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Cytomegalovirus

The symptoms and treatment of cytomegalovirus


What is cytomegalovirus?

Cytomegalovirus — a genus of viruses of the family of herpes viruses. This virus is quite common, antibodies to cytomegalovirus today you can meet about 10-15% of adolescent and 40% adults. To recognize the presence of cytomegalovirus unfortunately it is possible far not at once - this disease has a incubation period which can last up to 60 days. During this period the disease can not exercise, but after is sure to be a sudden and sharp flash, which in most cases can provoke stress, hypothermia, or the General decline of the immune system. Unfortunately, quite often cytomegalovirus be confused with diseases such as acute respiratory infections and colds, as the virus its symptoms are quite similar: increased temperature of the body, appears headache, General weakness. If time does not recognize cytomegalovirus, the consequences can be more than serious: pneumonia, arthritis, encephalitis , etc.

Since this virus was discovered not so long ago, in 1956, it is still not enough studied. In the world of science this virus is still a subject for hot discussions. In practice, the virus often becomes the main subject for serious speculation. Let's face it, what is cytomegalovirus and most importantly, the more dangerous it is.


Infection with cytomegalovirus

To be infected with cytomegalovirus can be through sexual contact (through semen or through the mucus of the cervical canal), saliva, breast milk and through blood. Infection of infants occurs at birth, or breastfeeds. Older children can catch from each other, it happens most often in kindergarten where the common toys that are taken in the mouth all the children, that is, infection occurs through saliva.

Adults, as already mentioned, most often get this virus through kissing and sexual contact. It should be noted the fact that CMV is not very contagious, in the sense that in order for him to pick up, should be long enough to be around a sick person.


The prevalence of cytomegalovirus

Cytomegalovirus quite common among people, 10-15% of young people adolescence, revealed antibodies for this virus. Unfortunatelythis virus find 50% of people aged 35 years and older.


The symptoms of cytomegalovirus

People with a normal immune system may be infected with cytomegalovirus and not know about it, as the immune system will keep the virus in a depressed state, therefore, the disease will be asymptomatic, not causing harm. In rare cases, people with normal immune systems, cytomegalovirus can cause mononucleosides syndrome.

Mononucleotides syndrome usually appears after approximately 20-60 days after the man contracted the virus and last from 2 to 6 weeks. The manifestation of this syndrome comprises the following symptoms: fever, chills, severe fatigue, General malaise and severe headache. Mononucleotides syndrome in most cases ends happily, full recovery of the person.

In people with a weak or weakened immune system ( HIV, cancer patients, etc.) cytomegalovirus causes severe disease, is damage to the eyes, lungs, brain and digestive system that eventually leads to death.

If the child during pregnancy (not during labor), were infected with cytomegalovirus, he may develop cytomegalovirus infection. This leads in consequence to serious diseases of the Central nervous system (mental retardation, hearing loss). And in 20-30% of cases, fatal.

The risk of cytomegalovirus

We can sum up: cytomegalovirus most dangerous in only two cases. People with weakened immune systems and children who were infected during the presence of the fetus in the womb of his mother, who contracted the virus during pregnancy.


Diagnosis of cytomegalovirus

To identify directly the cytomegalovirus can sowing, detection of antigens, PCR, all of this has only limited value. The main method of diagnosis of this virus is to identify in the body of antibodies thereto. It should be clarified that once held the determination of antibodies to cytomegalovirus can not distinguish between infection, current at the moment in the body, from infection previously. That in the organism the activation of the virus that always shows the increase in antibody titer in about four or even more times.

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Treatment of cytomegalovirus

To treat cytomegalovirus infection need a comprehensive, curative therapy should include tools that are directly aimed at combating the virus at the same time these tools should enhance protective functions of the body and strengthen the immune system. Currently, they haven't invented a tool which could completely cure the CMV, it remains in the body forever. The main goal of treatment of cytomegalovirus to inhibit its activity. People who are carriers of this virus, you should follow a healthy lifestyle, eat a healthy diet and consume needed by the body amount of vitamins.

In the case of activation of the virus in any case impossible to carry out any self - treatment is just unacceptable! Definitely need to consult a specialist doctor so he can prescribed the right therapy, in the complex of immunomodulatory drugs.

In modern medicine not yet invented such treatment methods that could completely expel from the body cytomegalovirus. So now the company is actively searching effective drug that would be able to cope with infections belonging to the family of herpes type 5, which cytomegalovirus infection. There are many drugs that can successfully cope with a large number of viruses, but unfortunately they remain completely powerless against cytomegalovirus.

Doctors today lay quite high hopes for glizirethinic acid, which is extracted from the root systems of licorice, by all indications, this acid will soon be able to engage in equal combat with this disease.

People who have CMV are asymptomatic because of immunity, treatment of infection, not necessarily, it is simply unnecessary. Therefore, if the immune system is normal, treatment is not required.

It should be noted that the positive efficacy of immunotherapy with cycloferon, polyoxidonium, etc. and not proven until now. The use of the cytomegalovirus immunotherapy largely because of commercial considerations, and not medical. All possible treatment that can be given to people with weakened immune systems, reduced to prolonged use of antiviral drugs.

The effectiveness of antiviral drugs used totreatment of cytomegalovirus as mononucleotides syndrome, congenital cytomegalovirus infection has so far not been proven.

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Prevention of cytomegalovirus

The use of condoms during sexual contact, significantly reduce the risk of infection with cytomegalovirus.