes that occur yearly or every few years) and antigenic shift (major changes that lead to pandemics). Influenza viruses are classified into three groups:
❑ Type A, the most prevalent, strikes every year, with new serotypes causing epidemics every 3 years.
❑ Type B also strikes annually, but only causes epidemics every 4 to 6 years.
❑ Type C is endemic and causes only sporadic cases.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003
Haemophilus influenzae infection:
Causes
(Handbook of Diseases)
A small, gram-negative, pleomorphic aerobic bacillus, H. influenzae causes diseases in many organ systems but most frequently attacks the respiratory system. In exudates, this organism predominantly resembles a coccobacillus. It’s transmitted by airborne droplets or direct contact with secretions or fomites.
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Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003
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