Recent Viral Infections

During the last two to three months almost every one, old or young, male or female suffered from an illness which started suddenly with very high fever, chills, sore throat, body aches, weakness and dry cough, typical picture of a viral infection. Most of my patients before consulting me had already taken a course of any antibiotic available or suggested by somebody.

Dr. Munawar Aziz

To me this virus seemed related to covid-19 and some of the patients got positive rapid covid-19 as well. The news is that there might be some sporadic cases of less severe variant of covid-19 ,but i think the virus infecting the people all around the world is none other than, Human Metapneumovirus (hMPV).

Although other viral infections like H5N1 (bird flu )cases have been reported in the West but no part of the world is free of other viral infections as well, most common being Flu, Mpox in certain African areas and sporadic cases of chicken pox, measle, herpez simplex and herpez zoster etc. in our country.

All the viral infections require rest, lot of fluids in the form of plain water, fresh fruit juices, soups along with high protein diet like eggs, beef, meat and beans etc. and for fever simple Paracetamol, sponging with tepid water or a bath with Luke warm water. BUT NO ANTIBIOTICS.

It was observed that those who took antibiotic for a viral infection took longer time to recover and surprisingly those deficient in vitamin D levels also suffered the most and took longer time to recover.(food for thought for younger colleagues to do research on this subject) Human Metapneumovirus (hMPV) is a respiratory pathogen first identified in 2001. HMPV is closely related to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and primarily affects the respiratory system. The virus is a significant cause of upper and lower respiratory tract infections, particularly in infants, young children, the elderly, and immunocompromise individuals.

HMPV infections typically occur during late winter and early spring and present symptoms ranging from mild to severe. Common symptoms include cough, nasal congestion, fever, sore throat, and wheezing. In severe cases, particularly in vulnerable populations, it can lead to bronchiolitis, pneumonia, or acute respiratory distress. Transmission occurs through respiratory droplets or direct contact with contaminated surfaces.

Treatment already mentioned is primarily supportive, focusing on relieving symptoms and maintaining oxygenation. Preventive measures include good hand hygiene, avoiding close contact with infected individuals, and disinfecting surfaces.

Though hMPV is less well-known than RSV or influenza, it is increasingly recognized as a significant contributor to respiratory illnesses worldwide. Continued research is essential to develop effective vaccines and antiviral therapies to combat hMPV infections.
Antibiotic resistance is a worldwide problem, most important cause in our country is the availability of all antibiotics over the counter without any prescription, under dosage (weight and age wise, and premature stoppage of treatment), use of third line reserve antibiotics for simple infections by quakes of different types!

• Dr. Munawar Aziz
  Abbottabad, Pakistan.
  aziz.munawar@gmail.com