Respiratory infections are the most common type of infection in humans. They are caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, or other microscopic organisms that enter the body through the nose, mouth, and throat. Respiratory infections can cause a wide range of symptoms including coughing, chest pain, difficulty breathing, fever, and chills plus sore throat. The effects of respiratory infections can be stopped or controlled through respiratory pathogen detection (RPD). RPD tests can help your medical director Dallas to determine if you have been exposed to an infection.
Here is everything you need to know about respiratory pathogen detection.
Conditions that can be diagnosed using respiratory pathogen detection include;
Influenza
Influenza is a respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. Symptoms include fever, aches, cough, sneezing, and runny nose. Influenza viruses typically cause less severe illness than influenza B viruses. CDC recommends annual vaccination against both types of flu to protect against the most common strains of the influenza virus.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)
SARS is a viral disease that causes fever, headache, and body aches in patients who have recently traveled to countries where SARS is occurring or has been reported. SARS can lead to serious pneumonia and kidney failure in some people who get it. CDC recommends that travelers to countries where SARS occurs receive vaccination against SARS if traveling to an area where there is active transmission of this disease within two weeks after being vaccinated.
Adenovirus
Adenovirus is the most common respiratory virus in children and young adults. It causes mild to moderate illness, including croup, bronchitis, and upper respiratory tract infections. It is often preceded by two weeks of upper respiratory symptoms, including cough and sneezing. The virus is spread from person to person via small droplets released from the nose or throat of an infected person.
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes a flu-like illness that affects the upper and lower respiratory tract, causing symptoms including cough and fever that last for several weeks after infection. RSV is easily transmitted from person to person via direct contact with infected secretions or by touching contaminated surfaces or objects such as doorknobs and toys.
Staphylococcus Aureus
It is another common cause of viral conjunctivitis in children under five years old, particularly those younger than one year old who have a history of frequent hand-to-mouth behavior or who cannot sit up without support due to developmental delay or disability.
Escheria coli (E. coli)
It is a Gram-negative bacteria that often cause diarrhea, urinary tract infections (UTIs), and other gastrointestinal disorders. The most common symptoms of E. coli infection are diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, fever, and chills. Some individuals may also experience nausea, headache, or joint pain.
Legionella pneumophila
Legionnaires’ disease is caused by Legionella pneumophila, a Gram-negative bacterium found in freshwater environments such as lakes, rivers, and hot springs. The bacterium infects humans through inhalation of aerosolized droplets containing the bacteria into the lungs, causing pneumonia and other serious diseases.
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