Airborne diseases

The current coronavirus pandemic has brought our attention to airborne diseases and how to prevent the contagion. Even though coronavirus is not airborne, as several studies have shown, it raised awareness to them. As the name says, airborne diseases are transmitted through the air.

Some airborne diseases are:

The common cold. 

It is common because it affects millions of people worldwide each year. The common cold is caused by rhinovirus and it is the main cause of absence from schools and workplaces.

Influenza.

The flu is quite common and has been the protagonist in previous pandemics, such as the H1N1 outbreak years ago or the super deadly Spanish flu that killed over 50 million people in 1918. Influenza viruses mutate continuously, which is why vaccination happens yearly.

Chickenpox.

This disease is characterized by high fever, flu-like symptoms, hearing aches, and hives all over the body. Chickenpox is most common in childhood and it typically attacks only once, though it can resurface in adulthood in the form of shingles. There is a vaccine for chickenpox, and it is highly advisable.

Mumps.

This viral ailment has practically disappeared due to vaccination, hopefully, it won't resurface due to the anti-vax movement.

Measles.

Measles is a very contagious disease; it is a leading cause of death for children all over the world. Vaccination is the most successful preventive measure against measles. It is calculated that it prevented 23 million deaths from 2000 to 2018.

Whooping Cough.

Another viral disease that has resurfaced due to the lack of vaccination.  It causes swelling of the airways that result in persistent cough.

Tuberculosis.

This disease is mostly eradicated thanks to vaccination campaigns throughout the world. This bacterial disease is very hard to get, you have to be in close contact with someone who has it for a very long time. This disease can appear after a few days or maybe years after exposure. 

This disease affects most people with weakened immune systems.

Diphtheria.

This disease damages the respiratory system, the heart, kidneys, and nerves. It is eradicated and as few as five cases have been reported in the U.S.

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Why do we lose our sense of smell with viruses like coronavirus?

 

We've all had colds or the flu, with the annoying symptom of losing the sense of smell and taste. But why does this happen?

There are different stages in a viral infection, in the acute one (where the onset of the disease is at its peak) a patient may experience nasal congestion and blockage caused by nasal obstruction.

This temporary loss of taste and smell gets better as people recover from the viral infection.

However, 1% of the patients have persistent loss of smell and taste. Studies have shown that residual viral processes affect the protein secreting glands, which causes persistent loss of these senses.

Scientists don't know the dynamics of this viral process yet, but it is estimated to affect as many as 3 million people yearly in the U.S.

The coronavirus pandemic opened new subjects of investigation about viruses and how they affect the senses of smell and taste. 

A recent study associates post viral olfactory loss to other cranial neuropathies. Viruses affect various nerves in our cranium, many of which control hearing and smell, as well as facial motion.

It comes down to an inflammatory process that affects the nerves.  In the case of COVID 19, smell loss is an early sign of the disease, it could be the only one. 

The pandemic has also forced doctors to re-evaluate the treatment of olfactory dysfunction patients because the usual prescription of steroids is harmful if it is COVID 19. 

If you experience loss of smell, seek medical attention promptly, and get tested for COVID 19, in different circumstances you could have any respiratory illnesses, but given the situation, it is safe to assume it is COVID.

As with every illness, the sooner you get treatment, the better. If you wait too long, there is very little the doctors can do.

Research shows that coronavirus doesn't affect olfactory sensory neurons because they don't have the ACE2 gene that enables the virus to enter human cells, but it attacks two other types of cells that have the gene and that feed and support the neurons.

This is good news; it means coronavirus won't permanently damage olfactory neurons and people will recover their sense of smell.

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