Common cold

common virus infection of the respiratory tract

Acute viral nasopharyngitis, or acute coryza, usually known as the common cold, is a highly contagious, viral infectious disease of the upper respiratory system, primarily caused by picornaviruses or coronaviruses.Common symptoms are sore throat, runny nose, nasal congestion, sneezing and cough; sometimes accompanied by muscle aches, fatigue, malaise, headache, muscle weakness, or loss of appetite. Fever and extreme exhaustion are more usual in influenza. The symptoms of a cold usually resolve after about one week, but can last up to 14 days. Symptoms may be more severe in infants and young children. Although the disease is generally mild and self-limiting, patients with common colds often seek professional medical help, use over-the-counter drugs, and may miss school or work days. The cumulative societal cost of the common cold in the United States is billions of dollars.
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The common cold is a viral infection of the upper respiratory system, including the nose, throat, sinuses, eustachian tubes, [more]Common cold - Community and Resources

Noun
1. a mild viral infection involving the nose and respiratory passages (but not the lungs); "will they never find a cure for the common cold?"
(synonym) cold
(hypernym) respiratory disease, respiratory illness, respiratory disorder
(hyponym) head cold
(part-meronym) rhinorrhea

A viral upper respiratory tract infection. A contagious illness caused by a number of different types of viruses. Because of the great number of viruses that can cause a cold, the body never builds up resistance (immune) against all of them. For this reason, colds are a frequent and recurring problem. In fact, preschool children average 9 colds a year; those in kindergarten, 12 colds a year; and adolescents and adults, 7 colds per year. Going out into the cold weather has no effect on the spread of a cold. Antibiotics do not help the common cold.