What are the infectious diseases in spring? Early knowledge and early prevention

Spring is the season when all things come back to life, but it is also the time when various pathogens spread rampantly. Although we cannot prevent the occurrence of infectious diseases, we can take precautions and prepare by understanding what infectious diseases there are in spring. In fact, infectious diseases in spring are generally divided into only four types: influenza, meningitis, measles, and chickenpox.

1. Flu (influenza)

Influenza, also known as influenza, is an acute respiratory infectious disease caused by influenza virus. It is highly contagious and its incidence ranks first among infectious diseases.

The incubation period is 1-3 days. The main symptoms are fever, headache, runny nose, sore throat, dry cough, muscle and joint pain all over the body, etc. The fever usually lasts for 3-4 days. It may also manifest as more severe pneumonia or gastrointestinal influenza.

The main sources of infection are patients and asymptomatic carriers, and the infectious period is 1 week. The main transmission route is direct transmission through airborne droplets, but it can also be indirectly transmitted through objects contaminated by the virus. The general population is susceptible to influenza.

2. Meningococcal meningitis

Abbreviated as meningococcal disease, it is an acute respiratory infectious disease caused by meningococci and is highly contagious.

The early stages of meningococcal disease are similar to those of a cold, with symptoms such as runny nose, cough, headache, fever, etc. After the bacteria enter the cerebrospinal fluid, the headache worsens, and serious symptoms such as drowsiness, neck stiffness, projectile vomiting, coma and shock occur.

The main sources of infection are patients or carriers, and the main route of transmission is direct transmission through airborne droplets. The incubation period is generally 2-3 days, and the longest is one week. The general population is susceptible, and it is more common in young children.

3. Measles

An acute infectious disease caused by measles virus, with an incubation period of 8-12 days and can usually be cured in about 10 days. Typical clinical symptoms can be summarized as "three, three, three", namely:

Prodromal period: 3 days before the rash appears, a moderate fever of about 38 degrees appears, accompanied by cough, runny nose, tearing, photophobia, and grayish white spots appear on the buccal mucosa (this is a characteristic);

The rash lasts for three days: On the 4th to 5th day of the disease, the body temperature rises to about 40 degrees, and the red maculopapular rash starts from the head and gradually spreads to the trunk, upper limbs, and lower limbs;

Three-day recovery period: 3-4 days after the rash appears, the body temperature gradually returns to normal, the rash begins to subside, and the skin remains with sugar bran-like desquamation and brown pigmentation.

Measles is transmitted through respiratory droplets, and the patient is the only source of infection. Lifelong immunity is conferred after the illness and secondary infection is extremely rare. People who have never had measles and have not been vaccinated against measles are generally susceptible, especially children aged 6 months to 5 years, who have the highest incidence rate (accounting for 90%), and the symptoms of infection in adults are more severe.

4. Chickenpox

It is a highly contagious disease caused by the varicella-zoster virus.

The typical clinical manifestation of chickenpox is low to moderate fever, followed by the rapid appearance of red maculopapular rashes in batches, which quickly develop into clear oval blisters. After 24 hours, the blisters become turbid and easily rupture, then shrink from the center and quickly form scabs. Clinically, papules, vesicles, and crusts often exist at the same time and are distributed centripetally, that is, first on the trunk, then on the head, face, and limbs, and less frequently on the hands and feet, and are itchy.

After receiving regular treatment, if there is no concurrent infection, it can usually be cured within 7-10 days. The main source of infection is patients. The transmission route is respiratory droplets and contact with eating utensils, toys, bedding and towels contaminated with varicella virus. The general population is susceptible, especially children. Because the disease is highly contagious, patients must be isolated early until all rashes are dry and crusted.