Common cold?

**Timbuk2**

As most of us know, the common cold is an infection that is spread from person to person

However, when we were younger if we got wet our parents would always say "Oh quick, change, or you'll get the cold"

Is there any connection between being cold or getting wet and getting the common cold?

rugbug86

Your body is more susceptible to infection when you're cold, being wet increases your chances of getting cold.

Chunky Monkey

Trying to remember my biology here. I think antibodies are enzymes? And enzymes have an optimum temperature at which they work properly. If your body temp drops below 37 degrees then they won't be working properly. Can't remember, I may be getting that wrong but probably along those lines.

DrIndy

The immune system is a strange thing and not even close to being understood. Physical stress can dampen normal immune response as well as nutrient deficiencies. This can cause susceptibility to other infections that would ordinarily be easily dealt with.

Regarding a DIRECT connection between being cold and getting a cold - i doubt.

Of note, people tend to stay indoors during the autumn and winter because the weather is worse. Confined quarters mean you are more likely to transmit an airborne virus than normally.

**Timbuk2**

Another kind of related question. Can infections (such as, but not limited to, the common cold) only infect your body interally (like putting your fingers in your mouth)

This is probably a really obvious and stupid question anyway

Bison

Chunky Monkey wrote: »

Trying to remember my biology here. I think antibodies are enzymes? And enzymes have an optimum temperature at which they work properly. If your body temp drops below 37 degrees then they won't be working properly. Can't remember, I may be getting that wrong but probably along those lines.

No they are not enzymes. You don't really see a massive change in enzyme activity within normal physiological temp ranges as far as I know.

Chunky Monkey

Bison wrote: »

No they are not enzymes. You don't really see a massive change in enzyme activity within normal physiological temp ranges as far as I know.

Oh dear I really have to go back over all that now

rugbug86

Definately not.

Enzymes are fairly thermostable and have a range at which they have optimum activity, however the majority of enzymes have a large range - think washing powder - the main enzyme there, subtilisin, is active between 30oC and 60oC for the ppl who wash their delicates at 30 and their duvets at 60.

Antibodies are proteins, and the majority of us don't have specific antibodies for the common cold, what kills the cold is our b and t cells being activated and illiciting an immune response against the virus.

And wrt your infection question, what exactly is it that you mean?

There's a few main entry routes for infection in the body - eyes, ears, nose, mouth, genitals and open wounds. Your skin does its job fantastically and stops the bacteria from entering your system, so yes, they can only enter internally. Most of the entry points to your system have mechanisms to reduce/try and stop the bacteria/viruses/particles from entering your system such as:
Eyes: Lysozyme; tears being produced to flush stuff out
Nose: Nose hair
Lungs: Tiny little hairs that make you cough when they get agitated, thus expelling the bacteria.

I think that's what you were asking?

PoleStar

Being cold activates a stress response.

This may make you more prone to infection I am sure althought the bottom line as mentioned already is being cold equals people in close equals facilitation of infection transmission.