Influenza viruses are transported by tiny droplets. The droplets are dispersed in the air with coughs and sneezes. So, in general, the infection can be spread by anyone with the usual symptoms (coughing, sneezing, runny nose, etc.). Sometimes the virus can spread even before symptoms appear. But this occurs only through close contact, such as sharing the same glasses, towels, cutlery, etc.

To date, no cases of SARS have been reported among persons who were exposed to a SARS patient before the onset of the patient's symptoms. See similar questions...

A blood test can determine whether or not a person is infected with HIV. The most commonly used test detects antibodies (disease-fighting proteins) against HIV. It may take as long as three to six months for HIV antibodies to reach levels that are measurable in standard blood tests. See similar questions...

Symptoms of malaria include fever and flu-like illness, including shaking chills, headache, muscle aches and tiredness. Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea may also occur. Malaria may cause anemia and jaundice (yellow coloring of the skin and eyes) because of the loss of red blood cells. Infection from P. falciparum, if not promptly treated, may cause kidney failure, seizures, mental confusion, coma and death. See similar questions...

Plasmodium falciparum malaria cases, the most common in Africa, can be diagnosed as either uncomplicated or severe, and the treatment regimen varies accordingly. Uncomplicated malaria usually results in mild fevers, minimal vomiting and does not cause delusions or other mental problems. For people that have had frequent bouts of malaria and have built a certain amount of resistance, uncomplicated malaria does not normally require hospitalisation, and affected patients usually remain ambulatory. See similar questions...

The complex story of a malaria infection begins with the female Anopheles mosquito taking a blood meal from a human. The benign Anopheles males feed on nectar. While feeding, the mosquito injects a small stream of parasites in the form of sporozoites , or tiny, thread like creatures that dwell in the mosquito's salivary glands, into the blood stream. These sporozoites make their way to the liver where they each enter a liver cell and develop into round spores or merozoites . See similar questions...

No. So far, entomologists have identified over 2000 species of mosquito, but only the Anopheles mosquito actually transmits malaria. In Africa the major vectors for malaria are An. gambiae sl complex and An. funestus , and there are many members of both groups of mosquito. Most Anopheles mosquitoes do not feed during the day but rather do so at dusk or during the night. An. funestus for example feeds most actively between 2am and 4am. See similar questions...

Symptoms usually appear within 1-14 days after infection with the bacteria. Average is within 3-5 days. See similar questions...

This depends on the mode of the HIV transmission and the lifestyle of the HIV positive person. Majority of persons who are infected through blood transfusion develop symptoms on an average from 3 years to 5 years. With the other modes of transmission when the quantum of the virus is low, the person can remain healthy for 8 to 12 years or longer. See similar questions...

Studies of families of HIV-infected people have found that HIV is not spread through sharing utensils, towels, bedding, or toilet facilities. Behaviors that increase the likelihood of contact with blood from an HIV-infected person, such as sharing a razor or toothbrush, should be avoided. See similar questions...

Mumps virus has been found in respiratory secretions 3 days before the start of symptoms until 9 days after onset. Although mumps virus has been detected on rare occasions for up to 9 days after symptom onset, the patient is most infectious within the first 5 days. See similar questions...

During the acute phase, a person can infect others through secretions from the nose and throat. Discharge due to coughing and sneezing can cause the virus to be transmitted easily. Young children who tend to drool can also transmit the infection through the saliva. Until the blisters dry, a person should be regarded as infectious. Fluid from the blisters contains the virus. The virus is also present in the stool for several weeks after symptoms of illness have vanished. See similar questions...

No. This is a myth. It is important to take prophylactics if you are going to a malaria area, especially if you have no immunity to the disease. If you take prophylactics and still get infected with the malaria parasites, it may ensure that the initial stages of the disease are less severe and that complications will be slower to arise. This can buy you important time in which to seek medical help that could save your life. See similar questions...

Symptoms usually begin 10 days to 4 weeks after infection. Malaria produces fever, headache, vomiting, shaking chills, and other flu-like symptoms. Malaria may cause anemia and jaundice (yellow coloring of the skin and eyes) because of the destruction of red blood cells. If drugs are not available for treatment or the parasites are resistant to them, the infection can progress rapidly and become life threatening. See similar questions...

After infection there is an incubation period of 2-14 (OIE) 1-21(USDA) days during which the virus multiplies. See similar questions...

Yes. The survivability rate of a person infected with anthrax through either the cutaneous or gastrointestinal form of the infection, if caught early, is promisingly high. Antibiotics, such as ciprofloxacin (Cipro, manufactured by Bayer who currently holds the patent), doxycycline or penicillin, are used to treat the infected person for a period of about sixty (60) days to allow all of the anthrax spores to germanate and die. See similar questions...

People have not been known to transmit the infection to others, so infected persons do not need to be isolated. See similar questions...

Most people experience NO symptoms at all from their initial infection. Some people may come down with very common flu-like symptoms, but they are virtually indistinguishable from a regular flu. It takes an average of 5 to 10 years after infection for most people to develop symptoms. People with HIV who use drugs and/or alcohol or are otherwise unhealthy (poor nutrition, stress, lack of sleep) may accelerate the disease process. See similar questions...

The only way to determine for sure whether you are infected is to be tested for HIV infection. You cannot rely on symptoms to know whether or not you are infected with HIV. Many people who are infected with HIV do not have any symptoms at all for many years. However, no one should assume they are infected if they have any of these symptoms. Each of these symptoms can be related to other illnesses. Again, the only way to determine whether you are infected is to be tested for HIV infection. See similar questions...