Jan 17, 2006
Flu is Not the Only Germ
Flu isn’t the only pathogenic threat at this time of year, according to a report on News Medical Net [link now defunct], metapneumovirus, rhinoviruses, coronaviruses, parainfluenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and others knock many of us for six each winter and are responsible for thousands of deaths. They don’t make the headlines because they’re not so easy to pronounce as “bird flu” nor is there anything particularly newsy about how you catch them (from doorknobs, faucets, and appliance handles, if you must know). They also lie dormant in your nose and lungs too waiting the right conditions to pounce. Despite their low profile, however, these are killer diseases that claim lives needlessly, while celebrity viruses such as H5N1 and SARS steal the headlines.
Interesting question. With spring on the way (for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere above the Tropic of Cancer, at least) we can look forward to the usual rounds of pathogens as at any time of year, including herpes, chlamydia, HIV, common cold, meningitis etc etc. I think we’re perhaps past the worst risk point for a flu epidemic or an outbreak of a newly evolved virus like another SARS, but you can never be too sure. However, watch out for my forthcoming feature article on the kinds of microbes that might attack when you’re on travelling.
Hello David ,
Your article – Flu is not the only germ – was particularly interesting. With Spring on the horizon and lot of outdoor activities, is there a listing of seasonal germs that we should be more aware of and attentive to stopping?