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What does corona virus (covid 19) do to human body? (Dr.A.Sreekumar Menon)

Published on 13 May, 2020
What does corona virus (covid 19) do to human body? (Dr.A.Sreekumar Menon)
The covid 19 ( corona virus Disease ,19) disease which started off from a small locality called Wuhan in China causing a heavy toll on human life across the world remains very serious disease today as remedy is yet to be found out by scientists all over the world busily engaged in scientific investigation of this deadly disease. With their efforts, certain facts about this disease have come light, which I have given in this Article. This Article of my mine is compilation of facts /ideas about this epidemic. Not that many people have clear enough idea about the nature of this disease /virus. The more we know about it more effective our attempts to eradicate this disease. This disease has been declared as Pandemic. It takes away not only human lives and paralyses normal life, but crashes the economy of the world. It is reported that this disease was first noticed in a fisher woman in Wuhan. She who was selling shrimps in the local market. She started having the symptoms of dry cough and high fever. She underwent treatment for three weeks or so and recovered, this case multiplied into thousands and spread over several countries. This case is referred to as covid 0/covid zero .

Much remains to be known about this novel strain of corona virus which has recently spread from China to almost all countries of the world much faster than we can imagine. One thing is very clear. The disease caused by this virus can cast a storm to the whole body. This virus is more serious than other strains of Corona virus like SARS and MERS which infected human population few years back. Even common cold is caused by corona virus of different strain and the infection it causes is mild. These viruses are of animal origin and they are called zoonotic viruses.  This strain can spark viral induced fire throughout many of person’s organs. All virus diseases subside after certain periods. No treatment is necessary, though many Anti-viral drugs are available now .. The immunity in our body will deal with such infections. In the course of infection of the body, other h health conditions may appear. So the treatment given is for those conditions as well as for symptoms of virus infection. This mode of treatment is called symptomatic treatment. With proper rest and symptomatic treatment, viral diseases can be cured.  While the body is infected by virus and active already weakened body due to other choric health conditions like cardiac problems, lung problems, Diabetes etc. cannot withstand virus infection and the cases can in deaths. Same is the case of old people those say above 60 years more whose immunity is less due to age and also are suffering from other health conditions.  This section of the people need better protection against viral infection compared to others in the population. Excessive use of Steroid drugs can also affect immunity. The incubation period is 14 days. It means the symptoms may appear within 14 days after a person gets infected. There arecases of exceptions. No symptoms may appear in some cases. Still they may be carriers.  As yet we do not have exact scientific knowledge about it . Still investigations continue and every day new knowledge comes to light.  Currently the diagnostic tests  used are Throat swab test and blood test which take a day or more .  When the major symtoms like  dry cough, high fever and  laboured
What actually happens to the body when it is infected by this virus?
Lungs

For most patients it begins and ends in their lungs. Like Flu it is a respiratory disease. It enters into the body via mouth and nostrils. They spread typically when infected person coughs or sneezes spraying droplets transmits virus to any person in close contact. It passes through his mouth and nostrils to his throat. The virus gets deposited on any surface with which infected person’s fluids like saliva. When another person touches those surfaces and touches his face, he gets infected. It is very contagious and spreads very quickly. The virus also multiplies very fast when it gets into cell of the body. The virus is active outside for 8 hours. If one comes in contact with it during that time, he gets infected.  Once a person gets infected he may show symptoms like those of Flu such as high fever and dry cough. The waiting period is generally 14 days with in which symptoms appear once a person is infected.  During this period person may appear normal. Thus we may not know who is infected or not. During this period and this makes prevention difficult. We also do not know whether one is infected till symptoms appear. All those who shows these symptoms may not be corona cases, as in the case of common Flu also such symptoms may appear.  If symptoms appear, one should go for COVID 19 test immediately. Blood test is done generally. Scanning of chest is also done for quick diagnosis and precise, which is being done in china, epicenter of this disease now. When there is this epidemic, avoiding contacts between persons and not touching things used by others and frequent washing of hands with soap and water are recommended to prevent spread. If contacts are avoided, even if virus has entered air, it will die within 8 hours. As no remedy is discovered as yet, only preventive measures can be taken and these preventive measures should be taken with much more seriousness. The following is the reason for recommending washing of hands with soap water, which is a very effective measure.  COVID19   virus has an outer coating of Lipid or Fat. Soap water dissolves this layer and when the outer cover goes, virus cannot survive. Thus washing with soap water is very effective way of preventing the spread of this deadly disease. It is deadly, so long as no remedy is discovered. Once we know the reason for doing or not doing a thing, what we follow becomes more meaningful and hence we will follow meticulously. Another easy preventive measure suggested by Expert Pomologist of China who pioneered in the work of SARK Virus suggests to gargle few times with lukewarm salt water. The salt layer in the throat will destroy the virus getting into the throat. Another preventive measure suggested is to drink water a few times. Its action is like this. The virus if entered in the throat and the tubes that connect to lungs and food pipe called Trachea and esophagus respectively will be washing down to the stomach, where the digestive secretion s of Acids will kill the virus.

 W.H.O reported that this disease typically attacked lungs in three phases viz ; 1 Viral replication , 2  hyper  immune-reaction and 3 pulmonary cells destruction . In early days of infection, the virus seeks the protein in the human cell and joint with those that are most preferable. That is the reason cited that this disease largely attacks the lungs. The virus invades cells in the lungs. There are two types of the cells in the lungs which virus invades: 1. Cells which makes mucous. Mucous is in semi-liquid, It protects the outer side of lungs and keeps the lungs being moistened which is essential for exchange of gas/oxygen and carbon dioxide. It also helps to wash off debris including pathogens which should be driven out of the body. When there is infection in the lungs or when body identifies some foreign body, extra secretion of this mucous happens, which comes out in the form of sputum. Thus cells which produces mucous under regulated production services very useful function in the body.   The virus attacks these cells in such a way that that is cannot perform it’s normal function. Extra mucous also is produced. This clogs airways blocking flow of oxygen that takes place while breathing. It leads oxygen deprivation in the lungs and in the blood. The lungs are unable to purify impure blood or blood carrying waste and carbon- dioxide from the cells back to heart and supply oxygenated blood.  Thus quality of blood supply is affected.  This affects the working of all the organs. It is the oxygenated blood which pass through over 3 billion cells of the body give oxygen which is a life force and take away co2 and other waste products and make the organs function properly.  From this one can see how infection by this virus gradually affects all the parts of the body .2hair like batons called Celia . These cells beat around mucous clearing out debris like pollen, pathogens including Bacteria and Virus  .This virus  invades these cells also . Virus kills these cells which then sloughed off and fill the airways with debris and fluids which obstructs breathing, intake of oxygen. When both these cells are affected advance symptoms like Pneumonia accompanied by shortness of breath appears.

Phase 2
 
When virus starts invading the body, immune system kicks in. Aroused by invader virus, body set up to fight the virus by flooding the lungs with immune cells to clear away the damage to the cells and repair lung tissues. This is our body’s mechanism to fight against pathogens harming the body. Normally this immune system is controlled properly. It will produce only the immune cells just the required number to fight the   invader and that it would target correctly to the outside invader. But sometimes immune system goes haywire, in the sense they attack and destroy the host cells, failing to detect the real enemy. It is known in the diseases called Autoimmune diseases such as Osteo-arthritis, Asthma Psoriasis etc.  In this case, the Immune system produces more immune cells than required  . This like instead of using Gun, using missile. It causes effects in the body like explosion. This exaggerated immune response  causes damage to healthy cells.  It causes inflammation of the organs and affects the body deleteriously. Even more debris clogs up the lungs and     the condition of pneumonia worsens.

During third phase, lung damage increases and may result in Respiratory failures and causes death.   There will be permanent damage to the lungs of those who survive.  Their lungs show punched holes appearing like Honey comb. Those holes are created by excess immune response. It creates scars which both protect and stiffen lungs making breathing difficult  Inflammation also makes membranes between air sacks and bold vessels more permeable which fills lungs with fluids  and the lungs become incapable of distributing oxygenated blood. Thus the blood that goes to the body is less oxygenated and this affects functioning all the organs in the body, because it is the oxygen in the bold flowing through Arteries that gives life for all the organs.  This shows the severity of the problem. Otherwise, this virus does not affect other parts of the body, except in exceptional cases it affects digestive system.   In the corona virus there is certain protein in the corona (   means Crown like in shape) meaning spike like structure. This protein seeks compatible protein in the human body to join with it. Once it joins with the compatible protein, it gets entry into human cell Lungs only has compatible protein, hence lungs get affected. But there are certain viruses of the same strain who are not choosy .. They can combine with other types of proteins found in other parts of the body. When this happens they combine with proteins found in the stomach and affect digestive organs. When they affect the cell membrane of digestive system, the fluids in that part leak out and it causes diarrhea. This is the way it affects the stomach directly. But such cases are very rare. Otherwise it’s action on other parts of the body are indirect. Once virus gets into the body it used RNA of human cell and multiplies rapidly. when the virus gets into the stomach, Acids secreted for digestion kills it. This is the reason for recommending to drink water now and then. If it has entered into the throat, it will be washed off down to stomach, where it dies. Corona virus cannot reproduce, but can only multiply. It need human cell to multiply.

In retrospect, in this short Article, an attempt is made to discuss the nature and how it acts on the human body are analytically reported. We will be more confident in following the health directions to prevent this disease if we know about the nature and action of this virus in human body.  I posted another Article, which should follow this one on the coping mechanisms against this deadly disease.

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What does corona virus (covid 19) do to human body? (Dr.A.Sreekumar Menon)
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Mathew V. Zacharia, New Yorker 2020-05-13 10:35:50
Dr. Menon: well versed article for us. Thank you. Mathew V. zacharia, New Yorker
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