What Are The Causes Of A Common Cold? By Charles Salmon At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

Common cold in medical terms is known as acute coryza or acute viral nasophyaryngitin and is a contagious disease. Common cold is basically a viral infection that affects the upper part of the respiratory system and is caused by picornaviruses, which includes rhinoviruses or coronaviruses.

Rhinoviruses are mostly the cause of common cold and the figures range from 10 to 40 percent. The coronaviruses can be the cause of common cold too, but only 20 % of common cold cases fall into this category. The other virus is RSV or respiratory syncytil virus which is likely to be of 10% cause of common cold.

Rhinoviruses are the biggest offenders and these viruses are at their most active performance during the spring and the summer seasons. There are over 110 typical types of rhinoviruses. 91 degree temperature is the best for these viruses to develop and the place of occurrence is the nose. Serious illness is not caused by these viruses. Some other viruses include parainfluenza and the respiratory syncytial virus. These can lead to infections which are severe in nature and affects the lower respiratory system in average adults. It causes pneumonia in children.

Coronaviruses are likely to affect the adults and cause severe common cold as per the opinions of the scientists. The early spring and winter are the most active periods for these viruses. There are over 30 types of Coronaviruses of which 3 to 4 are infectious for humans. The coronaviruses cannot be grown in labs and as such it is very difficult to assess a person suffering from common cold due to coronaviruses.

Some severe illness due to respiratory infections are also noted, almost 10 to 15 percent of humans are likely to be affected by such causes. Common cold is, mostly a vial disease and at times it is allergic as well. Common cold is unlikely to be caused due to chilled weather or excess heat. It is typically a viral infection.

It is known to us that common cold is highly communicable through the droplets of sneezes and coughs. These droplets are transmitted into another person through hands or any form of exchange where physical touch is involved. Once you touch a person suffering from common cold and then your hand, by chance reaches your nose, you are the next victim. Unlike the popular belief that common cold viruses spread through air, it is often that the virus is physically spread.

There can be some other causes of common cold as well, human metapneumoviruses, adenoviruses and enetroviruses re some examples.

Once a person is infected with any of the above mentioned viruses, the whole cycle takes about 8-12 hours time to begin and it lasts for 3-7 days. The general symptoms of common cold can be runny nose, scratchy or sore throat, sneezing, cough and congestion. Also physical lethargy, body ache, headache, weakness and appetite loss can be significantly noted.

Common cold can cause severe complications for people suffering from lung diseases like COPD or asthma. It aggravates the diseases and leads to further complications.

Common cold is usually treated with time, there are no vaccines for this disease and it is likely that you might be affected at least once a year. Any such preventive measures cannot be mentioned as it has nothing to do with weather or diet. But if you come across someone suffering from common cold, stay away. You can always meet him later.

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