PresentationOn

The Common Cold

Laura BockelmanMaggie ChristensenDeven KucinskyBarbara SullivanKerry WedelChristin Stimatze

Why The Common Cold?

• Although everyone has probably had a cold sometime in their life, not everyone knows what causes it or what can be done to help with the symptoms.

• We would like to give some information to help you understand the workings of the common cold, what you can do to make yourself feel better if you catch a cold, and give you some hints on how to keep from catching one.

• We also wanted to get the word out that taking antibiotics for a cold is not only useless, it can be dangerous.

What is a virus

• Viruses are obligate intracellular parasites– Outside of hosts, they are

inactive.

• Outer coating consists of protein, lipid (fat), or glycoprotein.

• Inside contains RNA or DNA genetic material – Virus can’t reproduce without

host cell. – Virus inserts itself into host cell

and takes over its function.

What is bacteria• Single-celled prokaryotes.

– No membrane enclosed nucleus

– No mitochondria or other organells

• Rigid cell walls, responsible for shape of organism.– Walls contain peptidoglycan.

• Multiply by binary fission.– One cell divides into two cells,

identical to original cell

• Many can move using flagella.– Appendages extending from

the cell

Normal Flora

• Bacteria that live in the nose– Staphylococcus aureus

• MRSA Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

• Bacteria that live in the mouth– Streptococcus mutans

• Dental caries (cavities)• Bacteria that live on the skin

– Staphylococcus epidermidis – Propionbacterium

• Acne• Bacteria that live in the digestive system

– low populations of potentially pathogenic organisms such as Clostridium difficile.

• Overgrowth causes severe diaharrhea – E. coli

• Urinary Tract Infections

• Although these bacteria reside on our bodies or within without causing problems, they are capable of causing infection– Opportunistic

• Once they get into a place where they aren’t supposed to be, they cause disease.

The Common Cold

• Caused by viruses– There is no evidence that you can

get a cold from exposure to cold weather or from getting chilled or overheated.

• Rhinovirus– are most active in early fall, spring,

and summer – More than 110 distinct rhinovirus

types have been identified – These viruses grow best at

temperatures of about 91 degrees, that perfect body temperature right inside the human nose.

– Seldom serious• Coronaviruses

– These cold viruses are most active in the winter and early spring

– Of the more than 30 kinds of coronaviruses, three or four infect humans

– Difficult to grow in laboratory• Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV).

– produce mild infections in adults but can lead to severe lower respiratory infections, such as pneumonia, in young children.

How do you catch a cold?• Virus enters body

through mouth, nose, or eyes.– Touching eyes, nose,

or mouth after touching surfaces with cold germs on them.

– Hand-to-hand contact.– Sharing utensils,

computers, towels, ect.

– Inhaling the germs.• the virus can spread

through droplets in the air when someone who is sick sneezes or talks.

SYMPTOMS• Symptoms of a cold usually begin 2 or 3 days after infection and last 2 to 14 days. A cold can last for about one week, but some colds last longer, especially in children, elderly people, and those in poor health

• Congestion• Coughing• Sneezing• Runny nose• Watery eyes• Fever

– Up to 102 F or 39 C

• Fatigue

Treatments

• There isn’t a vaccine for the common cold because there are so many different viruses that can cause a cold.

• You can treat the symptoms– Fluids. Water, juice, and herbal tea can help

replace lost fluid. Drinking warm lemon water with honey may help ease symptoms of a sore throat as well.

– Eat chicken soup - Chicken soup acts as an anti-inflammatory by inhibiting the movement of neutrophils - immune system cells that help the body's response to inflammation.

– Gargle with warm salt water - Gargling with 1-2 teaspoons of salt dissolved in warm water several times a day can help significantly soothe a sore throat and relieve a cough.

– Get plenty of rest - Relaxation allows the body's immune system to recuperate.  Stay home from work or school for a day or two to give you a chance to rest as well as to reduce the chances of infection transmission.

– Use a humidifier - A cool-mist humidifier or vaporizer can moisten the air and help ease congestion and coughing.

– Take over-the-counter pain or cold medicines - Cough drops, throat sprays and saline nasal drops are they're effective, safe and nonirritating for most cold sufferers.

Secondary Infections• Middle Ear Infection– Streptococcus pneumoniae

• 40-80% of cases – Haemophilus influenzae

• 20-30% of cases– Less common bacteria are Streptococcus

pyogenes and Staphylococcus aureus.• Bronchitis

– The most common cause of acute (short-term) bronchitis is due to viral infections.

• adenovirus, influenza virus, Para influenza virus, corona virus, and respiratory syncytial virus.

– Some of the bacteria that cause bronchitis include streptococcus, pneumoniae, and Haemophilus influenzae

• Pneumonia– The most common cause of pneumonia in the

United States is the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae, or pneumococcus

• Sinus Infection– Bacteria that normally cause acute sinusitis

are Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae and Staphylococcus aureus

• Strep Throat– caused by group A streptococcal bacteria,

• Streptococcus pyogenes

How to tell if your cold has turned into something more

• Thick Green or Yellow mucous either from nose or lungs

• Sore Throat With Deep Red Color, White Patches

• High Fever– Over 102 F

• Difficulty Breathing• Severe pain in ear

– Pressure in ear

• Cough that doesn’t clear up in a week• Severe congestion of nasal cavity, frontal

headache that accompanies the congestion

Antibiotics Kill the Bacteria That Cause the Infection

• Strep Throat– Penicillin– Amoxicillin– Azithromycin– Cephalosporins

• Otitis Media– Amoxicillin

• Sinusitis– Amoxicillin

• Pneumonia– Penicillin– Azithromycin– Tetracyclines

• Bronchitis– Zithromax– Bactrim– Sulfa Drugs– Amoxicillin

Antibiotics…When they can help and

when they can hurt

• Bacterial Infections, helpful– Bacteriostatic

• Inhibits reproduction of bacteria

– Bacteriocidal• Kill bacteria outright

– inhibits the synthesis of peptidoglycan

» Once cell wall synthesis is inhibited, enzymatic autolysis of the cell wall can occur

• Antibiotic resistance, hurtful – Causes

• Taking antibiotics for a viral infection

• Not taking the full course of antibiotics

• Antibiotic use in animals humans consume

Antibiotic ResistantSuper Bugs

• The antibiotic no longer works on the targeted bacteria– Bacteria mutate to survive

• Need to discover new antibiotics to kill new strain of bacteria– Expensive– Time consuming

• Death– If there is no way to destroy

new strain, higher mortality of humans

Cold Prevention

• Eat Healthy– Vitamins are important

• Get Plenty of Sleep– At least 7 to 8 hours nightly

• Stay stress-free– exercise

• Keep away from people who are ill– If you are ill, cough and

sneeze into your elbow joint

• WASH HANDS OFTEN– Most important rule to keep

from transferring germs

What Germs Look Like • A growth medium or culture

medium is a liquid or gel designed to support the growth of microorganisms or cells– The most common growth media

for microorganisms are nutrient broths and agar plates

• Some examples of selective media include: – blood agar (used in strep tests),

which contains blood that becomes transparent in the presence of hemolytic Streptococcus

– MacConkey agar for Gram-negative bacteria

How To Correctly Wash Hands• remove any rings or other jewelry, • use warm water and wet your hands

thoroughly, • use soap (1-2 squirts) and lather very

well, • scrub your hands, between your fingers,

wrists, and forearms with soap for 20 seconds,

• scrub under your nails, • rinse thoroughly, • turn off the taps/faucets with a paper

towel, • dry your hands with a single use towel or

air dryer, • protect your hands from touching dirty

surfaces as you leave the bathroom. • To help to wash long enough, one option

may be to sing a short song such as "Happy Birthday" or the "A, B, C’s" twice.

Hand Sanitizers• Not a substitute for washing hands

– Use as a supplement, not a replacement.

ExperimentHow well do you wash your hands?

Put it to the test!Step 1: “Contaminate “ your hand

Step 2: Look at “germs” under black light

Step 3: Wash your hands following proper procedure

Step 4: Check your hands under black light again

Did you effectively remove all the germs?