What are virus infections?

Virus infections are the usual causes of colds, coughs, fevers, rashes, most sore throats, most ear aches, influenza, gastro-enteritis, diarrhoea and vomiting. Colds are very common and the average adult has two to four colds each year, while children have an average of six to eight a year. Most colds last about seven days but some can last three weeks!

Other virus infections are measles, german measles (rubella), chickenpox, hepatitis, cold sores, and shingles. Most viral infections are mild and do not last long, but they can be very painful and make you feel very ill.

The usual viral illnesses have the following things in common:

• They are self limiting. They will get better without treatment.
• They are resistant to antibiotics. Antibiotics are of no help in treatment.
• The illness can be as painful as other infections.

What should you do if you have a viral illness?

• Keep yourself comfortable, warm and rested. It is natural to feel tired because your body is diverting its energies into defeating the virus. Give your body the rest it needs.
• Drink plenty of watery liquids and don't worry if your appetite for solid food is reduced.
• Take Paracetamol, or similar drugs, to help control aches, pains and fevers.
• Avoid taking antibiotics, which do not help.
• If you are asthmatic, bronchitic, diabetic, have a heart problem or some other reasons for frail health, you may need medical treatment at the start of a viral illness
• If you are usually healthy but after a few days your illness does not seem to be getting better or if you think you are developing a complication like bronchitis, an ear infection, pneumonia or sinusitis you should ask your doctor for more advice.
• You can certify your own absence from work for the first seven days, and do not need a doctor's certificate.

Will Antibiotics help?

These drugs are often used unnecessarily. Nine out of ten throat infections get better with no treatment within a week. Antibitotics should not be used for viral infections, but can be used for bacterial infections. Bacterial infections usually do respond to antibiotic treatment and an antibiotic may help you recover about a day more quickly than without antibiotics.
Antibiotic can have side effects and the common side effects with antibiotics are skin rashes, abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhoea.

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