Viruses are in a class of their own, not quite alive and not quite dead. They are incapable of replicating without a host. There are numerous viruses around the world.
Common Cold
Also known as the rhinovirus, the common cold affects the upper respiratory system and has been around for thousands of years. It is a large inconvenience to one's daily schedule but is rarely deadly in a healthy individual.
Influenza
From avian to swine flu, influenza has been around for thousands of years and affects our health and way of living. The flu can range from mild, local cases to a pandemic in which thousands of people are infected and lives are lost. The goal is to make the correct vaccine each flu season for the immuno-compromised.
Chicken Pox
The varicella-zoster virus, responsible for chicken pox, is the most mild of the pox diseases. It causes lesions (pox) all over the skin that are associated with intense itching. Due to the concerted efforts of several global health groups and low-cost vaccines, such as small pox, chicken pox is on its way to being eradicated.
Rotavirus
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), rotavirus is the most common cause of severe diarrheal disease in infants and young children globally and accounts for more than half a million deaths a year due to severe dehydration. Vaccines are available, but the poor areas of the world have difficulty accessing this medicine.
Herpes
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), herpes is a sexually transmitted disease that affects one in five adults in the U.S. Both types I and II can be easily transmitted through direct contact with the lesions. The infected area develops blisters that erupt into painful ulcerations. Herpes infects nerves and has cycles of infection. These outbreaks can be mild to severe and last from two to three days to two to three weeks.
Hepatitis
Hepatitis types A through E are quite common, depending in what area of the world you live. Types A and B both have vaccines that are important to obtain. If a young child develops hepatitis B, he will be a carrier for life and infect others. The different types can be spread through improper food handling to needle sharing.
Yellow Fever
Spread by mosquitoes, yellow fever is a common problem in tropical areas of the world. It is named for the associated jaundice that can develop with it. There is a vaccine for yellow fever, but once a person is infected, there is no treatment. According to the WHO, of those individuals who enter the toxic phase, 50 percent die.
Encephalitis
Encephalitis means swelling around the brain. This can be caused by a virus or by bacteria. Most of the viral sources are transmitted by the bite of a mosquito. Most of the time, the condition is mild and causes headache and fever, but in 1 in 200 cases, it can cause rapid onset of fever, stiff neck, seizures and death. Survivors often have lasting nervous system problems. Fortunately, there is a vaccine for more common strains.
HIV/AIDS
HIV was first isolated in the early 80s but has been around far longer. It is a highly transmissible virus that can later develop into AIDS. It can sit quietly in the immune system living within our cells for many years. The virus can readily mutate from one person to another, making it hard to produce a vaccine.
Human Papillomavirus
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a common sexually transmitted disease that is hard to test for in men. It can be spread through oral, vaginal or anal sex. It is closely associated with genital warts but is also linked to cervical cancer in many countries. Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women worldwide. There is a vaccine for HPV.
