Specialists have revealed that the herpes virus can be of five types( among them common, genital, shingles, chicken pox, etc.).Each species has its own peculiarities of manifestation and the degree of danger to human health. The Epstein-Barr virus is referred to the fourth type, its symptoms and treatment will be considered by us today.
Features of the disease
Variety of the virus is one of the most common. It is known that most often the acquisition of the virus occurs in childhood. According to statistics, half of the child population had an infection and had antibodies in the blood.
In adulthood, the virus covers the remaining fifty percent of the population, and virtually every person under some circumstances came into contact with the infected patient and also suffered the disease.
The disease often occurs secretly, and may also have symptoms of a cold. The manifestation inherent in this diagnosis: an increase in lymph nodes. Features that distinguish the course of the disease in different population groups are not observed.
The features of the Epstein-Barr virus will be described by Dr. Komarovsky in this video:
Classification
Diseases caused by a virus have a variety of manifestations. Classification of the disease by different signs:
- activity phase can be:
- active,
- inactive;
- signs indicating when the infection occurred:
- acquired form,
- infection in the womb;
- is a disease caused by:
- only by the Epstein-Barr virus,
- in combination with other viruses, for example, cytomegalovirus;
- manifestation form:
- atypical:
- causes organ disease,
- is erased,
- is asymptomatic;
- typical,
- atypical:
- aspect, expressing the duration of the disease:
- chronic course,
- acute form,
- protracted disease;
- for severity of manifestation:
- is heavy,
- is an average severity,
- is an easy form.
Causes of
Infection with the virus is possible under such circumstances:
- by airborne injection,
- the child can get the virus from the mother during the fetal development period,
- transmission of the virus is possible with kisses from the sick person,
- and also through personal hygiene products,
- by transfusionblood from an infected donor.
Symptoms of the Epstein-Barr virus in children and adults
A person infected with a virus may not experience any discomfort, that is, the disease in this case is asymptomatic. The most common manifestation of a virus is infectious mononucleosis. Symptoms of the disease are similar to the symptoms of colds.
This is:
- fatigue,
- sleep disorder,
- pharyngitis,
- diarrhea,
- headache,
- temperature may be increased,
- feeling weak,
- muscle aches,
- pneumonia,
- lymph nodes increase,
- abdominal pain,
- maybe nausea,
- vomiting,
- sometimes - herpetic rashes,
- tests can reveal:
- thrombocytopenia,
- leukopenia;
- rarely seen an increase:
- of the spleen,
- of the liver.
About the symptoms you already know, and about the tests for the Epstein-Barr virus in children and adults and its treatment read below.
Diagnostics
Specialist examines the patient, listens to complaints. For an accurate diagnosis, laboratory tests are carried out. The presence of infection with the virus is determined by such actions:
- DNA diagnostics. Because the herpesvirus of the fourth type is DNA-containing, its definition is possible using the method of searching for its DNA.For this, biological material is collected:
- biopsy, isolated from the internal organs,
- saliva,
- samples taken from the mucosa of the respiratory tract,
- cerebrospinal fluid.
- Biochemical blood test. The presence of enzymes and certain proteins, the presence of which in the blood gives information about the infection of the body by the virus, is determined.
- Investigate the blood for a general analysis. The result of the study shows whether there are dangerous deviations from the norm, which corresponds to a healthy body condition.
- Immunological examination is performed. The method involves determining the state of interferon production, assessing the ability to create immunoglobulins, and other parameters.
- Serological reactions. This analysis uses the enzyme immunoassay method, which makes it possible to determine the presence of antibodies to the Epstein-Barr virus. The study is able to answer the question of how long the infection has occurred, and at what stage the process is.
- If the analysis determines the presence of antibodies of IgG class, then experts conclude that the infection was some time ago, the stage of exacerbation has passed.
- IgM-type antibodies testify to the active process of fighting the organism with infection. This may be a primary infection or the onset of an exacerbation phase.
How to treat the Epstein-Barr virus in children and adults, will tell this video:
Treatment
Measures for care are the same as for other types of the virus. If the virus is in a latent state, then the treatment is not carried out.
Therapeutic
Important actions in viral diseases are the maintenance of immunity.
- Special therapeutic measures are performed if the virus has initiated a co-morbid condition.
- It turns out that the medical care necessary for the manifestation of a particular disease, in accordance with the accepted methods.
- After the multiplication of the virus can be stopped, the patient is recommended to undergo a sanatorium course.
The medical treatment of the Epstein-Barr virus in children and adults is discussed below.
Medicated
If it is necessary to weaken the effect of the virus, then conventional drugs are used for herpes infection:
- valaciclovir,
- ganciclovir.
In the chronic course of the disease, they effectively showed themselves:
- interferon preparations,
- immunoglobulins,
- glucocorticoids,
- analogues of thymic hormones.
Genotherapy
For a virus of the fourth type( including the first and fifth types), a method of fighting at the genetic level was developed. It has already shown its effectiveness.
- In a cell on a portion of DNA, a molecule of HPA is built in, which allows the immune system to recognize the viral DNA.The mechanism involves cutting viral DNA.
- One incision significantly reduces the level of infection of healthy cells( 2 times).This method achieves complete virus removal if two cuts are made.
Prevention of the disease
The measures that can prevent the disease to some extent include:
- personal hygiene:
- frequent hand washing, especially before meals and after visiting public places,
- not to use other people's hygiene items;
- increase of the body's defenses:
- a well-chosen diet,
- healthy daily routine,
- exception from usual actions such that harm,
- useful physical activity,
- exclusion of stressful situations.
The virus at each stage of its stay has a composition with respect to the protein, which differs and does not repeat. In this regard, there are difficulties with the creation of the vaccine. Specialists conduct tests and work to resolve the problem.
Complications of
The consequences of infection depend on the body's defenses. The virus may initiate such diseases:
- lymphoma,
- nasopharyngeal cancer,
- infectious mononucleosis,
- Burkitt's lymphoma,
- Hairy leukopenia,
- rashes on the skin and mucous membranes,
- disease Kikuchi,
- non-Hodgkin's lymphoma ,
- Stevens-Johnson syndrome,
- multiple sclerosis,
- chronic fatigue,
- herpetic sore throat,
- hepatitis.
Forecast
The state of the immune system and genetic predisposition will depend on how serious the patient will be after the infection. It is important not to trigger the activation of the virus. In childhood, it must be ensured that the child who has undergone an infectious mononucleosis is not given routine vaccinations.
After the acute manifestation of the disease, the development of events is possible in three variants:
- virus continues to be in the body, being inactive form,
- the patient recovered( in the study of DNA of the virus it is determined in B-lymphocytes very rarely - isolated cases).
- infection is in the body in a chronic form, continuously or periodically causing a relapse.
On what the Epstein-Barr Virus is dangerous, will tell the video below: