The Cold Virus

One morning when you wake up with sniffles and with a feeling of unwellness, then you probably have a cold. Viruses cause common colds, which can spread from one person to another.

A virus is a tiny germ that infects the body. Viruses can also infect animals and plants. There are thousands of kinds of viruses and there are about hundred kinds of viruses that cause colds. Our body is made up of cells. Each kind of virus attacks a different type of cell.

Cold viruses attack the cells on the lining of our nose or throat. These viruses can sometimes also infect the air passages moving towards lungs. These viruses multiply in the cells of the nose and moves from one nostril to other. As the nose cells starts dieing, head starts feeling heavy and nose starts to run. The dieing of the cells makes you feel sick. This is the way, cold infection spreads.

Cold virus spreads very easily. You can transfer your cold to any body. As you have cough or sneeze, you blow some viruses in it and anybody standing or sitting near you can catch these viruses. Even if the things touched by the infected persons are touched, then also the infection can be transferred. You can prevent cold virus from spreading by covering your moth when you sneeze.

The immune system of our body sends white cells that are used to kill the viruses. So when cold viruses infect you, these white cells kill those viruses and you get rid of cold after few days.

There are no drugs that can cure a disease caused by a virus. Antibiotics do not kill viruses. Antibiotics only kill other kinds of germs called bacteria.

Scientists are trying to make drugs that will kill viruses. They have made some drugs that help control viruses. Some of these drugs even help people with AIDS stay alive.