Parainfluenza

parainfluenza

[¦par·ə‚in·flü′en·zə]

(medicine)

A viral condition similar to or resulting from influenza.

(microbiology)

An organism exhibiting growth characteristics of Hemophilus influenzae.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

The following article is from The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979). It might be outdated or ideologically biased.

Parainfluenza

 

(also paragrippe), an acute viral disease of the respiratory tract. The disease is transmitted from an infected person by airborne droplets resulting from coughing, sneezing, or talking. It is responsible for a substantial proportion of all viral infections of the respiratory tract.

Parainfluenza affects primarily children. It displays no seasonality. The incubation period is one to six days. The disease begins with rhinitis and a normal or slightly elevated bodily temperature. Inflammation of the larynx, manifested by a sore throat and dry cough, is typical. In some cases, especially in patients with chronic diseases, parainfluenza is complicated by bronchitis and pneumonia. It does not leave a stable immunity. Treatment is symptomatic. No specific preventive measures have been worked out, but the nonspecific preventive measures are the same as for influenza.

The Great Soviet Encyclopedia, 3rd Edition (1970-1979). © 2010 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.