Viral Infections

Recently Answered

• QWhen should I call my doctor if I have warts and plantar warts?

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  A RealAge answered

  If you have warts and plantar warts you should call your doctor for the following reasons.

  • Your plantar warts do not improve with treatment. In some cases, your doctor may want to perform a biopsy to rule out other possible causes of the warts.
  • Your warts do not respond to self-care and you would like your doctor to remove them.
  • You have signs of infection, including redness, pus, discharge, red streaking, fever and bleeding, especially bleeding that doesn't stop when you apply pressure.
  • Your wart causes pain.
  • Your warts are spreading.
  • You have anal and/or genital warts.
  • You have diabetes or a weakened immune system and you develop warts.
  • The wart starts to look or feel different or changes color.
• QHow is lymphadenopathy diagnosed?

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  A Reston Hospital Center answered

  When a doctor diagnoses lymphadenopathy, he or she will ask you about the symptoms you're having, like sort throat, fever, location of the swollen lymph nodes, and when the swelling began. Your doctor will also ask about your exposure to certain illnesses like colds or chicken pox. Doctors will use this information to figure out a possible cause of your condition. In some cases, a lymph node biopsy might be performed to rule out certain conditions.

• QHow should I cleanse my child's skin if she has roseola?

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  A Dr. Mehmet Oz, MD , Cardiology (Cardiovascular Disease), answered

  If your child has roseola, clean her skin by running a towel or sponge soaked with lukewarm water over her body.
  
  Roseola is yet another childhood illness that affects children by the age of two. It produces a high fever and a pink, spotty rash that spreads throughout the child's body. Although roseola may make your child irritable and fussy, the viral infection is not serious and should go away within a week.
  
• QWhat are complications of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)?

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  A Dr. Theodore A. Henderson, MD , Adolescent Medicine, answered

  Epstein-Barr virus can become latent or dormant in your body after exposure. This situation can persist for years, much like the chicken-pox virus which can persist for years in the nerve cells and then produce shingles at a later date. In the case of Epstein-Barr virus, it can re-activate or be persistent (for example Nicolas et al, Biomed J, 2014 demonstrated reactivation in immunocompetent patients following an unrelated critical illness, but also see review by Murata et al., Microbiol Immunol. 2014 Jun;58(6):307-17). EBV has been strongly associated with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in studies from Stanford and elsewhere (see: Kogelnik et al. J Clin Virol. December 2006;37(suppl 1):S33-S38; Lerner et al. Drugs Today (Barc). 2002;38(8):549-561; Broderick et al. J Transl Med. 2012 Sep 13;10:191; Lerner et al. In Vivo. 2007;21(5):707-713). Symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome can include fatigue, increased amount of sleep, disrupted sleep, waking unrested from sleep, joint pain, flu-like symptoms, loss of interest in formerly enjoyed activities (due to insufficient energy), painful lymph nodes, muscle pain, and malaise after exertion. It is not unusual for this set of symptoms to be confused with depression according to research I have published (see: Henderson, Adv Mind Body Med. 2014 Winter;28(1):4-14).
• QHow does molluscum contagiosum affect the body?

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  A Reston Hospital Center answered

  The virus that causes molluscum contagiosum can enter the body through tiny breaks in the skin. Once inside the body, the virus begins to grow, resulting in the small, raised bumps on the skin. In most people, the papules disappear without treatment within 6 to 12 months, although the virus may not die off entirely in the body for four years.

• QWhat can I do to prevent getting lymphadenopathy?

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  A Reston Hospital Center answered

  You can ask your doctor about ways to prevent getting lymphadenopathy. If your swollen lymph nodes were caused by an infection, ask your physician about lifestyle changes. He or she might recommend changes you could make that might reduce your risk of getting it again.

• QHow is active Epstein-Barr virus infection detected?

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  A Dr. Mehmet Oz, MD , Cardiology (Cardiovascular Disease), answered

  Tests for EBV: The only way to know for sure if an active EBV infection is the cause of fatigue is to get tested. If you have been exposed to the virus your immune system will make antibodies that the test will measure; tests measure the concentration of 6 types of EBV antibodies and the level can indicate if the infection is current or a past infection. A rising or high antibody level after at least 4 weeks of illness suggests an active infection. A positive reaction to the Monospot test indicates active mononucleosis.

  There are also molecular tests that measure EBV DNA, which can help diagnose EBV-related cancers.

  
  This content originally appeared on doctoroz.com
• QHow does polio affect the body?

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  A Reston Hospital Center answered

  Polio affects the body by attacking your central nervous system. It infects the spinal cord, brain and surrounding tissues. Your symptoms vary depending on which area of the spinal cord and brain it attacks.

  If you are affected by a lesser strain of poliovirus, you may experience minor symptoms that mirror the flu. However, if you have a harsher strain of poliovirus, known as paralytic polio, then you may undergo more severe symptoms such as limited muscle control, spasms, breathing issues and paralysis.

• QWhat are the symptoms of roseola?

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  A Dr. Deborah Mulligan, MD , Pediatrics, answered on behalf of MDLIVE

  Roseola (roseola Infantum) is one of the common childhood rashes with fever caused by a virus.  A child with roseola typically develops a mild upper respiratory illness, followed by a high fever (often over 103° F or 39.5° C) for up to a week. During this time, the child may appear fussy or irritable and may have a decreased appetite and swollen lymph nodes (glands) in the neck.
  
  The high fever often ends abruptly, and at about the same time a pinkish-red flat rash appears on the trunk and spreads over the body. The rash's spots blanch (turn white) when you touch them, and individual spots may have a lighter "halo" around them. The rash usually spreads to the neck, face, arms, and legs.  Not itchy, the rash goes away within hours to a few days.
  
  The fast-rising fever that comes with roseola may trigger febrile seizures (convulsions caused by high fevers) in about 10% to 15% of young children.  Some children also have mild diarrhea, a cough and earache.  Children with a suppressed immune system could develop hepatitis or pneumonia.
  
  
• QHow is molluscum contagiosum diagnosed?

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  A Reston Hospital Center answered

  In most cases, doctors can diagnose molluscum contagiosum just by looking at the bumps on the skin. However, if the doctor cannot make a positive diagnosis, a sample from the area can be taken to examine more closely.