Carey Thomas John

RESPIRATORY TRACT INFECTIONS BY CAREY THOMAS Are you down with cold (cough) and you find it difficult to breathe? Do you also have symptoms of nose blockage, persistent cough and chest pains? This article is for you. An Infection occurs when a microorganism such as bacteria, fungi or a virus, enters a person's body and causes harm. However, our immune system is responsible for the fight against these organisms. The human immune system has a vital function of protecting the body from harmful substances, germs and cell changes, that could make a person ill. The immune system has to run smoothly. When it does, the human body cannot easily get ill. If it stops running (or working properly), it will be weak and too fragile to fight those organisms. Its functions are so important that it could even detect harmful substances from the environment and still neutralise it. It also fights cancer cells. Infections range from virus to bacteria and fungi. Viral infections invade a host and attach themselves to a cell. As they enter the cell, they release their genetic material. This genetic material forces the cell to replicate the virus, and the virus multiplies. There are trillions of strains of bacteria, and few cause diseases in humans. Some of them live inside the human body, such as in the gut or airways, without causing harm. Many fungal infections develop in the upper layers of the skin, and some progress to deeper layers. Inhaled yeast or mold spores can sometimes lead to fungal infections such as pneumonia, or infections throughout the body. These are also known as systematic infections. Respiratory Tract Infections are found in the Upper and Lower Respiratory parts of a human body. In general, it is involved in breathing - it affects the sinuses, throat, lungs or airways. Upper Respiratory Infection: This is found majorly in Nasal cavity, Pharynx and Larynx. They include; Common cold, Epiglottitis, Laryngitis, Pharyngitis (Sore throat) and Sinusitis (Sinus Infection). The upper respiratory infections are common and anyone is prone to getting it; everyone is at risk including children. Children are at higher risk because they are prone to having contact with another child who has the aforementioned infections. In other words, a child can have an upper respiratory infection by physical contact with an infected child. The reason behind children being at a high risk of getting infected is that they are most likely going to put their fingers in their eyes, nose and mouth after having physical contact, allowing the germs to spread so easily (the same will also apply to adults). Lower Respiratory Infection: This is found within the Trachea, Primary Bronchi and the Lungs. It affects the airways and the lungs. The lungs and respiratory system allow us to breathe, and if there are issues with it, it poses a dangerous threat to one's ability to breathe properly and freely. Hence, one of the symptoms of a lower respiratory infection is difficulty in breathing. A lower respiratory infection lasts longer and is more serious than the upper respiratory infection. For instance, a person might have a cough (either dry or a mucus-like substance comes out along with the cough) and despite the numerous amount of treatments, the cough refuses to stop. Ordinarily, such cough as a result of cold (for instance) should be treated for only a week. But for LRI, it'll take two weeks. Summarily, Respiratory Tract Infections are mostly caught during the winter, or when someone has cold. The best way to avoid its spread is to either wear a face mask, or stay at home to threat it. However, where there is a difficulty in breathing, the infected person should see a medical personnel at the hospital