In the mid-1950s, scientist Winston Price identified the virus that causes the common cold.
Price named his discovery the “JH virus” after his employer (Johns Hopkins University) and set out to find a vaccine that would protect against it.
JH virus is now known as rhinovirus and is one of hundreds of pathogens that cause the common cold. Price has failed to develop a vaccine, and scientists are still no closer to finding a cure for the common cold.
Read more: Mini-nose models reveal why RSV infection is deadly in babies
Why is there no cure for the common cold?
When Price identified the JH virus, it was assumed that because virus causes colds, a vaccine could be developed to prevent infection. Scientists have since learned that there are actually hundreds of viruses that cause the common cold.
“There are about 15 respiratory viruses that commonly cause infections in humans. Of those 15, some can cause the common cold. Number one is rhinovirus,” says Ellen F. Foxman, assistant professor of laboratory medicine and immunobiology at Yale School of Medicine. “People talk about rhinoviruses as if they are just one virus, but at least 170 rhinoviruses have been described.”
Rhinoviruses account for approximately half of colds. About a quarter of cold infections are caused by coronaviruses, Foxman said.
Although most people associate coronaviruses with COVID-19According to a study published in the journal JAMA.
In addition to rhinoviruses and coronaviruses, enteroviruses and human metapneumovirus are also common causes of the common cold.
Cold treatment
Scientists are working to create a cure for this disease cold face a number of problems. Not only can colds be caused by hundreds of viruses, but rhinoviruses in particular can mutate easily.
“It mutates very quickly and is constantly changing,” Foxman says. “It has evolved over time. There are a lot of rhinoviruses floating around.”
Finding a vaccine that could prevent the common cold would mean creating hundreds of vaccines, only for the viruses to mutate again. These mutating viruses pose a challenge to both scientists and our immune systems.
“There are more than 100 different viruses within the rhinovirus that look different to the human immune system,” Foxman says.
The body's adaptive immune system does have a kind of memory. After fighting off a cold, the immune system produces antibodies that will help protect against future infections. However, mutant viruses may not be recognized by the immune system. A person will experience cold symptoms while their immune system produces antibodies to fight the new pathogen.
How long these new antibodies last may depend on both the virus and the severity of the illness the person has had.
“That doesn't mean you won't get infected again, but if you've had the virus, it will likely reduce the infectious dose you receive. Your body probably won't be able to kill 100 percent, but it will be able to neutralize it,” Foxman says.
Who gets a cold and who doesn't?
During cold and flu season, one family member may become infected with the virus while the rest nervously await their fate. In some cases, another family member may catch a cold but have different symptoms. For others, symptoms may even be relieved.
So why does one person get sick and another not? Especially when they live in cramped conditions?
“One of the reasons you may be protected from the virus is because you have been exposed to the virus or received the vaccine,” Foxman says. “But there are other factors, and that’s what my lab is trying to understand.”
People with certain medical conditions, such as asthma, are more likely to experience symptoms. Likewise, people who smoke cigarettes are more likely to experience symptoms than non-smokers. Viral load, also called infectious dose, may also play a role.
“If you get a whole bunch of virus in your nose rather than just a little, it will affect whether your body or the virus wins the race,” Foxman says.
People can try to reduce their viral load by washing their hands frequently and wearing a mask. They can also increase their resilience by regularly getting a good night's sleep. “You may not be able to avoid exposure, but you can if you are resilient,” Foxman says.
And while there is no vaccine for the common cold, there is one available for other respiratory pathogens, such as COVID-19, influenza or RSV, according to the CDC.
This article does not contain medical advice and should be used for informational purposes only.
Read more: Why do viruses like COVID-19 and influenza mutate quickly and what does this mean for vaccines?
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