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in collaboration with
Dr Gérald Kierzek (Medical Director of Doctissimo)
Passengers who cough, a family member who tests positive for Covid… This summer, viruses are making an appearance during our vacations. But how do you know if you’ll be affected too? Dr. Gérald Kierzek, medical director of Doctissimo, takes stock of the current virus incubation periods.
The virus is the unexpected guest this summer, but it can show up just about anywhere: a flight that passes by someone who is coughing, a reunion and the discovery that a friend had Covid, a little cousin who claims chickenpox… In this context, it can be useful to know whether or not you are affected by a possible contagion. But not all diseases have the same incubation period.
Infected or not? It depends on several parameters
Most viruses infect us through the same mechanism. Whether they enter the body through the nasal, oral or skin passages, they enter cells and hijack the machinery to facilitate their replication.
But it is important to know that contagion is not automatic and that it depends on several parameters, including the type of infection. In the case of measles and chickenpox, for example, the person may be unaware that they are infected and transmit viral droplets to others for weeks before seeing their own symptoms appear.
A range of factors will also determine whether or not you get an infection, including how much virus the person you are in contact with is “shedding” at the time; whether or not you were in an enclosed space; the temperature and humidity of the environment; and whether you are immune, as well as your age and general health. Genetic factors may also play a role.
Different viruses don’t infect as many people
The other factor to consider is the pathogen’s reproduction rate (or R rate), a measure of its contagiousness, based on the average number of secondary infections caused by a person. In tuberculosis, on the other hand, the R rate is less than 1. Colds and flu have an R rate of 1 to 2, while covid is currently at a rate of 1.9 to 3.9.
The different incubation periods to know depending on the disease
But back to what you’re probably worried about: incubation time. This is how long it takes to see signs, or not. These incubation periods vary depending on the individual and the specific strain of the pathogen.