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The Cold Virus. By: Mady Cichy and John Esposito . The Common Cold . 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 . Symptoms.
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The Cold Virus By: MadyCichy and John Esposito
The Common Cold • 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
Symptoms • 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
How 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
What does this virus look like? This is what the cold virus cell actually looks like. This is a diagram of a cold virus cell.
Who 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.
Current Research • 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
History of the Cold Virus • 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
Treatment of the Common Cold • 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.
Works Cited Page • "Understanding Colds." Understanding the Common Cold: How Cold Virus Infection Occurs. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Feb. 2013. • "Adenovirus (Ad14) Infection Symptoms, Treatment, Spread and Prevention of the Killer Cold Virus by MedicineNet.com." MedicineNet. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Feb. 2013.