Acute viral nasopharyngitis primary prevention
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Primary Prevention
The best way to avoid a cold is to avoid close contact with existing sufferers; to wash hands thoroughly and regularly; and to avoid touching the mouth and face. Anti-bacterial soaps have no effect on the cold virus; it is the mechanical action of hand washing that removes the virus particles.[1]
In 2002, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended alcohol-based hand gels as an effective method for reducing infectious viruses on the hands of health care workers.[2] As with hand washing with soap and water, alcohol gels provide no residual protection from re-infection.
The common cold is caused by a large variety of viruses, which mutate quite frequently during reproduction, resulting in constantly changing virus strains. Thus, successful immunization is highly improbable.
Exposure to Cold Weather
Although common colds are seasonal, with more occurring during winter, there is no evidence that short-term exposure to cold weather or direct chilling increases susceptibility to infection.[3][4]
With respect to the causation of cold-like symptoms, researchers at the Common Cold Centre at the Cardiff University conducted a study to "test the hypothesis that acute cooling of the feet causes the onset of common cold symptoms."[5] The study measured the subjects' self-reported cold symptoms, and belief they had a cold, but not whether an actual respiratory infection developed. It concludes that the onset of common cold symptoms can be caused by acute chilling of the feet, but that "further studies are needed to determine the relationship of symptom generation to any respiratory infection."
References
- ↑ "The importance of handwashing for your health". Canadian Health Network.
- ↑ Boyce, John M. (2002-10-25). "Guideline for Hand Hygiene in Health-Care Settings: Guideline for Hand Hygiene in Health-Care Settings Recommendations of the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee and the HICPAC/SHEA/APIC/IDSA Hand Hygiene Task Force" (pdf). Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 51 (RR-16). PMID 12418624. Unknown parameter
|coauthors=ignored (help) - ↑ Eccles R (2002). "Acute cooling of the body surface and the common cold". Rhinology. 40 (3): 109–14. PMID 12357708.
- ↑ Douglas, R.G.Jr, K.M. Lindgren, and R.B. Couch (1968). "Exposure to cold environment and rhinovirus common cold. Failure to demonstrate effect". New Engl. J. Med. 279.
- ↑ Johnson C, Eccles R (2005). "Acute cooling of the feet and the onset of common cold symptoms". Family Practice. 22 (6): 608–13. doi:10.1093/fampra/cmi072. PMID 16286463.