Coughing, sneezing and runny noses all get blamed on a condition called the common cold. The common cold refers to a viral infection, and over 200 viruses have been identified that cause this widespread condition. The common cold seasons in the United States are dreaded as a main cause of loss of productivity in the form of missed school and work.
Fall and Winter
Typically cold season starts in early fall in the United States. The rhinovirus is a prevalent cause of the common cold, resulting in 35 percent of adult infections. According to the Palo Alto Medical Foundation, 110 strains of rhinovirus are identified to cause the runny noses and coughs of the common cold. A common misconception is that the cooler fall weather brings out the cold, when in actuality the rhinovirus thrives at a balmy 91 degrees F. A more plausible theory for the common cold season is the return to school and hibernation indoors, when human contact is frequent and easily spreads the cold.
Spring
Staring in early spring, around March through April, the cold season is actually winding down, according to the Ohio State University Medical Center. In these warming months, the coronaviruses and rhinoviruses are still active and producing the common cold in adults and children alike. With over 30 identified types of coronavirus, transmission of the virus is very easily spread from person to person. As the humidity increases, cold prevalence will decrease, as these viruses cannot survive long in high-humidity locales.
Late Fall Cold Misconceptions
Although viruses cause flu and colds alike, the causative agents and resulting illnesses are very different in nature and mortality. Whereas the common cold does not typically put anyone in the hospital, over 200,000 annual hospitalizations occur from the influenza virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is very important that an influenza infection never be mistaken for the common cold; influenza is especially deadly to infants and the elderly and can lead to dehydration and death in some populations. Initially it may be hard to decipher a flu from the common cold; however, influenza frequently produces high fevers and lethargy not indicative of the cold.
