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Mar 23, 2020 · Dr. Neal Patel, a Mayo Clinic pulmonary and critical care medicine specialist, says that like most viruses, the virus that causes COVID-19 enters the body when you breathe it in through the mouth or nose. It also may enter through the eyes.
- Mayo Clinic Q&A Podcast: Mental Health and Coping During Covid-19 Crisis
Continuous news coverage about the COVID-19 (coronavirus)...
- Neal M. Patel, M.D
Resident Internal Medicine, Programs in Florida, Mayo School...
- Mayo Clinic Q&A Podcast: Mental Health and Coping During Covid-19 Crisis
Dec 29, 2022 · Find out how the coronavirus can affect the body in mild and severe cases. In severe cases, coronaviruses can lead to more serious symptoms, including organ failure and trouble breathing.
- What COVID-19 Can Do. Doctors continue to learn about the short-term and long-term effects of COVID-19 on your body. For some people, It starts with basic flu symptoms.
- How It Spreads. Usually the virus makes contact with you when a nearby infected person sends droplets into the air by coughing, sneezing, or talking.
- Upper Respiratory Infection. Once the virus enters the body, it usually settles in the cells that line your nose, sinus cavity, and throat. For most people, this is where it stays.
- Other Common Symptoms. The first symptoms that typically appear include a fever, headache, sore throat, and dry cough. But what you'll feel can vary widely in this early stage.
- Overview
- General effects of coronaviruses
- COVID-19
- The common cold
- SARS
- MERS
- Treatment
- Outlook
Coronaviruses can cause a wide range of illnesses, including the common cold and COVID-19. These typically affect the respiratory system, but they can affect other systems, too.
Coronaviruses are present in many species, including camels and bats. Some of these viruses can infect humans, and some of the illnesses that they cause can be deadly.
A person might have a higher risk of developing severe symptoms if they are older, have a weakened immune system, or have another health condition.
In humans, coronaviruses can cause the common cold, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS).
A coronavirus also causes coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19). This illness results from an infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This virus is responsible for an ongoing pandemic and more than 2 million deaths so far.
Below, we explore how coronaviruses affect the body and take a close look at specific illnesses, including COVID-19.
Viruses work by hijacking cells. They enter host cells and reproduce, then spread to new cells throughout the body.
As pathogens that the body does not recognize, viruses trigger an immune response. This can cause inflammation and other effects.
Coronaviruses are large, single-stranded RNA viruses with crown-like protein spikes on their surfaces. These spikes help them attach to and enter cells.
Coronaviruses spread among people through droplets from coughs, sneezes, or breathing. The droplets may land on another person on an item such as a door handle. If someone else touches the handle, the virus may pass on to them if they touch their mouth, nose, or eyes.
Once inside the body, coronaviruses mostly affect the respiratory system, including the nose and lungs. However, some viruses and the immune reaction they trigger can have a wider impact.
Where did COVID-19 come from, and how does it spread?
After exposure to SARS-CoV-2, a person is at risk of developing COVID-19. Someone with the infection may or may not have symptoms.
Like other coronaviruses, SARS-CoV-2 appears to pass from person to person through respiratory droplets. Once inside the body, it primarily affects the lungs.
In 2–14 days, the following symptoms may develop:
•a persistent cough
•shortness of breath
•pain and tightening in the chest
More than 200 viruses can cause a cold, including some coronaviruses.
The symptoms mainly involve the upper respiratory tract and can include:
•nasal congestion
•a runny nose
•sneezing
•a temporary reduction in the sense of taste and smell
A coronavirus also causes SARS, a serious illness that emerged in China in 2003 and spread to more than 30 countries before being contained.
Symptoms of SARS include:
•a fever
•a cough
•shortness of breath, in 70% of cases
•chills
MERS appeared in 2012 in Saudi Arabia and caused severe respiratory symptoms. It was fatal in around 30–40% of cases, mostly among people with an underlying illness or weakened immune system.
Symptoms usually appeared 5–6 days after exposure but this could range from 2–14 days.
A person with MERS may have:
•a fever
•a cough, with or without thick mucus
•shortness of breath
There is currently no cure for any viral infection. The best treatment for the illnesses above depends on the type of coronavirus responsible, the specific symptoms and their severity, and the drugs available.
Viruses do not respond to antibiotics. Doctors recommend managing the symptoms of these infections at home, if possible, using over-the-counter pain relief and cough medications.
They may also recommend antiviral or other medications to slow the progression of the disease and reduce the risk of severe symptoms.
Anyone with complications or severe symptoms may need care in a hospital, including:
•oxygen therapy and breathing assistance
•drugs to reduce inflammation, such as corticosteroids
Coronaviruses are responsible for several illnesses, ranging from the common cold to COVID-19.
These viruses usually cause respiratory symptoms, such as a cough, and signs of an infection, such as a fever and fatigue. However, they can also affect many of the body’s systems. In some cases, they cause fatal illness.
- Aaron Kandola
Mar 1, 2020 · The area you injured will become red and swell as an army of beneficial white blood cells flow in to fight infection and help you heal. The same response occurs in other parts of your body when you encounter a virus or infection. But sometimes this immune response occurs when it shouldn't.
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Aug 23, 2024 · COVID-19 can have lasting symptoms that affect many parts of the body. Learn more about the symptoms and effects of long COVID.
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Sep 23, 2021 · Print. Table of Contents. View All. General Symptoms. Respiratory. Urinary. Brain and Spinal Cord. Blood. An infection is the invasion of the body by a disease-causing organism called a pathogen. Infections can be caused by a wide range of pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites, and can develop in any organ system of the body.
