The
common cold
[1]
is caused by
viruses
. It spreads easily, so it is very
infectious
. The
symptoms
are mostly in the upper
respiratory system
. Its damage is mostly felt in the nose and throat. The symptoms include
coughs
, painful throat, runny nose and
fever
. These symptoms usually last seven to ten days, but sometimes up to three weeks.
Over two hundred different
viruses
can cause the common cold
:
[2]
that is why the details vary so much.
Rhinoviruses
are the most common cause.
The common cold mostly hurts the nose,
pharynx
, throat, and the
sinuses
(
sinusitis
). The symptoms come from the
immune system
's response to the infection, not from direct destruction by the viruses themselves.
Hand washing
is good, but the viruses also spread through moist air. Close contact with infected people is common in many cities. Wearing face masks might help, especially on any mass transit system (railways, underground, buses...).
If you have a case of the common cold, there will be a bacteria in the spit called Stretogen A or Stretogen B. These bacterias react when in contact with any clear weak acid. The clear colored liquid will turn to a brown color if positive. This method of testing has been replaced by symptom based diagnosis and you can be cured by using antibiotics.
There is no cure for the common cold, but the symptoms can be treated. It is the most frequent infectious disease in humans. The
average
person gets two to three colds every year. The average child gets between 6 and 12 colds every year. These colds have been with humans for as long as we have a history.
The most common symptoms of a cold are a cough, runny nose, a stuffy nose, and a sore throat. Other issues are
sore muscles
,
feeling tired
,
headache
, and not wanting to eat.
[3]
Around 40% of people with colds have a sore throat, while around 50% have a cough.
[4]
Muscle ache happens in about half of the cases.
[5]
A fever is an uncommon symptom in adults, but it is common in infants and young children.
[5]
The cough caused by a cold is usually mild compared to a cough caused by
influenza
(the flu).
[5]
A cough and a fever indicate a higher likelihood of the flu in adults.
[6]
A number of the viruses that cause the common cold may also result in no symptoms.
[7]
[8]
The color of the
mucus
that is coughed up from the
lungs
(sputum) may vary in color from clear to yellow to green. This color does not indicate if an infection is caused by viruses or
bacteria
.
[9]
A cold usually begins with feeling tired, a feeling of being chilled,
sneezing
, and a headache. Additional symptoms such as runny nose and cough follow within two or more days.
[3]
Symptoms typically reach their worst two to three days after the infection begins.
[5]
Symptoms usually end after seven to ten days, but can last up to three weeks.
[10]
The cough lasts for more than ten days in 35% to 40% of cases involving children. It lasts for more than 25 days in 10% of cases involving children.
[11]
The common cold is an easily spread infection of the upper respiratory tract. Rhinoviruses cause 30% to 80% of all cases. A rhinovirus is an
RNA-containing virus
. There are 99 known types of this kind of virus.
[12]
[13]
Other viruses can also cause the common cold.
Coronavirus
causes 10% to 15% of cases. The
flu
causes 5% to 15% of cases.
[5]
Often, more than one virus is present and causing the infection.
[14]
In total, over two hundred different viruses are associated with colds.
[5]
[15]
The common cold virus is usually spread in one of two main ways. By
breathing
or
swallowing
droplets
in the air containing the virus; or by contacting infected nasal mucus or contaminated objects.
[4]
[16]
The most common method of transmitting the cold virus has not been determined.
[17]
The viruses may survive for a long time in the environment. Viruses may then be transmitted from the hands to the eyes or nose where infection occurs.
[16]
People sitting close together appear at greater risk of becoming infected.
[17]
Transmission is common in
day cares
and at schools, due to the closeness of many children with little
immunity
and frequently poor
hygiene
.
[18]
These infections are then brought home to other members of the family.
[18]
There is no evidence that the air on
commercial flights
transmits cold viruses.
[16]
Rhinoviruses are most infectious in the first three days of cold symptoms. They are much less infectious afterwards.
[19]
The traditional theory was that the disease spread to someone staying too long in cold
weather
, rain, or
winter
conditions. This is how the disease got its name.
[20]
The role of body cooling as a risk factor for the common cold is controversial.
[21]
Some common cold viruses are seasonal, found more often in cold or wet weather.
[22]
This is believed to mostly be due to more time spent indoors, close to each other;
[23]
specifically children returning to school.
[18]
Still, changes in the respiratory system may result in easier infections.
[23]
Dry air may increase transmission rates by allowing small easily spread droplets to spread farther and stay in the air longer.
[24]
Herd immunity
, immunity that occurs when an entire group of people become immune to a particular infection, occurs from previous exposure to cold viruses. Thus younger populations have greater rates of respiratory infections and older populations have lower rates of respiratory infections.
[25]
Poor immune function is also a
risk factor
for disease.
[25]
[26]
Lack of sleep and poor
nutrition
have also been associated with a greater risk of developing infection following rhinovirus exposure. This is believed to be due to their effects on immune function.
[27]
[28]
The symptoms of the common cold are believed to be mostly related to the immune response to the virus.
[29]
The mechanism of this immune response is virus-specific. For example, the rhinovirus is typically acquired by direct contact. It binds to human ICAM-1 receptors through unknown methods to trigger the release of
inflammatory
mediators.
[29]
These inflammatory mediators then produce the symptoms.
[29]
It does not generally cause damage to the nasal
epithelium
.
[5]
In contrast, the
respiratory syncytial virus
(RSV) is contacted by both direct contact and airborne droplets. It then replicates in the nose and throat before frequently spreading to the lower respiratory tract.
[30]
RSV does cause epithelium damage.
[30]
Human parainfluenza virus typically results in inflammation of the nose, throat, and airways.
[31]
In young children, when it affects the
trachea
it may produce
croup
, a hoarse cough and
difficulty breathing
. This is due to the small size of the airway in children.
[31]
The distinction between different upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) is loosely based on the location of the symptoms. The common cold primarily affects the nose, pharyngitis primarily affects the throat, and bronchitis primarily affects the lungs.
[4]
The common cold is frequently defined as inflammation of the nose and may include varying amounts of throat inflammation.
[32]
Self-
diagnosis
is common.
[5]
Isolation of the actual viral agent involved is rarely performed.
[32]
It is generally not possible to identify the specific virus through symptoms.
[5]
The only effective way to prevent the common cold is by physically preventing the spread of the viruses.
[33]
This primarily includes hand washing and wearing face masks. In the health care environment, gowns and disposable gloves are also worn.
[33]
Isolating infected individuals is not possible because the disease is so widespread and symptoms are not specific.
Vaccination
has proved difficult because there are so many viruses involved and the viruses undergo rapid change.
[33]
Developing a broadly effective vaccine is very unlikely.
[34]
Regular hand washing reduces the spread of cold viruses. It is most effective and is especially recommended for use in children, due to a lack of
evidence
supporting the effectiveness of
over-the-counter
cold medicines for children, and due to the risk for harm from those medicines.
[35]
[36]
In 2009,
Canada
restricted the use of over-the-counter cough and cold medication in children six years old and younger due to concerns regarding risks and unproven benefits.
[35]
The misuse of
dextromethorphan
(an over-the-counter cough medicine) has led to its ban in a number of countries.
[37]
In adults, the symptoms of a runny nose can be reduced by first-generation
antihistamines
. However, first-generation antihistamines are associated with
adverse side effects
such as drowsiness.
[38]
Other decongestants such as
pseudoephedrine
are also effective in adults.
[39]
Ipratropium nasal spray may reduce the symptoms of a runny nose, but there is little effect on stuffiness.
[40]
Second-generation antihistamines do not appear to be effective.
[41]
Due to the lack of studies, it is not known whether drinking more fluids improves symptoms or shortens respiratory illness.
[42]
A similar lack of data exists for the use of heated humidified air.
[43]
One study found chest vapor rub to be effective in providing some symptomatic relief of night-time cough, congestion, and sleep difficulty.
[44]
Antibiotics have no effect against viral infections and thus have no effect against the common cold.
[45]
Antibiotics are often prescribed even though antibiotic side effects cause overall harm.
[45]
[46]
Antibiotics are commonly prescribed because people expect doctors to prescribe them, and doctors want to help people. Prescribing antibiotics also happens because it is difficult to exclude causes of infection that may be managed by antibiotics.
[47]
There are no effective antiviral drugs for the common cold, even though some preliminary research has shown benefit.
[38]
[48]
While there are many
alternative treatments
used for the common cold, there is not enough scientific evidence to support the use of most treatments.
[38]
As of 2010, there is not enough evidence to recommend for or against either
honey
or nasal irrigation.
[49]
[50]
Zinc supplements may reduce the severity and duration of symptoms when taken within 24 hours of their onset.
[51]
The effect of vitamin C on the common cold, while extensively researched, is disappointing.
[52]
[53]
Evidence about the usefulness of
echinacea
is inconsistent.
[54]
[55]
Different types of echinacea supplements may vary in their effectiveness.
[54]
The common cold is generally mild and goes away on its own with most symptoms improving in one week.
[4]
Severe complications, if they occur, are usually in the very old, the very young, or those who are
immunosuppressed
(have a weakened immune system).
[56]
Secondary bacterial infections may occur resulting in sinusitis, pharyngitis, or an
ear infection
.
[57]
It is estimated that sinusitis occurs in 8% of cases. Ear infections occur in 30% of cases.
[58]
The common cold is the most common human disease
[56]
and people are affected all around the world.
[18]
Adults typically have two to five infections per year.
[4]
[5]
Children may have six to ten colds per year (and up to twelve colds per year for school children).
[38]
Rates of symptomatic infections increase in the elderly due to a weakening immune system.
[25]
While the cause of the common cold has been known since only the 1950s, the disease has been with humanity since
ancient times
.
[59]
Its symptoms and treatment are described in the
Egyptian
Ebers papyrus
, the oldest existing medical text, written before the 16th century
BC
.
[60]
The name "common cold" came into use in the
16th century
, due to the similarity between its symptoms and those of exposure to cold weather.
[61]
In the
United Kingdom
, the Common Cold Unit (CCU) was set up by the Medical Research Council in 1946, and it was here that the rhinovirus was discovered in 1956.
[62]
In the 1970s, the CCU demonstrated that treatment with interferon during the incubation phase of rhinovirus infection provided some protection against the disease.
[63]
No practical treatment could be developed. The unit was closed in 1989, two years after it completed research of zinc gluconate lozenges in the prevention and treatment of rhinovirus colds. Zinc was the only successful treatment developed in the history of the CCU.
[64]
The
economic
impact of the common cold is poorly understood in much of the world.
[58]
In the United States, the common cold leads to 75 million to 100 million physician visits annually, costing at least $7.7 billion per year (by conservative cost estimates). Americans spend $2.9 billion on over-the-counter (OTC) drugs. Americans spend an additional $400 million on
prescription medicines
for symptomatic relief.
[65]
More than one-third of people who saw a doctor received an antibiotic prescription. The use of antibiotic prescriptions has implications for
antibiotic resistance
.
[65]
An estimated 22 million to 189 million school days are missed each year due to a cold. As a result, parents missed 126 million workdays to stay home to care for their children. When added to the 150 million workdays missed by employees suffering from a cold, the total economic impact of cold-related work loss exceeds $20 billion per year.
[15]
[65]
This accounts for 40% of time lost from work in the United States.
[66]
A number of antivirals have been tested for effectiveness in the common cold. As of 2009, none have been both found effective and licensed for use.
[48]
There are ongoing trials of the antiviral drug pleconaril. It shows promise against picornaviruses. There are also ongoing trials of BTA-798.
[67]
The oral form of pleconaril had safety issues and an
aerosol
form is being studied.
[67]
Researchers from the
University of Maryland
, College Park and the
University of Wisconsin?Madison
have
mapped the genome
for all known virus strains that cause the common cold.
[68]
- ↑
also known as
nasopharyngitis
,
rhinopharyngitis
,
acute coryza
, or just "a cold".
- ↑
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.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Archived
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January 27,
2021
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3.0
3.1
Eccles p24
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4.0
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4
Arroll, B (2011-03-16).
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.
Clinical Evidence
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2011
(3).
PMC
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PMID
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5.00
5.01
5.02
5.03
5.04
5.05
5.06
5.07
5.08
5.09
Eccles R (November 2005).
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(PDF)
.
Lancet Infectious Diseases
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5
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doi
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10.1016/S1473-3099(05)70270-X
.
PMC
7185637
.
PMID
16253889
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(PDF)
on 2012-03-08
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2012-03-19
.
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Eccles p26
- ↑
Eccles p129
- ↑
Eccles p50
- ↑
Eccles p30
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Heikkinen T, Jarvinen A (January 2003).
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Lancet
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doi
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PMC
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Goldsobel AB, Chipps BE (March 2011). "Cough in the pediatric population".
Journal of Pediatrics
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doi
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Palmenberg A.C.; Spiro, D; Kuzmickas, R; Wang, S; Djikeng, A; Rathe, JA; Fraser-Liggett, CM; Liggett, SB (2009).
"Sequencing and analyses of all known human rhinovirus genomes reveals structure and evolution"
.
Science
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324
(5923): 55?9.
Bibcode
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Eccles p107
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15.0
15.1
"Common cold"
. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. 27 November 2006. Archived from
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2007
.
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16.0
16.1
16.2
Pappas DE, Hendley JO (2009). "Transmission of colds". In Ronald Eccles; Olaf Weber (eds.).
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ISBN
9783764398941
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17.0
17.1
Eccles Pg.211
- ↑
18.0
18.1
18.2
18.3
Arie J. Zuckerman; Paul Griffiths; Jangu E. Banatvala (2007).
Principles and practice of clinical virology
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ISBN
9780470517994
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Gwaltney JM Jr; Halstead SB. "Contagiousness of the common cold".
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(3): 256?257. 16 July 1997.
doi
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10.1001/jama.1997.03550030096050
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2011
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Zuger, Abigail (4 March 2003).
"
'You'll catch your death!' An old wives' tale? Well..."
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Mourtzoukou, EG; Falagas, ME (Sep 2007). "Exposure to cold and respiratory tract infections".
The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease : The Official Journal of the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease
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Eccles Pg.79
- ↑
23.0
23.1
Eccles Pg.80
- ↑
Eccles Pg. 157
- ↑
25.0
25.1
25.2
Eccles. pg. 78
- ↑
Eccles Pg.166
- ↑
Cohen S, Doyle WJ, Alper CM, Janicki-Deverts D, Turner RB (January 2009).
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.
Arch. Intern. Med
.
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(1): 62?7.
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.
PMC
2629403
.
PMID
19139325
.
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)
- ↑
Eccles Pg.160?165
- ↑
29.0
29.1
29.2
Eccles Pg. 112
- ↑
30.0
30.1
Eccles Pg.116
- ↑
31.0
31.1
Eccles Pg.122
- ↑
32.0
32.1
Eccles Pg. 51?52
- ↑
33.0
33.1
33.2
Eccles Pg.209
- ↑
Lawrence DM (May 2009).
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.
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9
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10.1016/S1473-3099(09)70123-9
.
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35.0
35.1
Shefrin AE, Goldman RD (November 2009).
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.
Can Fam Physician
.
55
(11): 1081?3.
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2776795
.
PMID
19910592
.
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Vassilev, ZP; Kabadi, S and Villa, R (Mar 2010). "Safety and efficacy of over-the-counter cough and cold medicines for use in children".
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.
PMID
20001764
.
S2CID
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.
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Eccles Pg. 246
- ↑
38.0
38.1
38.2
38.3
Simasek M, Blandino DA (2007).
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.
American Family Physician
.
75
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PMID
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.
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Taverner D, Latte J (2007). Latte, G. Jenny (ed.). "Nasal decongestants for the common cold".
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.
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Albalawi, ZH; Othman, SS and Alfaleh, K (July 6, 2011). Albalawi, Zaina H (ed.). "Intranasal ipratropium bromide for the common cold".
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.
PMID
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.
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Pratter, MR (Jan 2006).
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.
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.
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Guppy, MP; Mickan, SM, Del Mar, CB, Thorning, S, Rack, A (2011-02-16).
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.
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Singh, M; Singh, M (2011-05-11). Singh, Meenu (ed.). "Heated, humidified air for the common cold".
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.
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.
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45.0
45.1
Arroll B, Kenealy T (2005). Arroll, Bruce (ed.). "Antibiotics for the common cold and acute purulent rhinitis".
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Eccles Pg.234
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48.0
48.1
Eccles Pg.218
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Oduwole, O (2010-01-20). Oduwole, Olabisi (ed.). "Honey for acute cough in children".
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Kassel, JC; King, D and Spurling, GK (2010-03-17). King, David (ed.). "Saline nasal irrigation for acute upper respiratory tract infections".
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Singh, M; Das, RR (2011-02-16). Singh, Meenu (ed.). "Zinc for the common cold".
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Hemila, Harri; Chalker, Elizabeth; Douglas, Bob; Hemila, Harri (2007). Hemila, Harri (ed.). "Vitamin C for preventing and treating the common cold".
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Heiner, Kathryn A; Hart, Ann Marie; Martin, Linda Gore; Rubio-Wallace, Sherrie (2009).
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.
Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners
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.
PMC
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PMID
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- ↑
54.0
54.1
Linde K, Barrett B, Wolkart K, Bauer R, Melchart D (2006). Linde, Klaus (ed.). "Echinacea for preventing and treating the common cold".
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Sachin A Shah, Stephen Sander, C Michael White, Mike Rinaldi, Craig I Coleman (2007).
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.
The Lancet Infectious Diseases
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7
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.
PMC
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PMID
17597571
.
{{
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- ↑
56.0
56.1
Eccles Pg. 1
- ↑
Eccles. pg.76
- ↑
58.0
58.1
Eccles. pg.90
- ↑
Eccles. pg. 3
- ↑
Eccles. pg.6
- ↑
"Cold"
. Online Etymology Dictionary
. Retrieved
12 January
2008
.
- ↑
Eccles. pg.20
- ↑
Tyrrell DA (1987). "Interferons and their clinical value".
Rev. Infect. Dis
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9
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Al-Nakib, W; Higgins, PG; Barrow, I; Batstone, G; Tyrrell, DA (Dec 1987).
"Prophylaxis and treatment of rhinovirus colds with zinc gluconate lozenges"
.
J Antimicrob Chemother
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20
(6): 893?901.
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10.1093/jac/20.6.893
.
PMC
7110079
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PMID
3440773
.
- ↑
65.0
65.1
65.2
Fendrick AM, Monto AS, Nightengale B, Sarnes M (2003).
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S2CID
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{{
cite journal
}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
link
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