What Is a Viral Infection?
5. How Does the Body Fight Off Viruses?
Your body is remarkable and knows how to defend itself from many different types of viruses. When a virus attacks the cells in the human body, the body responds by initiating an immune response. This response stimulates the body to send different types of white blood cells to identify and repel or destroy foreign invaders.
Your body makes about a billion protective white blood cells in its bone marrow every single day. When you overcome a virus, it means your body has successfully fought it off. Unfortunately, the body doesn’t always recognize foreign invaders until it’s too late and they’ve already overwhelmed too many cells. When this happens, you develop various symptoms of illness. Depending on the severity of the infection, your body may be able to bounce back after a few days or weeks, or you may require medical intervention to help your body fight off viral infections.
Advertisement
