What is a viral cold?
A viral cold is a flu-like infection (usually of the upper respiratory tract) caused by viruses. Which viruses are responsible for the common cold sometimes depends on the season. For example, the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and adenoviruses are most frequently found in the classic winter months. In the summer months enteroviruses and parainfluenza viruses are more likely to trigger the summer flu. The typical symptoms are headaches and aching limbs, rhinitis, sore throat, cough and possibly fever.
Symptoms of a viral cold
A typical cold or flu-like infection usually occurs in different phases. After infection with the pathogen, it takes different lengths of time for the first symptoms to appear, depending on the type of virus (more rarely bacteria). On average, however, after two to five days there are initially symptoms in the throat area, such as neck scratching or even sore throat, which can even lead to difficulty swallowing.
After a short time, the first symptoms of the classic cold usually appear, such as fever, chills, headaches and aching limbs, a runny, stuffy nose and possibly swollen lymph nodes in the head/neck and/or armpit area. If the majority of the cold is over, a dry irritable cough may also be noticeable as the cold subsides. On average, a classic cold lasts one to two weeks and does not require any causal therapy.
Causes of the common cold
The cause of a viral cold is, as the term suggests, a viral infection. The viruses are taken up thereby primarily by a droplet or smear infection into the own organism, where they then spread and preferentially colonize the respiratory system. Once there, various mechanisms cause damage to the surfaces of the mucous membranes and activate the body’s own immune system, so that the classical symptoms occur when fighting the viruses.
These are the pathogens
It is by no means always the same virus that can cause a viral cold. Rather, many different types of virus are now known. The most frequent representatives are the respiratory syncytial viruses (RSV), rhinoviruses and adenoviruses, which occur frequently in winter and cause colds, especially in children.
In addition, various enteroviruses (Coxsackievirus, ECHO virus) and human parainfluenza viruses can also cause colds, although these are more likely to occur in the summer months. The respiratory syncytial virus (short: RSV) is one of the classic pathogens for a flu-like infection in the winter months and in spring. It is transmitted in the form of a droplet or smear infection and within two to eight days leads to symptoms in the upper respiratory tract, such as rhinitis, coughing (rhinitis, bronchitis) but also, among other things, to inflammation of the middle ear.
Especially in infants and small children it is the most common pathogen for respiratory tract infections. The younger the age of the small patients, the more serious the consequences of an infection with the RS virus can be. The virus is spread worldwide, after an infection there is no lifelong immunity, so renewed infections are possible for a lifetimeCorona viruses are a family of pathogens spread worldwide, which infect both humans and animals, whereby in humans they primarily cause infections of the respiratory tract.
They are transmitted mainly by droplet infection, although some virus genera can also be transmitted from animals to humans. Classical diseases that can trigger corona viruses are cough, rhinitis, fever and headaches associated with a cold. In addition, pneumonia and pleurisy can also occur.
As with the RS virus, there is no immunity after an infection with corona viruses, so renewed infections are possible in the course of life. Adenoviruses are also among the viruses that are spread worldwide and cause infections of the respiratory tract, the gastrointestinal tract and the urogenital tract. 80 different adenoviruses are known, of which about 47 cause infections in humans. Like many other viruses, they are transmitted by droplet infection, but also faecal-orally (absorption of intestinal germs via the mouth). After about five to eight days, they preferably trigger diseases of the respiratory tract such as pharyngitis or pneumonia, infections of the eyes such as conjunctivitis, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (diarrhea) and the urogenital tract (including cystitis).Again, there is no immunity after having been infected, so that new infections are possible in the course of life.
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