Common cold

Common Cold
Classification and external resources
A representation of the molecular surface of one type of human rhinovirus
ICD-10	J00.0
ICD-9	460
DiseasesDB	31088
MedlinePlus	000678
eMedicine	med/2339
MeSH	D003139

The common cold^[1] is caused by viruses. It spreads easily, so it is very infectious. The symptoms are mostly in the upper respiratory system. Its damage is mostly felt in the nose and throat. The symptoms include coughs, painful throat, runny nose and fever. These symptoms usually last seven to ten days, but sometimes up to three weeks. Over two hundred different viruses can cause the common cold:^[2] that is why the details vary so much. Rhinoviruses are the most common cause.

The common cold mostly hurts the nose, pharynx, throat, and the sinuses (sinusitis). The symptoms come from the immune system's response to the infection, not from direct destruction by the viruses themselves. Hand washing is good, but the viruses also spread through moist air. Close contact with infected people is common in many cities. Wearing face masks might help, especially on any mass transit system (railways, underground, buses...).

If you have a case of the common cold, there will be a bacteria in the spit called Stretogen A or Stretogen B. These bacterias react when in contact with any clear weak acid. The clear colored liquid will turn to a brown color if positive. This method of testing has been replaced by symptom based diagnosis and you can be cured by using antibiotics.

There is no cure for the common cold, but the symptoms can be treated. It is the most frequent infectious disease in humans. The average person gets two to three colds every year. The average child gets between 6 and 12 colds every year. These colds have been with humans for as long as we have a history.

1. ↑ also known as nasopharyngitis, rhinopharyngitis, acute coryza, or just "a cold".
2. ↑ "Common Cold". Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Archived from the original on February 1, 2016. Retrieved January 27, 2021.