People are affected with various types of diseases. Some are treatable while some last for a lifetime. One of the common types of disease we will go through in this article is viral disease.
Viral disease-Its types

A viral disease is a form of illness caused by a virus. Viruses are microscopic infectious pathogens that can only multiply within the living cells of other species. They have the ability to infect animals, plants, and even microorganisms. Acute viral infections develop swiftly and last for a short length of time, whereas chronic viral diseases remain for a longer period of time.
The respiratory system, the gastrointestinal tract, and the nervous system are all affected by viral infections. The common cold, flu, chickenpox, measles, mumps, rubella, and hepatitis are all instances of viral infections.
Close contact, such as coughing, sneezing, or touching, is typically used to spread viral illnesses from person to person. They can also be transmitted via contaminated food, or by coming into contact with infected animals or insects.
Depending on the type of virus and the portion of the body affected, the symptoms of viral infections might vary.
- Fever,
- cough,
- runny nose,
- sore throat,
- muscle aches, and
- exhaustion,
- pneumonia,
- encephalitis, or liver damage.
Therapy for viral diseases primarily consists of symptom management and supportive care, such as rest, hydration, and over-the-counter pain and fever relievers. Antiviral drugs may be used in some circumstances to assist minimise the severity and duration of the sickness.
The greatest approach to avoid catching viral illnesses is through prevention. This can involve practising excellent hygiene, such as regularly washing your hands and avoiding close contact with sick people. Several viral infections, such as the flu, measles, mumps, rubella, and chickenpox, have vaccines that can help protect against infection and prevent the disease from spreading to others.
The following are the types of viral diseases based on the organs they infect.
Respiratory viral diseases
Respiratory viral disease is the most prevalent type of viral disease. We’ve all been through the rigorous years of COVID-19. It is a form of viral respiratory illness. This viral disease is infectious and affects both the upper and lower respiratory tracts. Some signs of respiratory viral disease include,
- coughing
- sneeze, fever,
- bodily soreness
- clogged nose
Examples include
- the common cold,
- respiratory syncytial viral infection,
- Influenza.
- Parainfluenza virus infection
- adenovirus infection
- severe acute respiratory syndrome
- flu
Respiratory viral sickness can be avoided by practising excellent hygiene, washing hands often, maintaining social distance, and covering one’s mouth when sneezing or coughing. These basic habits can rescue anyone from future serious disease.
Gastrointestinal viral disease
Viruses can also have an impact on our digestive tract. If they do, the condition is known as Gastrointestinal viral illness. They are contagious, just as respiratory viral illness. This frequently results in a condition known as gastroenteritis, often known as stomach flu.
Among the signs of gastrointestinal viral illness are:
- diarrhoea
- vomiting
- abdominal cramps
- stomach discomfort
Types include,
- infection with astrovirus
- Infection with a norovirus
- Infection with Rotavirus
- Infection with an adenovirus
This type of virus is usually transmitted through sharing utensils or coming into contact with a virus-infected individual. A person can potentially become infected by eating faeces-contaminated foods. It’s possible, as strange as it sounds, because gastrointestinal viruses are released during bowel movements.
Exanthematous viral disease
Did you know that certain viruses can cause skin rashes? We’re talking about Exanthematous virus sickness. Many varieties of this disease are highly contagious and have negative consequences on our skin.
The following are the different forms of Exanthematous viral disease:
When we sneeze or cough, we produce respiratory droplets. The virus propagated as a result of those droplets. Some diseases, such as smallpox and chickenpox, are caused by contact with fluids from ruptured skin sores, while chikungunya is spread through mosquito bites and can also be transmitted from person to person.
Hepatic viral disease
Hepatic viral illness is a prevalent form of viral disease. This kind causes liver inflammation. Hepatic virus causes liver inflammation, which is also known as viral hepatitis. It should be highlighted that cytomegalovirus and yellow fever virus are two more types of viruses that might cause liver function disturbance.
Among the symptoms of hepatic viral illness are:
- Fever,
- loss of appetite,
- exhaustion,
- Vomiting,
- stomach pain
- Dark urine,
- light-coloured faeces, and so on.
The types are as follows,
- Hepatitis A,
- Hepatitis B,
- Hepatitis C
- Hepatitis D
- Hepatitis E
Hepatitis B and C viruses spread by human fluids as well as needles and razors, whereas Hepatitis A and E viruses spread through contaminated water and food. In case of Hepatitis D, one can only have it if they are already suffering from Hepatitis B.
Cutaneous viral disease
Certain viruses can cause skin lesions or papules to form. This is known as cutaneous viral illness. This is a long-term virus-related sickness, and those who have it may experience it again after it has gone away.
Among the symptoms are
- patches,
- lumps, and
- blotches.
The following are some examples of cutaneous viral disease:
They spread by intimate personal contact with persons who are already infected, much like any other viral disease. Certain types, such as molluscum contagiosum, resolve on their own, while others necessitate medicine and treatment to prevent recurrent outbreaks.
Hemorrhagic viral disease
Certain viruses can cause substantial harm to a person’s circulatory system. Hemorrhagic viral illness is the name given to this ailment. The virus that causes this ailment is more strong than other viruses and has a wide range of effects on healthy living or, in the worst-case scenario, death of the affected individual.
Among the signs of the illness are,
- weakness
- achy body
- bleeding from the mouth or ears
- high fever
- bleeding from the skin internal organ bleeding
The following are examples of hemorrhagic viral diseases:
- Yellow fever,
- dengue fever,
- ebola
- Hemorrhagic fever of Marburg
- Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever
- lassa fever.
Certain infections, such as dengue and yellow fever, are transmitted through the biting of an infected bug, whereas Ebola is transmitted through blood contraction or other bodily fluids of an infected person.
Neurologic viral disease
Certain infections can also totally affect you, producing partial or complete brain damage. This is referred to as Neurologic viral illness.
The following are some of the symptoms of neurologic viral disease:
- sleepiness,
- seizures,
- fever,
- confusion, and
- coordination issues
Examples include,
- Polio
- rabies
- viral
- encephalitis
- viral meningitis
The virus is mostly transmitted by ticks, mosquitos, bugs, and other infected animals. Viruses such as poliovirus and enterovirus are highly contagious and quickly spread.
The preceding article concludes with all the necessary information about different types of viral diseases. It is mandatory to look out for possible symptoms and follow some of the preventive measures to keep oneself away from any kind of diseases.
While it is beneficial to look out for possible symptoms, it is also necessary to get treated from the experts in the field to ensure that a person is completely cured, and what is better than getting treated from the best hospitals in the United States?. MediPocket world brings you specialist from the world leading hospitals from the US to your mobile phones to your country, Subscribe now to learn more