What Is Parainfluenza?

Parainfluenza virus is generally classified as a respiratory virus, but this is not a taxonomic name, it is just a general term for some viruses that are transmitted by the respiratory tract. Although the nucleic acid type of the parainfluenza virus and the influenza virus are both RNA (ribonucleic acid) and the structure of the two viruses is basically similar, both are composed of genetic material and protein shells. Different viruses result in different protein shells and antigens. Therefore, in terms of classification, influenza viruses belong to orthomyxoviruses, and parainfluenza viruses belong to paramyxoviruses. There are some differences in the invasiveness of the two to humans.

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Parainfluenza virus is generally classified

The main diseases that parainfluenza virus can cause are: common cold, bronchitis,

In classification, parainfluenza viruses are not the same as influenza viruses. Influenza viruses are divided into types A, B, and C, and type A is a disease-causing virus that causes people to get influenza. For example, the influenza virus currently monitored in Beijing is still the type A subtype, which is basically the same, and the activity is relatively stable overall. But the parainfluenza virus is divided into four types, namely PIV1-4. The results of the detection of parainfluenza virus in children in Hong Kong this time were mainly type 4 (PIV4). There were also individual cases of detection of type 3 parainfluenza virus (PIV3), so it can be considered to be the result of type 3 and 4 invasion of children.

Because the influenza virus belongs to orthomyxovirus and the parainfluenza virus belongs to paramyxovirus, the biological characteristics of the two are also different. For example, influenza viruses have neuraminidase, while most parainfluenza viruses do not; influenza viruses do not.

Although there are some differences between parainfluenza virus and influenza virus, the routes of transmission, symptoms and treatment methods are very similar. Infection with parainfluenza virus will cause fever, sore throat, and body bone pain. It is similar to SARS and flu. Some people will have diarrhea and vomiting. The initial symptoms of parainfluenza virus after invading the human body are similar to those of the flu. They are symptoms of nasal congestion, runny nose, conjunctival hemorrhage, and soreness in the body, but they are mild and easy to cure. However, whether the patient has flu or parainfluenza, the virus must be isolated from the patient's secretions and tested, or a specific serum test can be performed to determine. Therefore, once you have cold symptoms, you should go to the hospital as soon as possible and make a clear diagnosis and symptomatic treatment.

Parainfluenza viruses are relatively active in cold and dry environments, so parainfluenza virus infections occur mostly in winter and spring, mainly through droplets in the air and transmitted through the respiratory tract. Therefore, it is similar to SARS and influenza in prevention. Citizens should pay attention to maintaining personal hygiene, washing their hands frequently, and ventilating indoors; going to public places as little as possible; paying attention to weather changes, and adding or removing clothes in time; strengthen physical exercise, drink more water, Eat vegetables and fruits to increase respiratory resistance. In addition, once the patient is found, the source of infection should be isolated. Wear a mask when visiting patients to avoid coughing and sneezing.

The incubation period of parainfluenza virus infection in humans is 3 to 7 days. It is a self-limiting disease like influenza and usually heals on its own in 6 to 7 days. However, its main harm to the human body is to cause severe pulmonary complications, so symptomatic treatment can generally be performed in treatment, that is, bronchitis is treated for bronchitis, and pneumonia is treated for pneumonia. For prevention, in addition to the above measures, ordinary households can also be disinfected with disinfectants such as acetic acid and disinfectant solution.

The immune system of normal healthy adults is relatively complete, it is not easy to be infected by the virus, and the symptoms are mild even after infection. However, the immune system of young children and children is not perfect, and severe symptoms after infection often cause bronchitis, pneumonia, and respiratory failure. Therefore, children and infants are the key protection targets in prevention. In addition, parainfluenza virus also infects some elderly people with chronic diseases, so the elderly should also take the same precautionary measures as infants and young children.