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Our Common cold Main Article provides a comprehensive look at the who, what, when and how of Common cold

Definition of Common cold

Common cold: A viral upper respiratory tract infection. This contagious illness can be caused by many different types of viruses, and the body can never build up resistance to all of them. For this reason, colds are a frequent and recurring problem. In fact kindergarten children average 12 colds per year, while adolescents and adults have around seven colds per year.

Going out into the cold weather is not how one contracts a cold nor does it have an effect on the spread of a cold. Antibiotics do not cure or shorten the common cold.


Last Editorial Review: 12/29/1999

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