The Common COld - Essay Example

However it is not as serious as the flu because the cold are caused by a virus that that invades the cells in the nose and then replicate. The concentration of the virus is highest and contagious during the first two days before the person show any kind symptoms. This is the reason why infected children and medical staff can spread it before they show the signs of illness. This paper will analyze how its spreads, the type of viruses involves, the symptoms and the medication that can be provided.

Common cold viruses are the most contagious prior to the symptoms showing for about three days of the cold. There are over 100 common cold viruses. This means that young children can get one cold after another. This can make the child quite discomforted but it is also good in a way in that, the child will develop more resistance to each virus and will reduce the frequency of being sick with common cold. Anybody is capable of infecting or spreading the virus. Cold viruses can be spread through discharge from the nose or throat.

This can either be by through coughing kissing, sneezing, sharing eating utensils and getting into contact with infected objects. It is important to know that money, keys, toothbrushes and even door knobs can harbour these viruses. However, they can only leave on non human surface for about one to two hours. The common cold also known as rhinitis or coryza is known to be caused by a group of several of viruses. They include coronaviruses, adenoviruses, parainfluenza, repiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

The one that is the prominent or dominant are the rhinoviruses though it seldom causes a serious illness. However, other viruses like paraainfluenza and RSV can produce severe respiratory illness in children and infants. This means that these two kinds of viruses are virulent. Coronaviruses are those viruses that tend to give adults common cold. These viruses cause cold during winter and early summer. Influenza (the flu) is also caused by a virus, either Influenze A or Influenza B. This is a viral disease of the upper respiratory tract.

The disease affects the nose. It has the following symptoms sore throat, coughing, fever and running nose, which in most cases resolve in a weeks’ time. However, there are other symptoms, which last for almost three weeks. Over 100 viruses are associated with the cause of common cold. The most common are rhinoviruses. This makes the patient have show symptoms of sore throat, cough, muscle ache .head ache and fatigue. Occasionally, the common cold may be complicated by a bacterial infection for example, pneumonia, sinus infections.

It is vital that these complications are treated with the appropriate antibiotics. There are numerous symptoms that can indicate that a person has been infected by common cold. These symptoms are evident after two to three days after the person has been infected with the virus. These include; tiredness, swelling of the sinuses, difficulty breathing through the nose, sore throat, sneezing, headache, and mucus builds upon the nose. Although fever is uncommon in adults who have been infected with the common cold virus, it is prevalent in children and can rise up to 102?F . Children should seek medical attention if it goes higher than this.

These symptoms can last up to two weeks but, for those who take medication, it can last up to 10 days. Other