Researchers Close To Finding Cure For The Common Cold

Seattle - For years there has been talk about the medical community’s desire to cure the common cold. The common cold, caused by the rhinovirus, causes people to get sick four to ten times a year. This results in people missing days from work and school and investing in prescribed as well as unprescribed medications that only mask symptoms. Research concludes that as a result of millions of people catching colds several times a year, not having a cure for the common cold has cost the United States approximately $60 billion per year.

Another problem with colds is that they also trigger asthma attacks. Researchers believe that catching colds during childhood eventually teaches our immune systems to develop asthma. Aside from people taking a smaller number of days off work and missing fewer days in school, asthma sufferers will obviously reap the benefits of a cure for the common cold, too. Due to recent research it now seems a cure is finally on the horizon.

In the past, the problem in finding a cure has been due to the structure, make-up of the virus. The common cold has stumped researchers in finding a cure because the rhinovirus has so many strains that are able to mutate. This makes it hard to find an effective drug or vaccine. Scientists say that at least 106 versions of the rhinovirus have been identified. Researchers add that they have decoded the genomes, also called genetic material, of ninety-nine strains. In doing so, they have also exposed a list of the viruses weaknesses. Doctors believe this recent finding might present a chance to formulate new vaccines.

Despite the positive feedback on finding a cure for the common cold there are cynics who wonder if further research would be a waste of funds. Since colds are considered to be minor irritations, drug developers believe consumers would not want to invest in treatment with expensive drugs. They believe it would also be a difficult challenge getting the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to approve drugs for the common cold since it is not considered a potentially life-threatening disease.

Due to the rhinoviruses ability to mutate there may also be a need to develop several vaccinations (instead of only one) just as there are already several over-the-counter drugs used to treat cold symptoms. One doctor says that there could not possibly be a vaccine because the vaccine will not be able to protect the place the virus is known to attack, the linings of the nose. Even still, this does not change the fact that researchers have finally grasped an understanding of the make-up of the rhinovirus and moved closer to a possible cure.