The common cold or cold is a non-threatening illness caused by several viruses.
Transmission of the virus from a sick person to a healthy person
Common cold viruses are transmitted by direct touch or by lets, and direct transmission of the virus is the most effective mechanism for rhinoviruses.
Transmission of the virus from one person to another is related to the amount of time that the person spends next to the sick person and the amount of viruses that the patient has.
Touch transmission is the primary method of transmission. The virus is transmitted in contaminated saliva secretions from the patient to another person through the hands and from there to the nose and eyes.
The virus can live for two hours on the skin, and it has been shown to be present in 40% - 90% of patients with the common cold. Nasal viruses are also transmitted by lets.
Cold symptoms
The incubation time for the virus, from infection to onset of cold symptoms, ranges from 24 to 72 hours.
Symptoms vary from person to person and include
Runny nose and mucous congestion in the nose
stuffy nose
sneeze
Sore throat.
Mostly, the sore throat goes away quickly, while gonorrhea and congestion remain the main source of complaint for patients, especially in the second and third days of the onset of the disease. On the fourth and fifth days, the cough becomes the first bother, while the other symptoms subside.
The cold usually lasts between 3-7 days, although it lasts for about another two weeks in about a quarter of patients.
Colds may be more difficult and severe in children, in people with chronic diseases, in people with a defect in the functioning of the immune system and in those who suffer from malnutrition.
Causes and risk factors for the common cold
There are several viruses that cause the common cold.
Cold-causing viruses
The following viruses cause the common cold
Rhinoviruses: cause 10%-40% of colds
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV - Respiratory syncytial virus): This type of virus causes 20% of disease cases.
Coronaviruses: Coronaviruses cause 10% of cases of colds.
Viruses cause symptoms similar to the common cold
Some viruses cause cold-like symptoms but are usually accompanied by pneumonia or a more severe disease, including:
Influenza viruses.
Adenoviruses.
Parainfluenza.
Some viruses also cause symptoms similar to those of the common cold, but they do not usually lead to the appearance of characteristic symptoms, and are accompanied by a high temperature only, including:
Echovirus.
Coxsackie virus
Differentiate between types of viruses
It is difficult to identify and distinguish the causative virus based solely on symptoms, although parainfluenza affects children and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes mild colds.
Most respiratory viruses that cause a cold can lead to a recurrence of the disease when exposed to the virus again, but the disease is less severe in this case.
Rhinoviruses and parainfluenzae cause colds in the fall and at the end of the spring season, while adenoviruses, coronaviruses, and respiratory syncytial viruses cause the disease to appear in the winter and spring seasons, and Echoviruses and coxsackieviruses cause colds in the summer.
Respiratory syncytial virus is a very contagious virus, and infection with this virus usually occurs through lets, although the virus survives for about an hour at a temperature of 37 degrees Celsius.
In 90% of patients who develop symptoms, the virus is not found in saliva, which leads to the belief that the virus is not transmitted through kissing.
Risk factors for the common cold
Risk factors that increase the risk of catching a cold include
babies.
Winter season.
smoking.
Weakened immunity.
Cold complications
Possible complications of a cold include
Sinusitis
Sinusitis occurs as a result of germs, and it occurs in 0.5% - 2.5% of adults after a cold, and it has been shown in computerized imaging tests that this inflammation appears in 39% of people with a cold after a week.
Characteristic symptoms of infection: purulent runny nose, headache, and persistent fever.
Inflammation of the lungs
Primarily caused by respiratory syncytial virus infection.
Exacerbation of asthma
About 40% of asthma attacks are caused by a cold.
Diagnosis of the common cold
Most cold patients, the doctor can diagnose them based on the symptoms, but if the doctor suspects that there is a bacterial infection, he takes a chest X-ray to ensure that there is no infection.
Cold treatment
Treatment of a cold generally aims to relieve only the signs and symptoms of the disease.
Cold treatment includes the following medications
Antihistamines can relieve cough and runny nose.
Medicines to suppress cough.
Medicines to relieve mucous congestion in the nose, usually in the form of s.
It has been shown in a number of researches that treating colds with zinc tablets with vitamin C and herbs can be useful and effective for treating cold symptoms.
Antibiotics are not needed, as they have not been shown to be effective in treating the common cold.
Antiviral therapy, combined with or without anti-inflammatory drugs, has been shown to be effective in relieving the patient''s symptoms and even shortening the duration of the disease.
Cold prevention
Ways to prevent a cold
Wash hands well with soap and water.
Avoid touching the face and eyes if hands are not washed.
Sterilize surfaces regularly.
Strengthen immunity by getting enough sleep and playing sports.
