Respiratory diseases increase with the arrival of autumn

With the change in temperature, there is an increase in infections Autumn begins this weekend, and the milder temperatures and slightly drier weather significantly affect people with allergies and increase the rate of respiratory infections. According to pulmonologist Jéssica Polese, this period promotes an increase in Acute Respiratory Disease Syndromes (ARDS), viral infections that can progress to bacterial ones. "Flus and colds, if not treated properly, can advance to bronchiolitis, sinusitis, and even pneumonia," says the doctor. "Due to the change in temperature, viral infections occur more frequently, which are normally circulating in the environment, and from the viral infection, a bacterial one can follow," she emphasizes. "A calm clinical picture can turn into a more yellowish secretion, and a more persistent fever may arise, suggesting a superimposed infection on that initial viral infection," highlights Jéssica. For example, infections in the throat, ear, nasal passages, and lungs can be constant. Common pneumonia - the bacterial type - is treated with antibiotics; whereas the viral type, like the one occurring with the Coronavirus, has a huge degree of inflammation, affecting not only the pulmonary alveoli but also the interstitium, the regions between the vessels and alveoli," she explains. With the quarantine period proposed by the State Government here in ES, it is very important to clean the environments, both at work (in essential services) and at home, warns the specialist. "Accumulated dust in these environments is terrible for those who already suffer from some type of allergy, and with the arrival of autumn, this factor only worsens the situation," she explains. "Ensure proper isolation so that you not only avoid worsening these types of diseases but also do not contribute to the spread of Covid-19," affirms Jéssica.