![]() ![]() Because these viruses can go on to infect someone who is exposed to the nasal or oral secretions, viral shedding and the spread of disease are closely intertwined.ĭuring the COVID-19 pandemic, viral shedding has been discussed in relation to masking and vaccinations. Viral shedding refers to this second fate. They can leave the infected person in nasal and oral secretions. But these newly formed viral particles can also have a second fate. In the case of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, the primary location of the early infection is the respiratory system, specifically cells that line the inside of the nose and throat.Īs viruses are produced in the nose, they may gain entry to other parts of the body, where they can infect more cell types and cause additional symptoms or complications. The symptoms will vary based on which virus it is and what type of cells it infects. An infected individual will recognize this battle in the form of symptoms of illness - fever, fatigue, congestion, vomiting, diarrhea, etc. The longer it takes for the individual’s immune system to recognize what is happening and gain control over this process, the greater the number of viral particles that will be produced and the greater the battle between the virus and the immune system that will occur. ![]() New viral particles that result from this process can go on to infect other cells, and with each round of replication, the number of viruses in the individual increases exponentially. ![]() By taking over the cell, the virus is able to redirect the cell’s activity for its own benefit - making more of itself to survive. Once inside the organism, the virus must gain access to a cell, which has the necessary machinery and building blocks to make more viruses. In order to survive, viruses must infect another organism, such as a person. But even with these instructions, viruses do not have everything they need to reproduce. The nucleic acids are instructions for making more viruses. They often contain only a few proteins and either DNA or RNA, known generally as nucleic acids. What is viral shedding?Įven though viruses can cause a lot of damage, they are typically very simple organisms. Some discussions have left a wake of misunderstanding about how and when viral shedding occurs. The term “viral shedding” has been discussed during the COVID-19 pandemic. ![]()
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