Causes And Transmission Of Cononaviruses

Viruses are nasty little things. They travel in all sorts of ways and wreak havoc on the bodies that they infect. They are difficult to defeat once your body is infected, so it is essential to understand not just what they are, but how they’re transmitted as well. This knowledge can help you prevent illness in yourself and others. It is always essential to take precautions for yourself and esspecitally to prevent the transmission of viruses to highly susceptible populations, such as the very young, very old, and individuals who are already sick with another illness that compromises their immune systems. Coronaviruses are especially common and important to understand.

Group Of Viruses

Coronaviruses are not just one type of virus, but a group of viruses that cause a variety of illnesses. They are named for the 'corona' or 'crown' of protrusions on the surface of the virus. They affect the respiratory systems of mammals most often, but they can cause gut troubles as well. Six coronaviruses affect humans currently known to scientists, one of which causes the common cold. Coronaviruses are also responsible for Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). The six coronaviruses that affect humans often go through mutations as they spread across the population, making it possible for individuals to be infected and reinfected by the same basic type of coronavirus that has mutated since the last time the individual was infected.

Prevention is the key to stopping the spread of these infections, and understanding how they spread is the key to prevention.