Common Cold
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Direct answer
The common cold is a viral infection of the nose and respiratory passages caused by a group of viruses called rhinoviruses, which notably do not infect the lungs. It produces nasal congestion and discharge, sore throat, hoarseness, cough, headache and tiredness lasting a few days. The viruses spread through droplets from sneezing and coughing and by direct contact with contaminated objects such as pens, books and door handles, from where they reach the nose via unwashed hands.
What you must remember
- Causative agent: rhinoviruses — a group of RNA viruses; "rhino" refers to the nose, their target organ.
- Site: the nose and upper respiratory passages; the lungs are not infected, which is the single most repeated exam point.
- Symptoms: nasal congestion and discharge, sore throat, hoarseness of voice, cough, headache, tiredness and a general feeling of malaise lasting three to seven days.
- Transmission by droplets: the virus travels in droplets released when an infected person sneezes or coughs.
- Transmission by contact: touching contaminated objects such as pens, books, cups, doorknobs and towels and then touching the nose transfers the virus.
- Self-limiting course: the illness usually cures itself within a week; antibiotics are useless against viruses, and supportive care is the standard approach.
- Prevention: hand washing, avoiding touching the face, and keeping distance from actively sneezing or coughing persons.
Common confusion
Because both are droplet-spread respiratory illnesses, students equate the common cold with influenza-like pneumonia or tuberculosis. The common cold is strictly an upper-respiratory viral infection that spares the lungs, unlike pneumonia (alveolar, bacterial) and tuberculosis (lung infection by Mycobacterium tuberculosis). Another distinction worth remembering: a cold is never cured by antibiotics, since antibiotics act only on bacteria.
Exam-focused takeaway
NEET-UG asks the causative agent (rhinoviruses), the site of infection (nose and respiratory passages, not lungs) and the transmission modes — droplets as well as contaminated objects such as doorknobs and pens. Statement questions contrast the cold with pneumonia and tuberculosis, and match-the-following items link the disease to its viral nature and droplet spread.
Frequently asked questions
Which virus causes the common cold?
Rhinoviruses, a group of viruses that infect the nose and respiratory passages.
Does the common cold affect the lungs?
No — the infection is limited to the nose and upper respiratory passages; the lungs remain uninvolved.
How is the common cold transmitted?
Through droplets from sneezing and coughing, and by direct contact with contaminated objects such as pens, books and door handles followed by touching the nose.
What are the typical symptoms of a cold?
Nasal congestion and discharge, sore throat, hoarseness, cough, headache and tiredness that settle within about a week.
Why do antibiotics not cure the common cold?
Because colds are viral infections, and antibiotics act only against bacteria; the illness is self-limiting and needs supportive care.