Cold wave Persistent cough spread

Cold wave with especially many and severe infections

09.03.2012

Currently, many Germans suffer from a particularly stubborn cold. Nearly 300 viruses are considered as possible triggers of typical symptoms such as fever, sore throat, runny nose, cough and hoarseness in question. The pathogens continuously adapt and change their shape, which can lead to many people suffering from severe colds due to new viruses in some years.

According to statements by experts such as Hans-Jörg Baumann, senior physician of the pneumology department at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), this year is opposite the news magazine „star“, a cold season with a particularly high number of severe coughing disorders. Many patients currently suffer from a persistent cough that lasts for weeks, explained Baumann. The medicine is often quite helpless at this point and can only help to alleviate the symptoms, since efficient drugs against the virus are not available. These are changing so fast that the development of efficient medicines seems hopeless.

Up to eight weeks cough
Colds are this year „especially common and difficult“, explained the Hamburg general practitioner Stephan Hofmeister compared to the „star“. Currently „Around 40 patients with such colds on Mondays“ go to his practice - otherwise be „it's half as many“, explained Hofmeister. Hans-Jörg Baumann, Senior Physician of the Department of Pulmonology at the UKE, confirmed this assessment and referred to the particularly long-lasting cough in numerous patients, the „go up to eight weeks“ could. Although a corresponding cold is by no means as threatening as the influenza (flu), which is also caused by viruses, the persistent cough is causing a lot of trouble for many of those affected this year.

Pathogens adapt continuously
According to the experts, between 200 and 300 different viruses are considered as the cause of the cold, but they are constantly changing and therefore represent a real challenge for the immune system. After all, once the body's own defenses have adjusted to certain viruses, new pathogens have usually already developed in which the adapted defense strategy of the immune system does not take effect. „Therefore, you will not be immune to a cold, even if you have suffered it once - unlike, for example, against measles or chickenpox“, said Stephan Hofmeister. The newly formed pathogens can sometimes spread very well in the human organism and cause more severe symptoms than is usually the case with colds.

Cold viruses are extremely contagious this year
Apparently, some of the currently circulating viruses belong to this category. This is the only way to explain the particularly heavy and protracted cough in many patients. „There must be something in the genome of these viruses that makes it easy to dock to the mucous membranes of the respiratory system“, so the speculation of Stephan Hofmeister. According to the general practitioner, the pathogens are also thought to be extremely contagious, as in some farms almost the entire workforce is ill. As part of the so-called droplet infection, the viruses are transmitted via aerosols (tiny secretion droplets in the air) when coughing or sneezing from person to person and settle on objects such as doorbells, keyboards and telephone handsets.

Different causes for the variety of colds
The cold viruses have apparently found a way this year to increase in contact with the mucous membranes particularly well, „because many people get sick“, said Stephan Hofmeister. Although immune responses such as fever, sore throat, runny nose and hoarseness are typical of cold symptoms, the painful cough is currently very persistent in many patients and is therefore far from out of the ordinary. In addition, the common cold is often accompanied by headaches and body aches, as well as a feeling of exhaustion, the experts explained. The explanation for the noticeably increased activity of the common cold viruses this year sees the general practitioner Stephan Hofmeister in the interaction of various factors. On the one hand, this could already be done by „a small change to the virus“ conditioned, on the other hand „also the long, dry cold“ a share, Hofmeister said. „There is not a single reason for this, there are sure to be some things here“, explained the doctor. For example, even the dry heating air favor the establishment of cold viruses on the mucous membranes.

Cold wave no reason to panic
Although significantly more people are suffering from a bad cold than usual this year, experts say that this is no reason to panic. „This is not about any super cold viruses. This is within the scope of what occurs every year“, emphasized Stephan Hofmeister and also the pulmonologist Hans-Jörg Baumann from the UKE explained that this „normal fluctuations“ are. According to the chief physician of the pneumology department at the UKE, „just as allergic problems sometimes become more severe when more pollen is flying, even a cold in one year may be more persistent when other viral strains are circulating.“

Treatment of colds not possible
Since a drug treatment of the causes of cold is so far excluded, most doctors rely on measures to alleviate the symptoms. Sufficient hydration ideally with herbal tea (for example, sage), a lot of rest and sleep and a vitamin-rich diet are therefore recommended to all patients. Also, medications can be used to relieve the typical cold symptoms. Various home remedies such as hot lemon, hot milk with honey, nasal douches or inhaling with certain active substances also offer a way to combat the symptoms. Otherwise, just help patience, because „the cough will certainly go away again“, emphasized Stephan Hofmeister. However, it should be clarified with very long-lasting cough, if not possibly another disease behind it, so the statement of the physician.

With strong cold waves fewer influenza illnesses
Hans-Jörg Baumann from the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf explained that the patients urgently needed to take the time to recover. „Just who is in the profession, often means that he has no time to illness“, causing the common cold „in the worst case abducted“ become and yourself „developed pneumonia“, so the statement of the lung specialist. However, the experts also pointed to an advantage that currently brings the particularly severe cold wave with it: the more common the colds, the less likely the real influenza, explained Baumann and Hofmeister. However, a scientific explanation for this phenomenon is not yet available. (Fp)

Also read about colds:
For colds, the medicine can do nothing
Full nose even without a cold
Ear candles: a treat for cold and stress
Dangerous painkillers aspirin & paracetamol
Prevent Cold: Vitamin C offers little help
For colds, essential oils help
Zinc as a helper against colds
Home remedies for colds
Self-treatment for a cold

Picture credits: Thomas Blenkers