subject: Viral Fever- Causes And Symptoms [print this page] Viral fevers are caused due to virusesViral fevers are caused due to viruses. Viral fever is a state of body where viral infections are associated with elevations of the body temperature. Viral fever is an outcome of viral infection which can be clearly identified by their symptoms and signs. Such viral infections show generalized symptoms but, target a specific organ in the body. Headaches, body aches and skin rashes characterize most of these viral fevers. They may affect any age group of people, and are seen world-wide. Viral fevers require only symptomatic treatment. Some fevers are highly contagious. Most of them are not dangerous and self-limited, but some can progress rapidly leading to death, if left untreated.
What are the causes that lead to viral fever?
Viruses cause viral fever. When anyone comes in contact with the person who has viral infection, the virus is transmitted to the other person. Viral infections are highly contagious and spread very quickly.
Viruses can be transmitted in numerous ways, such as through contact with an infected person, swallowing, inhalation, or unsafe sex. Factors such as poor hygiene and eating habits can increase your risk of contracting a viral infection from the person infected and from other sources too.
Most of the viral infections are spread by inhalation of moisturized particles, by intake of contaminated water or food, or by direct contact. Infection then spreads on the outer parts and thereafter into the blood stream or lymph channels. Some of the viral infections can also be transmitted sexually or by direct inoculation into the blood stream.
The duration of the primary viral infection may vary from days to several weeks. Instantiation of the disease clinically is usually an outcome of the virus multiplying at a specific site. Even though the fever comes down, in some infections the virus continues to multiply and cause persistent infection.
What are the symptoms of viral fever?
There are many symptoms of viral fever that may resemble other illnesses. The symptoms are very common such as flu, fatigue, cold, sore throat etc., which we tend to ignore at the initial stages. When a virus enters the human body, it takes some time to multiply itself, which is called incubation period, and then increases in number and causes infection.
Here are the symptoms of viral fever:
Fatigue
Low or high fever
Body as well as muscle ache
Inflammation of the pharynx
Running nose
Sore throat
Nasal congestion
Headache
Cough
Muscle and joint pain
Skin rashes
Diarrhea
It is not essential that everyone suffering from viral fever will have the same symptoms. Bleeding from skin and other internal organs may prove fatal if not treated on time. Viral fevers are difficult to prevent. They occur as epidemics of infection depending on their mode of spread. One should take appropriate measures to prevent viral fevers. They may not come to notice at their initial stages but multiply rapidly and cause harm to the body.
