Comparative characteristics of acute respiratory viral infections, influenza and COVID-19 according to the data of infectious diseases hospital in Nalchik

Objective. Compare the features of the duration of ARVI, influenza and COVID-19 at the modern stage. Materials and methods. 552 histories of patients d with acute respiratory viral infections, 29 with influenza and 1805 with coronavirus infection with community-acquired bilateral polysegmental pneumonia and respiratory failure (RF) of 0-3 stages who received treatment in hospitals in Nalchik were studied. Arithmetic averages and percentages in relation to the total values of the studied parameters were calculated. Results. In the group of patients with COVID-19, the severe duration of the disease was observed more often, 74 patients died, which accounted for 4% of all patients with coronavirus infection. The most common cause of death in patients with COVID-19 was pulmonary embolism. There were no deaths among patients with acute respiratory viral infections and influenza. In addition to similar symptoms, such as fever, cough, sore throat, the symptoms were identified , which are more often for ARVI influenza and COVID-19. For ARVI, this is sneezing, short-term fever, conjunctivitis, runny nose, for influenza – pain when moving the eye, pain in the eyebrow arches, granularity and petechiae on the hard palate, longer fever, for COVID-19 – anosmia, loss of taste, severe and persistent fatigue, shortness of breath, severe sweating, prolonged fever. Key words: influenza, acute respiratory viral infections, distinctive features, COVID-19