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

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common cold n an acute contagious disease of the upper respiratory tract that is marked by inflammation of the mucous membranes of the nose, throat, eyes, and eustachian tubes with a watery then purulent discharge and is caused by any of several viruses (as a rhinovirus or an adenovirus)

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see cold (def. 2).

Medical dictionary. 2011.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Common cold — Classification and external resources A representation of the molecular surface of one variant of human rhinovirus. ICD 10 J …   Wikipedia

  • common cold — cold (def. 24). [1780 90] * * * ▪ viral infection       acute viral (virus) infection that starts in the upper respiratory tract (respiratory disease), sometimes spreads to the lower structures, and may cause secondary infections in the eyes or… …   Universalium

  • common cold — noun count a minor illness that makes you SNEEZE and cough. A common cold is usually just called a cold …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • common cold — common colds N COUNT: usu sing, the N The common cold is a mild illness. If you have it, your nose is blocked or runny and you have a sore throat or a cough. Syn: cold …   English dictionary

  • common cold — n a slight illness in which your throat hurts and it is difficult to breathe normally = ↑cold …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • common cold — n. COLD (n. 4) …   English World dictionary

  • common cold — noun a mild viral infection involving the nose and respiratory passages (but not the lungs) will they never find a cure for the common cold? • Syn: ↑cold • Hypernyms: ↑respiratory disease, ↑respiratory illness, ↑respiratory disorder, ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

  • common cold — UK / US noun [countable] Word forms common cold : singular common cold plural common colds a minor illness that makes you sneeze and cough. A common cold is usually just called a cold …   English dictionary

  • Common-Cold-Viren —   [ kɔmən kəʊld ; englisch »gewöhnliche Erkältung«], Abkürzung CC Viren, Virusarten, die zu den Erregern des Schnupfens zählen; ihre Virulenz steigt entsprechend dem Temperaturrückgang …   Universal-Lexikon

  • common cold — cold …   The new mediacal dictionary

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