Encyclopedia of infectious diseases -- how to distinguish common cold from influenza

February 15, 2020 / Bio Valley / influenza and common cold are respiratory diseases caused by viruses Flu symptoms are often more sudden and severe than the gradual, mild symptoms of a cold In response, Dr nipuni Rajapakse, a paediatric infectious disease expert from Mayo Clinic, explained the difference between the two viral diseases (picture source: cc0 public domain) "influenza is a specific type of infection caused by a specific virus Usually influenza A or B virus However, colds are caused by hundreds of different types of viruses The main difference in symptoms is that influenza tends to cause more systemic symptoms than a cold It's more likely to have symptoms of fever, body aches and pains, while colds are usually just runny noses, sore throats and maybe even coughs " Dr Rajapakse said Specifically, flu symptoms include high fever, muscle soreness (especially in the back, arms and legs), cold and sweating, headache, dryness, persistent cough, fatigue and weakness, nasal congestion, sore throat, sudden onset of symptoms, etc Dr Rajapakse said: "once infected with any kind of virus, it increases the chance of bacterial infection For example, the risk of bacterial sinusitis may increase, as well as the risk of pneumonia or lung infection " "If a patient has recovered from a cold or flu and then suddenly starts to have a fever or feel unwell again, consult a doctor to determine if a bacterial infection has developed," Dr Rajapakse said During a cold or flu, antibiotics that work only on bacteria but not on viruses do not prevent patients from developing secondary bacterial infections and can cause serious injury The antiviral drug oseltamivir (Tamiflu) works only on influenza viruses and cannot treat the common cold Influenza vaccines can prevent influenza A and B, but not the common cold " For the common cold, the main symptoms include: runny nose or stuffy nose, sore throat, cough, gradual onset of symptoms, etc Dr Rajapakse said there is no cure for the common cold, but there are many ways to make it better "We recommend that people with the common cold take a rest, drink more water, and use ibuprofen or paracetamol to relieve symptoms and help them feel better until the body has enough resistance." Finally, it's also important to wash your hands, cover up when coughing and handle used paper towels carefully so as not to spread the cold and flu virus to others Information sources: infectious diseases a to Z: the common cold versus the flu