PARAMYXOVIRUS

Course overview

THE PARAMYXOVIRIDAE IS A FAMILY OF SINGLE-STRANDED RNA VIRUSES KNOWN TO CAUSE DIFFERENT TYPES OF INFECTIONS IN VERTEBRATES. EXAMPLES OF THESE INFECTIONS IN HUMANS INCLUDE THE MEASLES VIRUS, MUMPS VIRUS, PARAINFLUENZA VIRUS, AND RESPIRATORY SYNCYTIAL VIRUS (RSV). THE PARAMYXOVIRUSES PRIMARILY SPREAD VIA RESPIRATORY DROPLETS. TO AVOID THE SPREAD OF THIS VIRUS, APPROPRIATE ADMINISTRATION OF VACCINATIONS, APPROPRIATE HAND WASHING, AND APPROPRIATE HYGIENE AND EMPLOYMENT OF FACE MASKS ARE HIGHLY ENCOURAGED. THIS ACTIVITY OUTLINES THE EVALUATION AND TREATMENT OF DIFFERENT INFECTIONS CAUSED BY THE PARAMYXOVIRIDAE AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE HEALTHCARE TEAM IN EVALUATING AND TREATING PATIENTS INFECTED WITH THESE VIRUSES.