Targeted Disease Management

Viral Infection

According to the World Health Organization, the worldwide prevalence of infectious diseases is increasing exponentially. Many of these diseases are caused by viruses, including West Nile, Hantavirus, Ebola, Nipah, Hendra, AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency disease), and most recently SARS (sever acute respiratory syndrome). The US death rate from infectious diseases, which dropped in the first part of the 20th century and then stabilized, is now double what it was in 1980.

In general, the symptoms that a person is experiencing from viral infection are not caused by the virus itself, but rather from the response of the immune system to the virus. For most humans, some of the most notable symptoms of viral infection are:

• coughing
• sneezing
• runny nose
• body temperature
• swollen lymph glands
• loss of energy
• flushed face

Viral infections are the most common diseases that affect humans. Communication between the immune system and the nervous system is key to an effective defense against these infections and to provide adequate protection against cellular damage caused by them. The central and peripheral nervous systems communicate with the immune system through the activity of neurotransmitters. In the presence of viral infection or impaired immune function the requirements for nutritional components are altered. Patients suffering from viral infection and impaired immune function require additional amounts of arginine, choline, glutamine, histidine, cysteine, and lysine to restore balance among the neurotransmitters (nitric oxide, acetylcholine, glutamate, and histamine that mediate the immune response. Physician Therapeutics medical food products can help in the management of viral infection and impaired immune function by addressing the increased nutritional requirements resulting from these conditions. These products are designed to maintain levels of specific neurotransmitters needed to facilitate the exchange of sensory and metabolic information between the brain, the spinal cord, and peripheral nervous system which is necessary for a robust and controlled immune response.