The Common Cold - Teach Science With Fergy€¦ · Web viewThe common cold starts with a sore throat and nasal stuffiness. This is followed by sneezing, cough and nasal discharge
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The Common Cold 1
Introduction: What Is The Common Cold?
The common cold, also known as a head cold or simply a
cold, is a disease of the respiratory system. It is caused by
different groups of viruses and characterized by itching in the
nose, regular sneezing, runny nose and chills. These
symptoms could be followed by an uncomfortable throat,
tiredness, dizziness, mild headache and thick mucus secretion (Eccles & Weber, 2009).
A Brief History of The Common Cold
The common cold is centuries old and its symptoms along with treatment are present in
the oldest Egyptian medical literature (de Graaf, Osterhaus, Fouchier, & Holmes, 2008).
Some studies also reported the presence of the common cold during the Stone Age
(Dorfer et al., 1999). The name “cold” was used first in the 16th century due to the
resemblance of its symptoms with the effects of cold weather on the human body. The
most common cause of the common cold, i.e. Rhinovirus, was first identified in 1956 by
researchers from the United Kingdom (UK).
Research to find the treatment for the common cold has been going on since ancient
times. Hippocrates, in 400 BC, discovered that bleeding was slightly effective in the
treatment of the common cold (although of course it didn’t really help). Later on, a
Roman philosopher recommended that people “kiss the hairy muzzle of a mouse” in
order to feel better. In 1970 and 1979, the miraculous effects of zinc and vitamin C were
discovered for the relief of the common cold. However, medical research is still anxious
about the prevention and treatment of the common cold (Atzl & Helms, 2009).
Causes of The Common Cold
The Common Cold 2
The common cold is caused by almost 100 different varieties of the Rhinovirus. In some
cases, other types of viruses are also involved. Due to this reason, people have many
episodes of the common cold during the year and are unable to prepare their immune
system beforehand. A cold may occur at any time in a year, but it is most prevalent
during the fall and winter seasons. Thus, it is not specifically caused by cold weather
(Diane E Pappas, 2015).
How A Cold Develops: A complex interaction is involved between the host (infected
person) and virus during the development of the common cold. A detailed mechanism for
the development of the common cold is still not well understood however, it is believed
that the main site for the replication of the virus is nasopharynx (nasal/throat area)
(Winther, Gwaltney, Mygind, Turner, & Hendley, 1986).
First, the virus is deposited into the nasal mucosa and
eyes. It then enters the nose via the lacrimal duct. From
the nose, it is transported to the nasopharynx. After that, it
gains entry into epithelial cells (cells lining the
nasopharynx) by binding with receptors. Here it starts to
replicate to produce infection. The infection progresses
and causes the blood vessels to dilate (get larger) and the
permeability of the nasal lining to change (more stuff can get through). This leads to
nasal blockages and a runny nose. Moreover, increased mucous secretion and sneezing
also starts (Heikkinen & Järvinen, 2003).
The incubation period (time between first becoming infected and showing symptoms) of
the common cold virus is 1-7 days (Nicholson, 1998). The common cold starts with a
sore throat and nasal stuffiness. This is followed by sneezing, cough and nasal discharge
with an infrequent fever (Igarashi et al., 1993). Other symptoms may be a change in voice
pattern, mild headache, fatigue and malaise (Nicholson, 1998). The symptoms of the
The Common Cold 3
common cold last for an average of 14 days. The common cold is transmitted due to
direct contact with the infected person or from the virus being present in the atmosphere
(Dorfer et al., 1999).
Current Treatment of The Common Cold
The common cold is caused by many different viruses variations, which is why there is
no universal treatment for it. Therefore, symptomatic treatment is provided to resolve the
disturbing symptoms with the help of over the counter medications (Heikkinen &
Järvinen, 2003).
Classes of drugs used during the symptomatic treatment of the common cold include;
anti-allergic, nasal decongestants, cough suppressants, and mucus thinners. However, the
United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recommended not to use these
medications in children under 6 years of age due to the side effects of these medications
(Eccles & Weber, 2009).
Among home remedies, humidified air and saline nasal drops may improve symptoms of
nasal congestion and runny nose. For a cough, honey is helpful for children older than 12
months. Adequate intake of food and fluids should be maintained for further relief from
the symptoms.
It is worth mentioning here that antibiotics are not effective in treating the common cold
due to the viral nature of the disease. However, they may be required during the bacterial
complications caused by the common cold. Further, the use of nasal sprays containing
steroids (used to unblock stuffy noses) should be avoided in children (Diane E Pappas,
2015).
The Common Cold 4
A number of alternate products such as zinc and vitamin C are also used to relieve the
symptoms, but the use of these products is not encouraged due to the lack of evidence
regarding their effectiveness.
Appropriate hygiene measures can help in the prevention of the
common cold. Methods such as; thorough hand washing with soap,
using alcohol-based hand rubs as well as the implementation of
household cleaners to kill viruses can be used to prevent the spread of
the common cold (Diane E Pappas, 2015).
Impact of The Common Cold
The common cold is the one of the most prevalent diseases we have across the globe. It is
a self-limiting disease and confined only to the upper respiratory tract. But, in some
patients, it can cause severe problems due to the spread of the virus to other parts of the
body (Heikkinen & Järvinen, 2003). Despite our development in medicine, it is a great
burden in terms of suffering and economic losses due to visits to the hospitals and loss of
work (Adams, Hendershot, & Marano, 1999). Infants and children are the populations
most affected by the common cold and children 6 years old and younger suffer from six
to eight colds per year. This is ultimately responsible for about twenty-two million
missed days of education. Moreover, 150 million days of work are missed which cost
about $20 billion annually to the economy (Diane E Pappas, 2015).
Future Prospects of The Common Cold
Due to the role of viruses in the common cold, antivirals could be used in the prevention
as well as in the treatment of this disease. That is why current research is focused on the
testing of antivirals against the Rhinovirus (Eccles & Weber, 2009). Development of
sophisticated techniques to detect the nature of the viruses causing outbreaks is also being
The Common Cold 5
worked on. Additional research on the host response and viral interaction during the
common cold is also ongoing. Moreover, there is also a dire need for the awareness of
programs about the ineffectiveness of the antibiotics in the treatment of the common cold
(Heikkinen & Järvinen, 2003).
Reading Comprehension Questions:
1. What are the symptoms of the common cold?
2. Why was it called a cold?
3. What is the general name of the virus that causes the common cold?
4. Describe how a cold virus “takes hold” inside its host.
5. What is an “incubation period” and how long does it last for in the common cold?
6. How is the cold spread?
7. How is a cold treated?
8. Why are antibiotics not used to treat a cold?
9. What hygiene measure(s) can be used to prevent you from getting a cold?
10. Which population is most likely to get sick from the common cold and how often
on average, do they suffer from it?
11. Regarding your answer to number 10 above, explain why you think this might be
the case.
12. Antibiotics are used too often to treat a cold even though they have absolutely no
effect. From your previous knowledge, why is the overuse of antibiotics a bad
thing?
13. What will you do in the future to prevent yourself from getting sick?
Reading Comprehension Questions: Answer Key
The Common Cold 6
1. What are the symptoms of the common cold? Symptoms include: itching in the nose, regular
sneezing, runny nose, chills, uncomfortable throat, tiredness, dizziness, mild headache and
thick mucus secretion.
2. Why was it called a cold? It was named a cold due to its resemblance of the effects of cold
weather on the human being
3. What is the general name of the virus that causes the common cold? Rhinovirus.
4. Describe how a cold virus “takes hold” inside its host. First, the virus is deposited into the
nasal mucosa and eyes. Then it enters the nose via lacrimal duct. From the nose, it is
transported to the nasopharynx. After that, it gains entry into epithelial cells (cells lining the
nasopharynx) by binding with receptors. Here it starts to replicate to produce infection.
5. What is an “incubation period” and how long does it last for in the common cold? The
incubation period is the time between being exposed to the virus and the beginning of
symptoms. For a cold, this is between 1-7 days.
6. How is the cold spread? Direct contact or through the air.
7. How is a cold treated? A cold is treated by treating its symptoms including: anti-allergic,
nasal decongestants, cough suppressants, and mucus expectorants.
8. Why are antibiotics not used to treat a cold? Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections,
the cold is a viral infection.
9. What hygiene measure(s) can be used to prevent you from getting a cold? Methods such as;
hand washing with soap for a few seconds, use of alcohol-based hand rubs and use of a
household cleaner to kill virus could be applied to prevent the spread of the virus of the
common cold.
10. Which population is most likely to get sick from the common cold and how often, on average, do
they suffer from it? Infants and children – 6-8 colds per year.
11. Regarding your answer to number 10 above, explain why you think this might be the case. Why
does this population catch a cold so often?
12. Antibiotics are used too often to treat a cold even though they have absolutely no effect. From
your previous knowledge, why is the overuse of antibiotics a bad thing?
13. What will you do in the future to prevent yourself from getting sick?
The Common Cold 7
BibliographyAdams, P. F., Hendershot, G. E., & Marano, M. A. (1999). Current estimates from the National
Health Interview Survey, 1996. Vital and Health Statistics. Series 10, Data from the National Health Survey(200), 1-203.
Atzl, I., & Helms, R. (2009). A short history of the common cold Common Cold (pp. 1-21): Springer.
de Graaf, M., Osterhaus, A. D., Fouchier, R. A., & Holmes, E. C. (2008). Evolutionary dynamics of human and avian metapneumoviruses. Journal of general virology, 89(12), 2933-2942.
Diane E Pappas. (2015, December 2015). Patient information: The common cold in children (Beyond the Basics). Retrieved 01/04, 2016, from http://www.uptodate.com/contents/the-common-cold-in-children-beyond-the-basics
Dorfer, L., Moser, M., Bahr, F., Spindler, K., Egarter-Vigl, E., Giullen, S., . . . Kenner, T. (1999). A medical report from the stone age? The Lancet, 354(9183), 1023-1025.
Eccles, R., & Weber, O. (2009). Common cold: Springer Science & Business Media.Heikkinen, T., & Järvinen, A. (2003). The common cold. The Lancet, 361(9351), 51-59. Igarashi, Y., Skoner, D. P., Doyle, W. J., White, M. V., Fireman, P., & Kaliner, M. A. (1993).
Analysis of nasal secretions during experimental rhinovirus upper respiratory infections. Journal of allergy and clinical immunology, 92(5), 722-731.
Nicholson, K. (1998). Human influenza. Textbook of influenza. London: Blackwell Scientific Publications, 219-266.
Winther, B., Gwaltney, J. M., Mygind, N., Turner, R. B., & Hendley, J. O. (1986). Sites of rhinovirus recovery after point inoculation of the upper airway. Jama, 256(13), 1763-1767.
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