Everything You Need To Know About Ross River Virus And Sjögren’s Syndrome

There are quite a lot of conditions and diseases that the human body is prone to, and while some of them are more common than others, usually those which are rarer tend to require specific treatment. In this text, we are going to talk about the Ross River virus and Sjögren’s syndrome. You will learn what they are and how they are treated with modern medicine.

What is the Ross River virus?

It is a viral infection that is spread to humans via mosquitoes or, to be more precise, their bites. This is a very common virus in Australia, and it causes joint inflammation and pain. Ross River virus is quite similar to the Barmah Forest virus, which is why they are often talked about in the same way.

When it comes to the risk of infection, unfortunately, everyone is prone to it, no matter what age you are. The infection is quite spread around Brisbane, and it is often referred to as epidemic polyarthritis because of how common it is.

Ross River virus can often be spotted by mosquito bite spots.

How long does the virus stay in the system?

Those who are infected with the virus can have the virus inside of them for a few weeks to a few months. During this time, the symptoms of this virus may increase and decrease. Of course, those who get Ross Riven virus treatment in Brisbane will have reduced symptoms, and it will not cause permanent damage to the joints like it would happen to those who do not get treatment.

The great part about having this virus is that once you have had it in your life, you will not be able to get it ever again. While this is great for those who are local to Australia, especially Brisbane, when it comes to tourists, it can be somewhat dangerous, depending on how old the patients are.

What are the signs of this virus?

The tricky thing about the Ross River virus is that there are no obvious symptoms that can indicate that someone is infected, at least not until the virus is completely “up and running.” Usually, patients will just have a small red spot on the place where they have been bitten by the mosquito, and then they will start experiencing fever, chills, and headaches, and they will also feel tired.

The joint pain and stiffness come later on with the illness, and at that point, it is highly suggested to seek treatment, as if you do not, as we already mentioned, the infected person can succumb to permanent injury to their joints and sometimes even their muscles, ligaments, and tendons as well.

What is Sjögren’s syndrome?

Unlike the previous condition, one cannot obtain Sjögren’s syndrome from an infection. Instead, it is a condition that is autoimmune, which is when the cells within the patient are the ones causing it by attacking themselves. In Australia, this is one of the more common autoimmune conditions.

What this condition does is that it affects the salivary and lacrimal glands. The salivary gland is responsible for creating saliva, and the lacrimal gland is responsible for creating tears. When these glands are affected by the autoimmune disease, patients have dry mouths and eyes, which often makes them more prone to infections.

The symptoms of this syndrome can often show on the skin as well, as the skin can be exceptionally dry, which is often experienced as an itchy feeling. Patients can also have a dry upper respiratory tract, which leads to a chronic cough.

Illustration of Sjögren’s syndrome symptoms.

What causes Sjögren’s syndrome?

While it is still unknown what causes this syndrome, many believe that there are certain environmental factors like viruses and smoke in the air that affect the immune system. There can also be genetic factors that show a strong association between certain genes and the syndrome.

To diagnose Sjögren’s syndrome is quite simple, as the person just has to take the Schirmer’s test at a rheumatologist. If the test shows positive, then you can get Sjögren’s syndrome treatment in Brisbane or any other major city in Australia.

Since there is no cure, the treatment revolves in taking care of the symptoms that the patient has. For instance, those who suffer from dry eyes will receive eye drops, and those who have dry mouths will receive lozenges that help produce saliva.

Final word

While these two are very common issues in Australia that you can seek treatment for if you happen to be a native, there are many other dangers that you can be exposed to both due to genetics as well as due to the environment. It is important to stay educated and ahead of the curve for such things, as you never know when being knowledgeable on these issues can help you out.