Understanding Viral Loads and Infections
Where is the line between "infected" and "not infected"? What affects the minimum level of infection, after which the virus breaks through the immune defense? Let's look into the question using COVID-19 as an example: why do some people not become infected with the disease, while others are infected and need to be hospitalized?
Dr. Vera
Infectious levels
Infection requires a certain infectious dose (viral load), which is the smallest amount of virus that can cause infection. The larger the dose of the virus a person receives, the greater the infection burden and therefore the more severe the disease. This applies to all respiratory diseases.
For example, if a person came into a room where someone else sneezed for a few minutes, the person’s immunity has a better chance to cope with the virus than if he or she was in contact with a sick person for a long time.
Scientists have determined that each cell infected with coronavirus contains about 10 viral particles called virions. In total, a person infected with COVID-19 in an acute period carries between one billion to one...
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