How are viral diseases treated?

Treatment of viral infections varies depending on the specific virus and other factors. General treatment measures are aimed at relieving your symptoms so that you can get the rest you need to keep up your strength and recover without developing complications.

General treatments for viral infections include:

    Acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) for fever, body aches, and pain

    Drinking extra fluids

    Getting extra rest and sleep

    Maintaining good nutrition

Depending on the type of viral infection and the presence of complications, a wide variety of other treatments may be needed. For example, a human papillomavirus (HPV) infection that leads to cervical dysplasia can be treated by surgical removal of the abnormal cells on a woman’s cervix.  

In general, it is recommended that children younger than age six not use cold or cough medications because of the risk for serious side effects. In addition, people with a viral disease should not use aspirin or products that contain aspirin because of the risk of developing a rare but life-threatening condition called Reye syndrome. Reye syndrome has been linked to taking aspirin during a viral illness, such as a cold or the flu.
Prescription medications used to treat viral diseases

In some cases, certain medications may be prescribed to treat viral diseases:

    Antiretroviral medications, which can help people with HIV/AIDS lead longer lives. Antiretroviral medications hinder the ability of HIV to reproduce, which slows the spread of HIV in the body.

    Antiviral drugs, which minimize the severity and length of some viral infections, such as the flu and shingles, especially in people who are at a high risk for serious complications. For example, the drugs oseltamivir (brand name Tamiflu) and zanamivir (brand name Relenza) may be prescribed for some cases of flu. These drugs are not appropriate for all people with the flu.

Antibiotics, which are not prescribed for viral diseases because they are ineffective in the treatment of viral infections, may be prescribed if a person with a viral disease develops a secondary bacterial infection, such as bacterial pneumonia, bacterial bronchitis, or encephalitis.
Complementary treatments

Complementary and traditional treatments will not cure a viral disease but may help to increase comfort, promote rest, and minimize symptoms of viral diseases. 

10 Steps to Staying Healthy With HIV

If you have HIV, it's essential to maintain your health so your immune system stays strong. Use these tips to get started.

People who have been infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) need to be especially vigilant about keeping their immune systems strong and healthy. The HIV virus kills white blood cells of the immune system called CD4 lymphocytes, or T cells. In people who have HIV, the T-cell count can fall to dangerously low levels, which eventually leads to acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Because of this, it’s challenging — yet essential — to stay healthy. Following smart lifestyle practices can help you maintain your health with HIV.

Eat a Healthy, Well-Balanced Diet

Maintaining a well-balanced, nutritious diet is crucial for people with HIV. A healthy diet can help keep the immune system strong, help prevent illness, and also help slow the progression of HIV. According to research from the Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, a nutritious diet can make it easier for the body to process the many medications that people with HIV often take, and may even help ease common symptoms of HIV, such as diarrhea, nausea, and fatigue.

Avoid Alcohol and Drugs

Alcohol and recreational drugs can weaken the body’s immune system, which is particularly hazardous for people with HIV. Alcohol and drugs can also interfere or dangerously interact with the medications that are necessary to keep HIV in check. Substance abuse can also lead to poor nutrition and to forgetting to take HIV medications. Channel your energy into more positive ways of spending your time, such as visiting with friends or working on hobby.

Pay Attention to Oral Health

Dental health problems are common in people with HIV, affecting more than one-third of patients. A compromised immune system and HIV medications can lead to conditions such as oral warts, fever blisters, oral thrush, and canker sores. Many people with HIV and AIDS also experience dry mouth, which can increase the risk of cavities. They are also more likely to develop gum disease that can quickly worsen and lead to other problems, such as heart disease, according to the American Academy of Periodontology. HIV patients should brush and floss regularly and see their dentist at least every six months.

Find Ways to Reduce Stress

Reducing stress is an essential part of managing HIV. The chronic stress of living with HIV can take a toll on a person’s health. According to the University of California, San Francisco, research has shown a clear link between stress and reduced immune system function; stress can cause lack of appetite, interfere with sleep patterns, and cause other negative impacts on your health. Some effective ways to manage stress include yoga, meditation, exercise, and counseling. For best results, talk to your doctor before starting any exercise program.

Consider Acupuncture

Many HIV patients opt for complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) such as acupuncture to treat symptoms of the disease and the side effects of HIV medications, including fatigue and stomachaches. Acupuncture, the practice of inserting very thin needles into specific points in the body, has also been shown to boost immune function. One way acupuncture may do this is by reducing stress. In one study done at the Boston University School of Public Health, HIV patients who were treated with acupuncture reported feeling more relaxed, peaceful, and calm.

Travel With Caution

Because people with HIV have weakened immune systems, they have to be especially careful about the food and water they ingest when traveling. While food-borne illnesses can be unpleasant and even dangerous for people who don’t have HIV, they can lead to severe complications and even death in people with HIV or AIDS. It’s best to avoid visiting developing countries where food and water safety can be more difficult to ensure and rates of transmittable diseases are higher. And be sure to talk to your doctor before you travel anywhere to get extra supplies of your HIV medications as well as medical advice.

Watch Your Skin

Skin problems are often among the earliest signs of HIV infection — HIV patients frequently have simultaneous or persistent skin infections. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, common skin conditions in those with HIV include psoriasis, hives, shingles, and impetigo, to name just a few. Kaposi's sarcoma, a rare form of skin cancer, can also affect people with AIDS.

See Your Gynecologist Regularly

HIV raises a woman’s risk of developing cervical cancer, so women with HIV should have regular Pap smears to test for any signs of the condition. Currently, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists suggests that women with HIV get two Pap smears in the year right after an HIV diagnosis and then one Pap smear every year after that. Women with HIV are also more likely to develop recurrent and more aggressive forms of yeast infections and pelvic inflammatory disease.

Take Your Medication on Time

Many studies have shown a link between adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) — taking prescribed HIV medications on schedule and as prescribed by a doctor — and an increase in T cells. Other studies have shown that adherence to ART is second only to T-cell count in predicting an HIV patient’s prognosis. Skipping doses of medication or not taking HIV medication on time has been shown to increase the likelihood of hospitalization, the progression of HIV to AIDS, and even death. Work with your doctor to come up with the right combination of medications for your current needs.

Learn All You Can About HIV

Empower yourself and take control of your condition by learning as much as you can about HIV and AIDS. There are many resources available: Start by talking to your doctor. Check out government Web sites such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health: AIDS Info. Your doctor may also be able to refer you to support groups to talk to other HIV patients in your area, and there are online HIV support groups as well. 

Experimental Treatment May Help Fight Deadly Ebola Virus

Therapy led to recovery in nearly half of study animals up to 5 days after infection

 An experimental treatment for the deadly Ebola virus proved effective in about half of monkeys with disease symptoms, findings that show promise for the development of therapies for humans, according to researchers.

The death rate for people infected with the Ebola virus is as high as 90 percent, and the virus has caused numerous deaths in Africa over the past several years. In addition to being a health concern, the virus is also considered a potential bioterrorism threat.

In this study, researchers gave the treatment, called MB-003, intravenously to monkeys 104 to 120 hours after they were infected with the Ebola virus and had developed symptoms. Forty-three percent of the monkeys recovered, according to the study published online Aug. 21 in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

The MB-003 "cocktail" is made up of so-called monoclonal antibodies, which are able to recognize infected cells and trigger the immune system to destroy them, explained study first author James Pettitt, of the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, and colleagues.

No side effects of the antibodies were observed in the surviving monkeys, the study authors noted in an institute news release.

In previous research, the same team found that the treatment provided 100 percent protection when given one hour after Ebola exposure, and protected two-thirds of monkeys who were treated 48 hours after exposure.

The next step in the drug development process would be more extensive testing of the safety of the antibodies in animals. After that, the safety of the antibodies would need to be assessed in people.

Currently, there are no approved vaccines or drugs to treat or prevent Ebola virus infection. And while the findings of the new study are promising, scientists note that research involving animals often fails to produce similar results in humans.

Flu Virus May Trigger Diabetes

Italian researchers have discovered that the flu virus may trigger the onset of type 1 diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes, once known as juvenile diabetes, affects as many as 3 million Americans, most of them diagnosed as children. Type 1 diabetes develops when the body’s immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells found in the pancreas. The condition is genetic, but an environmental trigger is also necessary for it to appear.

Researchers have suspected the flu virus might provide this trigger since the 1970s, because type 1 diabetes often sets in after an infection.

Study author Ilaria Capua and her team from the World Organization for Animal Health infected turkeys with the flu to test their theory that it could trigger diabetes. They conducted the study on turkeys because they knew birds with the flu often have an inflamed pancreas, according to New Scientist. They found that many of the turkeys infected with flu virus developed severe pancreatic damage, as well as diabetes.

The researchers then infected human pancreatic tissue with two common flu viruses and found that both viruses grew well in the tissue. The flu virus in the pancreatic cells triggered production of inflammatory chemicals that are central to the autoimmune reactions that lead to type 1 diabetes.

Normally, in humans, the virus attacks the lungs and gut, but not typically the pancreas. But it can sometimes get into the blood and travel to the pancreas, researchers said.

Capua is now testing the dibates-producing effects of the flu on mice, according to the New Scientist.

“Our findings indicate that influenza infection may play a role as a causative agent of pancreatitis and diabetes in humans and other mammals,” the study authors concluded in their report.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Infection - What Increases Your Risk

Most people get HIV by having unprotected sex with someone who has HIV. Another common way of getting the virus is by sharing needles with someone who is infected with HIV when injecting drugs.

You have an increased risk of becoming infected with HIV through sexual contact if you:

    Have unprotected sex (do not use condoms).
    Have multiple sex partners.
    Are a man who has sex with other men.
    Have high-risk partner(s) (partner has multiple sex partners, is a man who has sex with other men, or injects drugs).
    Have or have recently had a sexually transmitted infection, such as syphilis or active herpes.

People who inject drugs or steroids, especially if they share needles, syringes, cookers, or other equipment used to inject drugs, are at risk of being infected with HIV.

Babies who are born to mothers who are infected with HIV are also at risk of infection.
What to think about

HIV may be spread more easily in the early stage of infection, and again later, when symptoms of HIV-related illness develop.

The risk of getting HIV from a blood transfusion or organ transplant is extremely low because all donated blood and organs in the United States are screened for HIV.

Ways HIV cannot be spread

HIV does not survive well outside the body. So HIV cannot be spread through casual contact with an infected person, such as by sharing drinking glasses or by casual kissing. HIV is not transmitted through contact with an infected person's saliva, sweat, tears, urine, or feces, or through insect bites.
Contagious and incubation period

The incubation period—the time between when a person is first infected with HIV and when early symptoms develop—may be a few days to several weeks.

It can take as little as 2 weeks or as long as 6 months from the time you become infected with HIV for the antibodies to be detected in your blood. This is commonly called the "window period," or seroconversion period. During the window period, you are contagious and can spread the virus to others. If you think you have been infected with HIV but you test negative for it, you should be tested again. Tests at 6, 12, and 24 weeks can be done to be sure you are not infected.

After you become infected with HIV, your blood, semen, or vaginal fluids should always be considered infectious, even if you receive treatment for the HIV infection.

The Shingles Care Plan: Treating the Virus and Its Symptoms

A shingles care plan involves treating the causes as well as the rash, itching, pain, and other symptoms.


Shingles causes a blistering rash that runs along one half of the body in a belt-like fashion. The rash is caused by the reactivation of the chickenpox virus, varicella zoster, which can lie dormant for years in the nerve tissue of a person who has had chickenpox. Once the virus reawakens, it spreads up the nerve fibers to the skin and produces the telltale rash of shingles.

An appropriate shingles care plan will employ multiple strategies to help you overcome the varicella zoster virus and cope with the symptoms. You can take medications to help boost your immune system, and relieve the pain and itching associated with the rash, and topical treatments for shingles will soothe the rash directly. Your shingles doctor will most likely be your primary care physician. It is important that you see your doctor as soon as possible after possible shingles symptoms appear so you can get treatment that will effectively reduce the duration of your shingles rash. More severe cases may require shingles treatment from a dermatologist, who can help treat the rash and skin infections, or a neurologist, who can deal with severe or chronic nerve pain.

What to Expect at the Doctor’s Office

There is no immediate cure for shingles. The disease will have to run its course. However, there are a number of medical treatments proven to relieve symptoms and fight the varicella zoster virus:

    Antiviral medications. If you get to your doctor within 72 hours of first developing a shingles rash, he or she can reduce the length of your shingles infection by days through the use of antiviral medications. Antivirals are the first line of shingles treatment.
    Tricyclic antidepressants. These prescription drugs have been proven effective in dulling the pain associated with shingles. They also reduce your chances of developing postherpetic neuralgia, a shingles complication that causes continued pain even after the rash has cleared.
    Opioids. Drugs like oxycodone, morphine, and codeine can relieve shingles pain.
    Steroids. Anti-inflammatory medications like corticosteroids can reduce the swelling of the shingles rash and lower the intensity and duration of your pain symptoms.

Your doctor will create a shingles care plan for you and prescribe medications based on a number of factors, including:

    Your age and overall health
    How advanced your shingles infection is
    Your medical history and proven tolerance for different medications and therapies
    How your shingles is likely to evolve over time
    What you are willing to do to treat your shingles

At-Home Shingles Care

In addition to the medication that your doctor probably prescribed, much of shingles treatment involves home health care you can do for yourself to relieve your symptoms and prevent complications:

    Get plenty of rest. The shingles virus is opportunistic and flourishes when your immune system is compromised. Rest is critical to strengthen your immune response to the disease.
    Drink plenty of fluids. Dry skin can cause your shingles rash to become more irritated. Staying hydrated helps keep your skin from drying out.
    Use soothing skin care. Calamine lotion or other soothing lotions can help treat some of the itching and burning from your rash.
    Take over-the-counter pain relievers. Medications like aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen are recommended for relieving itching, burning, and pain.
    Apply cold compresses. A clean cloth soaked in cold water or an astringent cooling agent can soothe your rash.
    Practice good hygiene. Bathe yourself daily to reduce your chance of bacterial infection.
    Clip your fingernails. Keeping your nails clean and trimmed will reduce scratching, which can cause scarring and infection.

Call your doctor if there is any change in your condition — for example, if your rash continues to spread or if your pain increases. The physician will be able to adjust your shingles care plan accordingly and keep you on the road to recovery.

Treating Meningitis With Corticosteroids

Early treatment of meningitis with steroids may prevent some common meningitis complications.

Prompt treatment of meningitis with steroids, such as dexamethasone may prevent two common complications associated with the condition, hearing loss and seizures. But the use of steroids in meningitis treatment is not without controversy. Some experts advocate their use, while others disagree.

Using Steroids to Treat Meningitis

Bacterial meningitis inflames the tissues and fluid around the brain, often creating pressure within the brain. Seizures may occur because of this increased pressure and inflammation. Also, this inflammation and pressure can damage the nerves coming from the brain stem that control hearing, causing hearing loss. Steroids reduce inflammation and pressure within the brain, thus lessening a person's risk of having seizures and hearing problems.

“A number of studies have shown that when steroids are given along with antibiotics, there’s a lower risk of hearing loss,” says Nathan Litman, MD, director of pediatric infectious diseases at Children’s Hospital at Montefiore Medical Center in Bronx, New York. Studies have also found that meningitis treatment with steroids significantly reduce the risk of death in adults.

When Are Steroids Used for Meningitis?

To be helpful, a steroid must be given right away. “They need to be administered at the same time that antibiotics are started,” says Dr. Litman. “If you wait eight to 12 hours, that’s too late.”

That’s because steroids work by halting the body’s inflammatory response. This will help prevent swelling and pressure in the brain and subsequent neurological complications. “Once hearing is lost due to meningitis, it’s usually irreversible,” says Litman.

Most children and adults of all ages can take steroids — the only exception is very young babies. Infants six weeks and younger are not likely to be treated with steroids because this meningitis treatment hasn’t been studied in this age group.

Pros of Steroid Treatment

A number of studies have shown that meningitis treatment with steroids clearly reduces the chance of deafness, and may lessen mortality as well.

In one review of 18 of those studies involving 2,750 patients, steroids appeared to reduce the risk of severe hearing loss in children. Additionally, an earlier study published in the British Medical Journal found that death among adult meningitis patients taking steroids was less than half that of patients not receiving steroids. Study results have been mixed regarding fatality reductions in children, however. 
Cons of Steroid Treatment

Corticosteroids can have adverse effects, including:

    Bleeding in the stomach
    Elevation of blood sugar
    Fluid retention
    Sleeping issues
    Mood swings
    Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)

There’s also concern that meningitis treatment with steroids could interfere with the body’s ability to recover from non-bacterial types of meningitis, such as meningitis caused by viruses or fungi.

“If it turns out that if it’s not bacterial meningitis, treatment with steroids could potentially do some harm,” says Litman. When test results rule out bacterial meningitis, steroids are typically stopped. Some doctors are also concerned that steroids could decrease the penetration of antibiotics into the fluid around the brain and spinal cord where bacteria reside, but not all experts agree about this.

But, depending on the patient, meningitis treatment with steroids may be warranted.

“From my perspective, the benefits of using steroids outweigh the potential risks, especially if given for a short period of time,” says Litman. Research on the use steroids to treat meningitis is continuing at a number of medical centers around the country.