The common cold is a viral infection leading to inflammation of the upper respiratory tract (nasal passages and throat).
Causes
There are over 200 different viruses known to be responsible for the common cold, including:
Risk Factors
A risk factor is something that increases your chance of getting a disease or condition.
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Exposure to infected individuals
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Touching one’s nose, mouth or eyes with contaminated fingers
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Personal history of allergies (lengthens duration of cold)
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Smoking cigarettes or frequent exposure to cigarette smoke (due to decreased resistance)
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Stress (due to decreased resistance)
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Sex: Female (especially around menstrual periods)
Symptoms
Symptoms include:
Diagnosis
Infection with HPIVs can be confirmed in two ways: 1) by isolation and identification of the virus in cell culture or by direct detection of the virus in respiratory secretions (usually, collected within one week of onset of symptoms) using immunofluorescence, enzyme immunoassay, or polymerase chin reaction assay, and 2) by demonstration of a significant rise in specific IgG antibodies between appropriately collected paired serum specimens or specific IgM antibodies in a single serum specimen.
Treatment
There are no treatments that cure the common cold. However, a number of treatments can help relieve the symptoms, including:
Pain Relievers
Acetaminophen and/or ibuprofen can be used to treat the aches and pains.
Note: Aspirin is not recommended for children or teens with a current or recent viral infection. Check with your doctor before giving a child or teen aspirin.
Decongestants
Pills or nasal sprays can shrink the nasal passages and decrease mucus production. Nasal sprays should only be used for 2-3 days, however. If you use them for longer periods of time, when you stop using them you may suffer from increased congestion (called rebound congestion).
Fluids
Drinks lots of fluids. Warm beverages and chicken soup are particularly soothing and help reduce congestion.
Humidifier
A cool mist humidifier can help keep your nasal passages moist and reduce congestion. Be sure to clean the humidifier thoroughly every day.
Saline Nose Drops
Nose drops may provide relief from congestion.
Vitamin C
For prevention and treatment of colds, antioxidants like vitamin C have no proven benefit—unless, of course, you’re vitamin deficient. (Other alternative therapies that have not been proven effective include zinc lozenges and echinacea.)
Salt Water Gargle
Gargling with warm salt water can help relieve a sore throat.
Over-the-Counter Cough Drops
Using throat lozenges as needed every couple of hours can help relieve sore throat and cough.
Prevention
No vaccine is currently available to protect against infection caused by any of the Human parainfluenza viruses (HPIVs); however, researchers are developing vaccines against HPIV-1 and -3 infections. Passively acquired maternal antibodies may play a role in protection from HPIV types 1 and 2 in the first few months of life, highlighting the importance of breast-feeding. Strict attention to infection-control practices should decrease or prevent spread of infection. Frequent handwashing and not sharing items such as cups, glasses, and utensils with an infected person should decrease the spread of virus to others. Excluding children with colds or other respiratory illnesses (without fever) who are well enough to attend child care or school settings will probably not decrease the spread of HPIVs, because the viruses are often spread in the early stages of illness. In a hospital setting, spread of HPIVs can and should be prevented by strict attention to contact precautions, such as handwashing and wearing of protective gowns and gloves.
RESOURCES:
American Academy of Family Physicians
http://www.aafp.org
American Lung Association
http://www.lungusa.org
References:
American Academy of Pediatrics. Parainfluenza Viral Infections. In: Peter G, ed. 1997 Red Book: Report of the Committee on Infectious Diseases. 24th ed. Elk Grove Village, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics; 1997: 379.
Collins PL, Chanock RM, McIntosh K. Parainfluenza viruses. In: Fields BN, Knipe DM, Howley PM, eds. Fields Virology. 3rd ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott-Raven; 1995: 1205-41.
Glezen WP, Denny FW. Parainfluenza Viruses In: Evans A, Kaslow R, eds. Viral Infections in Humans: epidemiology and control. 4th ed. New York: Plenum; 1997:551-67.
Griffith's 5-Minute Clinical Consult. 1999 ed. Lippincott, Williams, and Wilkins; 1999.
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases website. Available at: http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/.
