2023-07-19 04:30:22
Many people believe that there are practically no colds in summer, but this is a myth.
It is even easier to get sick in summer than in winter or autumn. Why viruses and microbes love the summer heat so much and how to protect yourself from illness, expert Elena Pitirimova, pulmonologist, allergist-immunologist at the SM Clinic in St. Petersburg, told Doctor Peter.
Where do summer pneumonias come from?
An inflammatory process in which a certain area, lobe or even one lung is affected is possible at any time of the year. Pneumonia can occur due to the ingress of infectious agents – viruses or bacteria. In rare cases, inflammation is possible due to non-infectious factors, such as allergens.
Contrary to popular misconception, not all pathogens die at high air temperatures. On the contrary, some respiratory viruses are activated precisely against the background of heat. Among them are enteroviruses and some varieties of parainfluenza viruses.
Air conditioners, which are actively used in the heat, also pose a danger. And not only in terms of hypothermia. Condensation, which first accumulates in the air conditioner and then heats up, is fertile ground for the reproduction of pathogenic bacteria that can cause pneumonia.
Decreased immunity after the off-season
In summer, respiratory infections are most often picked up by those people who have already suffered viral diseases during the off-season. Their immunity does not have time to return to normal, because of which the body is more vulnerable to re-infection.
Sudden temperature changes
In the heat, you especially want to cool off – drink something cold, sit in a draft after returning from a stuffy street, take an icy shower. A sip of cold lemonade or a serving of ice cream will not harm a healthy person, but if there are problems with immune defense, they can cause hypothermia.
A sharp change in temperature reduces local immunity at the level of the respiratory system, which increases the risk of viruses and bacteria entering the body. This is especially true for people with chronic ENT diseases and everyone who often suffers from runny noses or sore throats.
Vacation dangers
A long-awaited vacation at sea can also turn into pneumonia. Too abrupt change in climate or time zones weakens the body’s defenses. At the same time, in the southern countries and regions, their pathogenic microorganisms, which are not always familiar to humans, can be distributed. Contact with them can cause an unpredictable reaction of the body. You can also become infected during long flights in airplanes or train rides.
We must not forget about chronic herpesvirus infection, which is exacerbated just against the background of temperature changes. Often, it is on vacation at sea that a cold appears on the lips, although, it would seem, nothing foreshadowed trouble. This should be taken care of in advance and conduct a course of antiviral treatment before the holidays.
Returning to familiar climatic conditions is no less dangerous, especially if it rains and is cool at home. The body has to drastically rebuild, which also reduces immunity.
Difficulties in treatment
In summer, respiratory infections are more difficult to tolerate than in winter. Heat disrupts a person’s natural thermoregulation, making it harder for the body to deal with high body temperature. As a result, ordinary SARS can be more severe and with higher risks of pneumonia and other complications.
How not to get sick in the summer?
Do not forget about personal hygiene: wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly, and do not forget to wash your hands regularly. Especially if you have a long trip ahead of you. In hot weather, given the activity of viruses, the chances of getting infected in a train car or airport increase dramatically.
Maintain a comfortable temperature in the room – optimally at the level of + 21 … + 22 degrees. If the windows face the sunny side, and the house warms up quickly, try to use thick curtains, and open the windows only in the evening when it gets cold outside. This will help maintain a comfortable microclimate and prevent the reproduction of viruses and bacteria in the room.
Do not get carried away with cold drinks and ice cream, especially with a predisposition to ENT diseases.
Opt for fans over air conditioners to avoid sudden temperature changes.
Take care of your immunity in advance. It is necessary to strengthen the immune defense throughout the year. To do this, it is important to monitor nutrition, exercise regularly and walk more often in the fresh air.
Modern medicine does not stand still and is constantly evolving. Read in the gallery about the main medical discoveries of the XXI century:
Two of the three types of polio have been eradicated; the last one is coming. Following the type 2 poliovirus, officially declared eradicated in 2015, type 3 virus ceased to exist on October 24, 2019. The last case of infection was recorded in 2012 in Nigeria. All of this has been made possible by the widespread use of vaccines since the 1950s.
Source: Andrew Wyeth. World of Christina. 1948/wikimedia.org/CC0
Artificial intelligence has learned to predict the structure of proteins. The ability to predict, simply from the sequence of amino acids, what the three-dimensional structure of any protein, of which there are hundreds of thousands in the human body, will not only revolutionize biology, it opens up new possibilities for drug development and the treatment of many diseases.
Source: unsplash.com/CC0
Malaria will be defeated. Malaria could be completely eradicated by 2050, according to The Lancet. As one of the decisive measures, it is proposed to change the DNA of mosquitoes, which will lead to their infertility or make them resistant to malarial plasmodia.
Source: pxhere.com/CC0
CRISPR/Cas9 is a genome editing technology that allows it to be adapted for treatment. Theoretically, it will make it possible to better study the course of various complex diseases and “reprogram” the diseased organism for recovery.
Source: unsplash.com/CC0
Creation of antibodies for viral diseases. Laboratory-created monoclonal antibodies have already revolutionized the treatment of autoimmune diseases and certain types of cancer, but so far their use for treating infections has been limited.
Source: unsplash.com/CC0
HIV and AIDS are on the decline. The effectiveness of modern ARV therapy has already been proven, and in recent years several patients from different countries have been completely freed from the diagnosis.
Source: unsplash.com/CC0
First coronavirus vaccines in record time. The way humanity reacted to the coronavirus pandemic, of course, cannot be called a standard – but thanks to the active work of the scientific community, it was possible to create effective vaccines very quickly.
Source: unsplash.com/CC0
Cancer has been identified through a blood test. In 2020, trials of a universal blood test started in the UK, which allows to detect up to 50 types of cancer at an early stage. The study will be completed in 2023, and if it shows its effectiveness, then by the middle of the decade, blood tests for cancer will become massive.
Source: pxhere.com/CC0
Hepatitis C has become completely curable. Literally over the past few years, the effectiveness of drugs from the “gentle killer” has approached 100%. Such progress came with the introduction of interferon-free treatment regimens.
Source: unsplash.com/CC0
Alzheimer’s disease will learn to predict. Alzheimer’s blood test is another small medical revolution of 2020. Scientists have learned to identify the relevant biomarkers in blood plasma about four years before the onset of the first symptoms of the disease, which means that such a blood test can be included in annual medical examination programs and recommendations for patients.
Source: unsplash.com/CC0
What are some very simple habits that will keep you healthy for years to come? Watch in the video:
See also: How to overcome post-vacation laziness and get involved in work: 6 steps
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