Why don't we get sick twice?

Question

I never understood why I never got sick twice from the same virus. I am sure that remnants of it (and this goes for all of you too) probably landed in obvious locations while we were sick; ie the doorknob, bed covers and pillow, kitchen utensils, compute mouse and so on.

So what I'd like to know is after I am well and healed how come when I touch those supposedly infected locations and touch my lip or eyes that I don't get sick again?

Also what about the stomach flu? Can I get sick from the same strain again?

Thanks to all that try to answer this one!

SK

Answer 1

Your body can never get sick from the same virus twice because you build an immunity to it. Like with the chicken pox, once you get it as a kid you usually wont get it a second time as a child, very rare but you can catch its second virus as an adult known as Shingles. You can't catch the same strain twice but lucky for us there are over 144 different strains of the cold virus and many of the flu virus too.

Answer 2

You can get sick from the same strain again, but it is rare. When you get a virus your body's white blood cells "learn" its makeup to ward off and destroy the virus. Most people's body then become immune to that virus strain, it really depends on how healthy your body is.

As for something like the flu, there are many, many, different strains of the flu virus- and each has its own makeup. A flu shot only contains the most popular strains of the flu virus for that season- but it is not a guarantee that you won't catch another of the strains.

Same for the stomach flu. You can get it again. Besides, usually what we consider the "stomach flu" is really bacterial- not a virus.

Answer 3

Its because while your sick you body is constantly building immunities to that certain strain of the virus, so you can never get sick from that virus again, the thing about cold and flu viruses is that it has so many strains out there. interesting fact is that sneezing coughing runny nose etc... is not from the virus itself, its the chemicals that your immune system give off that cause those symptoms while its trying to fight away the virus. So no matter what you sneeze or cough on, you won't get sick from the same virus.

Answer 4

You can and probably do get sick again, but due to your immune system having been exposed to the bug before it has made antibodies, good bugs, to fight the bad bug.

The bad bugs sometimes mutate to another form so your good bugs may still be able to fight it or may not, or may present with lesser symptoms.

Wash your hands constantly with alcohol rinse. I also disinfect my keyboard and mouse at work if I think someone else has been using it while I am away. A TV program I watched showed that there as many bugs on a keyboard as on a toilet seat. Happy Typing!

Answer 5

Usually, when your body contracts a virus, your immune system kicks in to fight the virus so you can recover. Once you have recovered, your body knows what to expect and can easily negate the virus's effects if you contract the virus again. Now if you contract a more potent strain of the virus, you will get sick again until your body can adjust.

Answer 6

Usually when we get sick we build an immunity to that illness, or flu. That is why you don't get again. Sometimes you may get it again but the truth about that is that you probably never really got rid of it in the first place. Sounds to me that your body is doing a good job of building up its immunities to illness and flu.

Answer 7

You can get sick twice or more. I lived in a house where there were 5 of us(siblings and parents). We used to pass the stomach bug back and forth to one another. Your just lucky you've never been sick twice. Believe me the stomach bug is something that you don't want at all, but especially not twice. Stay Healthy!

Answer 8

Of course you will get the stomach flu again, but it won't be the SAME exact kind. It will be different with different symptoms.

You don't get the same virus over (chicken pox) because your body has the ability to create antibodies to protect yourself from getting it again.

Answer 9

Your body's antibodies, which fight against the disease when you have it, eventually getting rid of it, build up an immunity to that particular strain.

By the time the virus is gone, your antibodies have completely shielded you from getting it again.

Answer 10

2 distinctive sources. There are over seven-hundred viruses that reason chilly-like indications. The sinus an infection for which you acquire the antibiotic became no longer brought about by ability of a deadly disease, yet by ability of micro organism. you may not kill viruses with antibiotics, and that they do no longer take care of you from virus infections. You had a bacterial an infection interior the sinuses first, then a deadly disease that brought about the chilly.