Scary Viruses: What You Need To Know | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Health and Wellness

Scary Viruses: What You Need To Know

Wash your hands and pull up a seat

110
Scary Viruses: What You Need To Know

Viruses. We've all heard of them, and we all have them in us right now. Your immune system is capable of fighting off most of the viruses you come in contact with in the United States, such as the common cold, the flu or gastroenteritis, the stomach flu. You can come into contact with a virus at anytime, especially in social settings. They can be spread through food and drink or contact with infected bodily fluids. A virus typically consists of a nucleic acid molecule and a protein coat. It overtakes a living host's cell and forces that cell to replicate viral DNA instead of the host DNA. Before you know it, you're sitting in the doctor's office trying not to lose your lunch. Not every virus is as treatable as the stomach bug though. There are some really dangerous viruses that can cause you to feel a lot worse than the flu does. And without treatment, they will kill you.

1. Marburg virus.

Thought to have originated in African monkeys, Marburg virus is a type of hemorrhagic fever that is caused by the filovirus. The first person to become infected by this virus was a German scientist who was studying monkeys that were brought in from Uganda in 1967. In places with top-of-the-line healthcare available, the fatality rate is about 25 percent, but can be as high as 80 percent to those who do not have access to treatment, such as places in the Congo. Onset of the disease is characterized by a severe headache and extreme lethargy. Within five to seven days, patients begin to experience hemorrhaging and die soon after.

2. Ebola virus.

Named after the Ebola River where it was first discovered, the Ebola virus is another type of hemorrhagic fever that causes headache, fever, muscle pain, internal bleeding and organ failure. The fatality rate of people infected with the virus is around 50 percent, with medical treatment, but has been as high as 90 percent before advances in medicine. It became infamous worldwide after its outbreak in West Africa. People from all over the world went to West Africa to try and treat the sick and stop it from spreading. So many people were dying, locals thought medical professionals were purposefully killing people and were convinced that Ebola was made up to scare them. People were fleeing from treatment and dying on the streets. Makeshift hospitals were torn down and the nurses and doctors chased out of town. African funeral rituals also helped spread the virus. People would touch the body before burial, getting the virus on their hands, infecting themselves and others.

3. Hantavirus.

This virus normally infects rodents and does not cause disease in the animals. But if a human comes into contact with infected rat feces, it can make them very sick, The virus is characterized by fatigue, muscle aches, vomiting and abdominal pain. As the disease state progresses, the person starts to experience shortness of breath and coughing as the lungs fill with fluid. The mortality rate is 3 percent with treatment from a medical professional.

4. Zika virus.

Named after the Zika forest in Uganda, this virus is primarily spread by a bite from an infected mosquito. The most common symptoms of this virus is a rash, fever, joint pain and conjuctivitis. Many people do not realize they are sick. They never go to the hospital and people rarely die from Zika virus. However, the Zika virus is most dangerous to a pregnant woman and her unborn child. The virus can cause a birth defect called microcephaly, which effects the child's brain. Most of the cases that have occurred in the US have been due to traveling outside of the US territories.

5. Dengue virus.

Also spread by mosquito bites, this virus commonly infects people in tropical areas such as Hawaii, Puerto Rico and Latin America. One may experience rash, fever, joint pain and serious bleeding. Dengue is not deadly, but can cause death if complications arise. Complications and death is more likely if you are infected with the virus more than once. Four hundred million people are infected each year.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Disney Princesses
The Odyssey
Tiana would no doubt be disappointed in the food our cafeteria has to offer.

And hopefully she would cook for everyone in her dorm.

She definitley would not take any 8:00 am classes because she would be up late baking and cleaning up the communal kitchen that are available in every dorm.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

The Struggles of Being A Last Semester Senior, As Told By Michael Scott

25 reasons your last semester in college is the best and worst time of your life

870
Michael Scott

The day you walked onto your school's campus for the first time you were scared, excited, and unsure of how the next four years of your life were going to turn out. You doubted it would go fast and even though you weren't positive about what your future plans would hold, you had plenty of time. You figured out your major, added a minor or two, joined a handful of organizations and all of the sudden you're here. Your final semester of undergrad. Now you've got 25 problems and graduation is only one.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Syllabus Week At UD Explained By "The Office"

"The Office" understands the struggle of the first week back from winter break.

770
the office

January 19th is the first day of the second semester at the University of Dayton, and students couldn't be more excited. However, the excitement that students are experiencing may be short-lived once they see what this semester's courses will entail. Although students will be happy to be back at Dayton, they may realize this semester will be more difficult than they predicted. Here are some things that happen during syllabus week explained by " The Office."

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Your Friend Group, As Told By Disney Princesses

Each Disney Princess has their own personality, and chances are you've got a friend in your group to match it.

1268
Disney Princesses

The dynamics of any friend group are usually determined by the personalities which make it up. Chances are, while personalities may overlap, each person in your friend group holds his or her own place. It is the differences which bring the groups together and keep them functioning. No matter how functionally dysfunctional your friend group may be, if you're anything like me, you feel absolutely blessed to have found such a wonderful group of humans to call "your people." Here is what your friend group might look like if they were Disney princesses (and that wasn't just a thing you all pretended in your heads):

Keep Reading...Show less
dorm roon
Tumblr

College is a place where you spend four years exploring opportunities you never knew were there, creating the person you are, and making life-long friends. College is hard, but it is worth spending four years there. Just because college is difficult doesn't mean that it's not fun. There are plenty of great memories you can make during your four years if college. Here are ways college is designed to be the best four years of your life:

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments