What Is a Viral Infection?
6. How Do Viral Infections Enter the Body?
Your body is pretty good at keeping unwanted substances out, but viruses are so tiny that they can often pass through your body’s openings undetected. Some of the most common entry points for viruses include the mouth, nose, wounds and sexual organs. You can also become infected during transfusion with contaminated blood.
Your body has a number of defenses against viruses, but they don’t always work. For example, nasal hairs may not prevent tiny viruses from entering your body, and your body’s natural blood-clotting defenses may not work quickly enough to keep viruses from entering wounds. That’s why it’s important to clean and bandage any wounds quickly before they can become infected.
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