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Causes

By Mayo Clinic staff

Although more than 100 viruses can cause a common cold, the rhinovirus is the most common culprit, and it's highly contagious.

A cold virus enters your body through your mouth or nose. The virus can spread through droplets in the air when someone who is sick coughs, sneezes or talks. But it also spreads by hand-to-hand contact with someone who has a cold or by using shared objects, such as utensils, towels, toys or telephones. If you touch your eyes, nose or mouth after such contact or exposure, you're likely to "catch" a cold.

Risk factors Symptoms

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  • Common cold in babies

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References
  1. Turner RB. The common cold. In: Mandell GL, et al. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 76th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/book.do?method=display&type=bookPage&decorator=header&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-443-06839-3..00053-9&uniq=212417556&isbn=978-0-443-06839-3&sid=1032726390. Accessed Aug. 3, 2010.
  2. Friedman ND, et al. The common cold in adults: Diagnosis and clinical features. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 3, 2010.
  3. Pappas DE, et al. The common cold in children. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 3, 2010.
  4. Overview of common cold. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/getsmart/antibiotic-use/URI/colds.html. Accessed Aug. 3, 2010.
  5. Symptom relief. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/getsmart/antibiotic-use/symptom-relief.html. Accessed Aug. 3, 2010.
  6. Public health advisory: FDA recommends that over-the-counter (OTC) cough and cold products not be used for infants and children under 2 years of age. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/PublicHealthAdvisories/ucm051137.html. Accessed Aug. 3, 2010.
  7. Friedman ND, et al. The common cold in adults: Treatment and prevention. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 3, 2010.
  8. Ross SM. An integrative approach to rhinosinusitis in children. Holistic Nursing Practice. 2009;23:302.
  9. Cough suppressant and pharmacologic protussive therapy: ACCP evidence-based clinical practice guidelines. Northbrook, Ill.: The American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP). http://www.guideline.gov/summary/summary.aspx?doc_id=8675&nbr=4840&ss=6&xl=999.
  10. Bukutu C, et al. Complementary, holistic, and integrative medicine: The common cold. Pediatrics in Review. 2008;29:e66.
  11. What to do in a medical emergency: Fever. American College of Emergency Physicians. http://www.emergencycareforyou.org/EmergencyManual/WhatToDoInMedicalEmergency/Default.aspx?id=242&terms=fever. Accessed Aug. 3, 2010.
  12. Hoecker JL (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Aug. 8, 2010.
  13. Bauer BA (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Aug. 13, 2010.
  14. Singh M, et al. Zinc for the common cold. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2011:CD001364.
DS00056 Feb. 22, 2011

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