The scientist explained what is hidden behind the concept of “silent virus”

Brief retelling from RIA II

"Silent virus" is a common name for a number of common seasonal respiratory infections.

Such infections include metapneumovirus, adenovirus, respiratory syncytial virus and a number of seasonal coronaviruses.

You can protect yourself from seasonal infections if you carefully observe hand hygiene and use a medical mask in public places during the season of rising incidence.

PERM, October 2 - RIA Novosti. The so-called “silent virus,” which manifests itself in a person as severe sore throat, cough and weakness without fever, is not a new pathogen, it is a common name for a number of common seasonal respiratory infections, Valery Litvinov, candidate of medical sciences, senior researcher at Perm Polytechnic University, told RIA Novosti.

According to him, now social networks often report on a new infection, which does not include fever, but at the same time makes itself felt with severe sore throat, dry cough and noticeable weakness. The name they use for it is “silent virus.”

“Silent virus” - there is no one new pathogen behind it. A similar picture occurs with a number of seasonal respiratory viruses, for which the absence of temperature is a completely possible course of action. We are talking about metapneumovirus, adenovirus, coronavirus and a number of others,” the agency’s interlocutor said.

He clarified that metapneumovirus affects the respiratory tract and gastrointestinal tract and is transmitted by airborne droplets and contact. Adenovirus affects the tonsils, eyes, intestines, and bladder. It is transmitted from a sick person to a healthy person through coughing, dishes, water, and shared towels. Respiratory syncytial virus causes only a mild cold in adults, but can cause severe complications in infants.

“The same list includes a number of seasonal coronaviruses. Their symptoms include a dry cough, nasal congestion, loss of smell and taste, shortness of breath, weakness, fatigue, muscle pain, and possible gastrointestinal lesions... However, they can cause a cytokine storm - an aggressive immune response that attacks the infection, but at the same time begins to destroy its own tissues,” Litvinov explained.