T HE C OLD V IRUS By: Mady Cichy and John Esposito

T HE C OMMON C OLD Is a viral infection Infects upper respiratory system More than two hundred viruses can cause a cold Group called rhinoviruses cause 30 to 50 percent of all colds Almost all colds clear up in two weeks

S YMPTOMS Cold symptoms usually start 2 or 3 days after you came in contact with the virus Nasal Congestion: also called a stuffy nose. The nose becomes congested when the tissues lining becomes swollen Sneezing: Caused by irritation to the mucus membranes if the nose and throat Cough: Caused by recent upper airway infections Headache: Sinus headaches cause pain in the front head and face. Headaches are caused by the swelling in the sinus passage. Symptoms mostly affect the nose area

H OW IS THE COLD SPREAD ? The cold virus is contagious during the first two to four days of sickness. It can be spread in various ways including: Coughing Sneezing Speaking Fluid Droplets Breathing Contact Non-living object with the virus on it

W HAT DOES THIS VIRUS LOOK LIKE ? This is a diagram of a cold virus cell. This is what the cold virus cell actually looks like.

W HO IS THE MOST SUSCEPTIBLE Everyone is susceptible to the cold! Although everyone is susceptible children are especially susceptible The average child gets 3-8 colds a year Why? Kids immunes system have not built up an immunity to the types of cold virus they get. When a child gets sick in a preschool and other areas of interaction the cold spreads rather quickly.

C URRENT R ESEARCH A number of antivirals have been tested, however as of 2009 none have been found successful There are ongoing trials that do show promise DRACO- an antiretroval therapy being developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology

H ISTORY OF THE C OLD V IRUS Been identified since the 1950’s It’s been described in ancient Egypt in the Ebers Papyrus (oldest existing medical text) The name “common cold” came into use in the 1600’s, due to the similarity between it’s symptoms and the cold weather

T REATMENT OF THE C OMMON C OLD There is no actual purpose Two goals for treatment: make you feel better and fight off the virus Important to drink lots of water and if it is hot and humid that helps as well. Aches and pains along with a fever? Take Tylenol, but not aspirin! If you are not over 12 you can contract Reyes Syndrome which can be fatal. Coughing is also helpful whenever you feel the need to because it frees up the mucus in your nasal passages.

W ORKS C ITED P AGE "Understanding Colds." Understanding the Common Cold: How Cold Virus Infection Occurs. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Feb "Adenovirus (Ad14) Infection Symptoms, Treatment, Spread and Prevention of the Killer Cold Virus by MedicineNet.com." MedicineNet. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Feb