When I searched for the causes of common cold, I found out that it's only cause is the spreading of virus and that it's a myth that you get cold when you get wet. If that is true then how does the virus start to spread if no one else is having cold? Or Simply, Can you get cold by yourself without the virus?
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$\begingroup$ Related: biology.stackexchange.com/questions/5445/… $\endgroup$– shivamsCommented Jan 17, 2019 at 9:42
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No, only virus or bacteria can cause you cold .Cold weather causes increase in the spread of virus. Flu virus spread quickly in cold weather. Cold feet can slow down your immune system making you prone for virus attack.Means ,if you are wet you are susceptible to a viral infection but the cause of cold then would be a virus not the cold weather itself.
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$\begingroup$ Got it.. . But then if it's summer and no one has the cold, how does the virus start with 1 human ? Is my real question.@RabikJohn $\endgroup$ Commented Dec 30, 2018 at 6:39
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$\begingroup$ It doesnot have to be cold outside to catch a cold. If you catch a cold in summer ,it would be exactly like catching a cold in winter .The rhinovirus that causes cold can spread easily in summer as in winter.So it doesn't depend on weather .Second thing ,how it spreads to other person?That's what we call ;contagious disease (that easily spreads by water droplets when you sneeze )so any one breathing in that air containing your virus can got cold. $\endgroup$ Commented Dec 30, 2018 at 6:53
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$\begingroup$ Just to get it cleared, are you saying that the cold has started with the birth of humanity and since then it has never stopped ( as in saying that humans have cold everyday but it just spreads at a higher rate at some occasions)? @RabikJohn $\endgroup$ Commented Dec 30, 2018 at 7:09
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$\begingroup$ An important detail to add is that virus can survive without a host for some time free in the environment and surfaces. You dont forcefully catch a cold from a person that has a cold (at least not directly). $\endgroup$– nsaCommented Dec 30, 2018 at 7:58
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$\begingroup$ Humans donot have cold everyday ,whenever we encounter any virus ,our immune system tries to get rid of it. But sometimes immune system fails to do this so an infection prevails. As I said earlier ;cold feet can slow down the immune system and the virus takes an advantage of this. $\endgroup$ Commented Dec 30, 2018 at 10:48
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Influenza isn't the same virus as the common cold.
Rhinovirus ("nose" virus) is the main cause of the common cold. This is a virus that exists in the nasal passages of all humans. It replicates, like all viruses, by piggy-backing off the metabolism of the host cells (yours). It's present in us, a normal part of the microbiome, but harmless most of the time -- it gets ahead when you are immune compromised, exposed to temperature challenges or chemical challenges, or are infected with some other microbe.
The virus reproduces by making your cells build virus proteins, copy the virus genome, and then build the virus particles that are released to infect more cells. The ideal temperature that human Rhinovirus proteins fold up and work best is slightly below human body temperature. This limits the virus to the cooler part of your respiratory passage -- your nose.
When you are exposed to cooling -- being caught in the rain for example -- your nose and upper respiratory are cooled. This results in the virus replicating at an accelerated rate.
The new viruses leaving the host cells they were made in and invading into nearby cells causes an irritation. Your body tries to dislodge this irritant -- you make excess mucus and you the urge to sneeze
Sniffing or snorting will introduce this mass of viruses deeper into your respiratory tract. They aren't able to replicate here because of the temperature being too high, but they can irritate and invade into your cells. Your body detects this challenge and responds with inflammation, swelling, and as a side effect, pain. Your sore throat.
Ironically, the activity of the immune system responding to this actually harmless virus will compromise the tissues of your throat, and any opportunistic pathogen is more able to invade.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhinovirus this the wiki of the rhinovirus
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$\begingroup$ BTW: There are around 200 viruses that can cause a cold, among them are Rhino-, Adeno- and Coronaviruses just to name the more important. See [wikipedia}(en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_cold#Viruses) on it. $\endgroup$– Chris ♦Commented Dec 30, 2018 at 10:30
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$\begingroup$ Why didn't we evolve to leave behind that virus from our nose? $\endgroup$ Commented Dec 30, 2018 at 17:45
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1$\begingroup$ "Rhinovirus...(is) present in us, a normal part of the microbiome," Please source this. From one review article on respiratory illnesses, "up to 27% [not 100%] of asymptomatic healthy children carry multiple respiratory viruses in their nasopharynx at any given time...", "viral presence might indicate a true subclinical infection..." It's not cut and dry yet. $\endgroup$ Commented Dec 30, 2018 at 21:38
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$\begingroup$ Although there are some minor issues, this answer doesn't deserve a -2. Stephanie, can you please address these issues pointed out in the comments and improve your answer. Also consider the fact that cold air also causes damage to the nasopharygeal mucosa and thereby promotes infection. $\endgroup$– WYSIWYGCommented Jan 10, 2019 at 10:58