are viral infections contagious in babies?
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With the viral type, children are contagious for as long as they have symptoms. But as with colds, they're most contagious during the peak of the illness, between days three and five. With bacterial pneumonia, contagiousness lasts from the first respiratory symptom until 48 hours after starting antibiotics.
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Contagiousness — Croup is caused by viruses that can be spread easily through coughing, sneezing, and respiratory secretions (mucus and droplets from coughing or sneezing). Children with croup should be considered contagious for three days after the illness begins or until the fever is gone.
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Parents and other adults can easily infect young children with RSV. Because RSV symptoms resemble those of the common cold (runny nose, sore throat, mild headache, cough, and sometimes a fever), parents and other adults may not realize they are infected with the virus but can still be contagious.
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Babies are especially susceptible to the common cold, in part because they're often around other older children. Also, they have yet to develop immunity to many common infections. Within the first year of life, most babies have up to seven colds; they may have more if they're in child care centers.
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No matter the illness, keep your child home if she has a fever. It may seem harmless enough, but assume any fever is a symptom of a contagious condition. Viruses that cause fevers are contagious as long as the fever is above a 100.4 degrees F.
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People with the virus are likely contagious from the day or so before symptoms first appear until about five days after symptoms begin, though sometimes people are contagious for as long as 10 days after symptoms appear. Children and people with weakened immune systems may be contagious for a slightly longer time.
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You should not kiss a baby if you have a cold sore to reduce the risk of spreading infection. Cold sores and other blisters caused by the herpes virus are at their most contagious when they burst. They remain contagious until completely healed.
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If mothers have genital warts, they can be passed to their infants during vaginal birth. It is unclear how common warts are spread in young children; it is thought they are spread through direct contact if there is a break in the skin. However, they do not appear to be highly contagious.
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Causes. Babies get so many colds because their immune system isn't yet ready to fight off the 100 or so viruses that cause these infections. The cold virus spreads through the air when someone who's sick coughs or sneezes. It also lands on surfaces such as toys and tables.
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HSV is especially dangerous to babies under 6 months of age. Parents or relatives with cold sores should be especially careful not to kiss babies—their immune systems are not well developed until after about 6 months old.
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Cold sores are common and relatively harmless in toddlers and children, but the cold sore virus can be dangerous for babies. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, many children will start to get cold sores by the age of 5.
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RSV infection is most serious in young babies. Almost all children get the virus at least once before they are 2 years old. Older children and adults also get RSV at least every few years but do not usually get very sick from it.
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Yes, viral gastroenteritis is contagious. It is spread through close contact with infected persons (for example, by sharing food, water, or eating utensils) or by touching surfaces contaminated by an infected person and then touching one's mouth.
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Cold sores (babies and children) The cold sore virus can be dangerous for young babies and even fatal. The risk is highest in the first 4 weeks after birth.
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In short, most bacterial meningitis infections are mildly to moderately contagious person to person, while some viral meningitis are contagious but other types are not. Fungal, parasitic, and noninfectious causes of meningitis are not contagious from one person directly to another.
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A baby is most at risk of getting a herpes infection in the first 4 weeks after birth. You should not kiss a baby if you have a cold sore to reduce the risk of spreading infection. Cold sores and other blisters caused by the herpes virus are at their most contagious when they burst.
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Unfortunately, fever & contagiousness are unrelated. Some contagious illnesses - such as the common cold - may never cause a fever, while others will take a while for a fever to show up. Viruses, with or without a fever, tend to be contagious.