Dreadful BUGS on the skin

HERPES


Make no mistake about it. The chance of harboring this silent and resilient virus is high for most of us, young and old. Stop wondering where it came from and learn how to cope with it.

Herpes has been known for at least 2,000 years. It is said that Emperor Tiberius banned kissing in Rome for a time due to so many people having cold sores which are blisters around the mouth or on the lips - a common fact of life, related to neurological disorder. They are caused by Herpes Simplex Virus Type I, acquired mainly during childhood. 

Beside mouth lesion, infections also appear on the outer layers of the eye, especially the conjunctiva and cornea. This is transmitted by skin-to-skin contact, such as through infected saliva and direct contact with the sores. There is little risk as up to 80% of people would have antibodies against it by the time they reach adulthood. Anyway, such infections are rarely serious or fatal except when the virus attacks certain areas such as the brain in extremely ill or vulnerable people.

+ Type II is associated with genital herpes. It causes sores, blisters or a rash to form around the genitals 3-6 days after sexual contact. It becomes painful, especially when one is walking or urinating. It may last for 3 weeks or so and the sores heal without treatment. Then at unpredictable intervals, attacks are likely to recur, with each session lasting a few days to two weeks. The frequencies can vary with one's emotional stress, fever, premenstrual changes, sexual intercourse and other factors.

As with almost all sexually transmitted infections, women are more susceptible to acquiring genital herpes than men. They can be silent carrier of the disease with no noticeable symptoms if the infection is on the cervix.

Practicing safe sex and abstaining from skin-to-skin contact with herpes sores can help to prevent the spread of the infection. There is currently no cure for genital herpes. Even after fixing up the problem, attack may recur repeatedly.


Note: Cross-infections could occur from oral-genital contact, so that one can get type II infections of the mouth and Type I of the genitals.


How to keep the bug at bay -

• Triggers include sun exposure (especially ultra-violet B rays), stress and lowered immune system (eg. HIV and cancer-related immune suppression)
• While the virus can never be completely eradicated, anti-viral creams and oral anti-viral medications can shorten the duration of the attacks
•  Grab a cold drink and press it against the sore intermittently for 15 minutes for a quick relief
•  Garlic is proven to be a murder on pathogens including most viruses. It can be applied on both oral and genital herpes
•  Echinacea extract seems to be capable of eradicating oral herpes
• As the virus can survive for a brief time outside the body, beware of risks in sharing personal belongings or using toilet seats.
• For pregnant women with herpes, have regular tissue cultures taken during the final weeks before delivery. She can opt for vaginal delivery if no active sores are present in her vagina or labia. The danger of a baby born with fatal brain infection is high if precautions are not carefully observed.
• Large doses of the amino acid lysine (about 1000 mg per day) appear to promote healing.
  

Other noteworthy points -

1. Not to share items that come into contact with the mouth.
2. Practice good hygiene and hand-washing habits.
3. Avoid contact sports, kissing and touching the sores.
4. Do not consume citrus fruits and juices while the virus is active.
5. Foods with high level of the amino acid arginine should be avoided as it promotes outbreaks eg. chocolate, peanuts and soybeans.
6. Lysine is an amino acid from foods such as yogurt, fish, potatoes and brewer’s yeast which seems to inhibit the virus.
7. To avoid a nasty outbreak, alternative stress relief method such as yoga, taiqi or medication can quell tension and increase immune-system cells.

Fortunately for most people, episodes of active disease should reduce in frequency and severity over time.


As compared to HPV......


Another variation is genital warts generally caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV). There are about 100 different strains of HPV out there with more than 40 of them affecting the genitals like type 6 & 11. It has been found that half of all men could be an unwilling carrier for the genital strain without their knowledge. Research finding suggests men likely to catch HPV by having multiple sexual partners, regardless of sexual preference. Men of all age groups are at a high risk for catching new HPV infections throughout their life.


This is a sexually transmitted infection that has been linked to certain cancers like in high strain type 16 & 18 becoming cervical cancer amongst women who are constantly infected and in some instances - cancers of the penis, anus, vulva and vagina. Hence, women who have contracted the viru should have a Pap smear twice a year. This fast, simple and inexpensive test can help detect cervical cancer in its early stages, when it can almost always be cured. Note that this virus is capable of attacking any tissue and organ, including the brain.

Late treatment can be due to HPV being more difficult to diagnose than oral herpes, since most infected persons have no classical symptoms displayed for a prolonged period. Further confusing diagnosis may exhibit other conditions resembling genital herpes, including fungal infection, lichen planus, atopic dermatitis and urethritis.

Visible symptoms are as follows:
-  Itching and burning on the genitals, buttocks and upper thighs.
-  Flu-like symptoms (eg sore throat) and pain during urination.
-  Small growths or bumps that may grow together after 3 months to look like cauliflower and are often painless.


HPV infections can be prevented by practicing safe sex and receiving the HPV vaccine. The FDA-approved Gardasil vaccine could reduce the risk of contracting other sexually transmitted infections as well.


Upon contracting the virus, remedial actions to be taken include:

+ Apply topical creams, or destroy using liquid nitrogen, laser or an electric current.

+ Take raw garlic as it is known to contain both antibacterial and antiviral properties, either orally or crushed to apply on surrounding skin.

+ See a healthcare provider promptly as genital warts have been linked to cervical cancer. For larger warts CO2 laser surgery may be recommended. Do not attempt to cut or burn a wart off yourself.

+ Keep genital warts dry, do not rub or irritate it. Wear only cotton underwear. Avoid sexual intercourse until the warts are completely healed.

A word of caution. Virus remaining on the skin can re-enter the body if there is a cut. As the virus is difficult to be eradicated, always keep your immunity strong.


For most people who can endure the discomfort without treatment, the virus may drop off eventually but the time taken to clear varies. One study showed it took “significantly longer” for infections with any type of HPV to clear in men aged 18 to 30 than in other age groups.


HAND, FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE (HFMD)

This is an infectious disease caused by a family of viruses called Enteroviruses, particularly Coxsackie virus. Though it is moderately contagious, spreading through saliva, throat discharges, fluid from blisters, or stools of infected persons are all possibilities.

Who at risk?

2/3 of sufferers are children under 5 years old as their immunity tend to be lower.  Chance of adult affected is not high as their own immune system provide good defence.

What are the symptoms?

It starts with small ulcers appearing on the throat and tonsils, and rash with small blisters on the hands, (more on palm side), feet (more on the sole side) and diaper area. The rash may also be present on the buttocks, arms and legs. It does not itch and usually heal within a week.  The child may develop fever, lose appetite, have running nose and headache.

Complications?

Severe ulcers in the mouth can be very painful. This makes food and drink intake difficult and may result in dehydration. Persistent vomiting/diarrhea coupled with a reduced fluid intake worsens the condition.

The brain, lung or heart may be infected occasionally if contracted the fatal EV 71 strain with serious complications including:

• Severe headache, giddiness and neck stiffness
• Disorientation, drowsiness and/or irritability
• Fits
• Breathlessness or turning blue

During the 2000 and 2001 outbreak, it claimed seven children’ lives.

Treatable?

There is no specific treatment for the infection other than symptomatic relief of symptoms. No vaccine is available yet to combat the viruses and antibiotics is not effective. If you suspect your child has HFMD, please bring him/her to see the family doctor. Ease your child s discomfort and help your child recover :

• Encourage your child to drink plenty of fluids
• Change to a soft diet (e.g. porridge, pureed fruit) if the mouth ulcers are a problem
• Medications may be prescribed by the doctor to relieve fever and pain
• Ensure your child gets plenty of rest by keeping him/her at home
• Good air ventilation is important to prevent virus from easy contamination. 

OTHER PATHOGENS



Other types of pathogens can be critical, resulting in outbreak of chickenpox, shingles, auto-immune disorders, mononucleosis, bone cancer, chronic fatigue syndrome and infection of the lymphatic system. Patients with immature or suppressed immune systems, such as newborns, transplant recipients or AIDS patients are prone to severe complications from such infections.


For most people infections may have come and gone without any visible symptoms, and do not know that the virus is hibernating. In fact, it travels the nerve pathways and nests at the bundle of nerves at the base of the spine. For some people, the virus can lay dormant there until stress, illness or fatigue reactivates it, triggering a nerve response in the coronary artery that may lead to a dangerous clotting followed by a heart attack.


Conclusion


At the moment, the medical world has not found a cure for these bugs and may have to continue to depend on antibiotics. A good immune system can track down foreign particles and destroy it before they get to harm the body. Hence, keeping immunity strong is of paramount importance at all times.


VIVA corner

VIVAshield with its potent 4 in 1 antioxidants helps to prevent sores and inhibit the growth of the virus. VIVA Biogarlic has immune-enhancing properties and is a natural antibiotic against viral infection. VIVA Floraguard to repopulate the friendly bacterial in the guts for a stronger immune system.

VIVA Dailyguard offers a comprehensive nutritional package to cope with the stress the body is undergoing this trying period especially for those with weakening immune system.

VIVA Ageguard contains high content of lysine to aid in recovery.