Cold & Flu Cold Guide Cold Guide Overview Symptoms Causes Diagnosis Treatment Causes and Risk Factors of Colds By Robyn Correll, MPH Robyn Correll, MPH LinkedIn Twitter Robyn Correll, MPH holds a master of public health degree and has over a decade of experience working in the prevention of infectious diseases. Learn about our editorial process Updated on November 07, 2021 Medically reviewed by Chris Vincent, MD Medically reviewed by Chris Vincent, MD LinkedIn Chris Vincent, MD, is board-certified in family medicine. He is a clinical professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine and practices at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. Learn about our Medical Expert Board Print Colds are caused by viruses that spread from person to person through respiratory droplets (for example, through coughing or sneezing). While a number of viruses can cause the common cold, the flu is specifically caused by the influenza virus. Verywell / Ellen Lindner Common Causes Many viruses can prompt cold symptoms—like runny nose, headache, and cough—but rhinoviruses are the most common. Other viruses that cause colds include: Adenovirus Human coronaviruses Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) Human parainfluenza viruses Human metapneumovirus Risk Factors Certain things can increase your chances of getting colds, including environmental factors that make it easier for the viruses to spread and medical conditions that affect the body’s ability to protect itself. Environmental Risk Factors Both cold and flu viruses are spread through things like cough, sneezing, or wiping your nose and touching objects or other people. As a result, certain situations or environments can make it easier for viruses to spread from person to person. These include: Crowded spaces: When a person infected coughs or sneezes, viruses can travel up to 6 feet away. Frequenting places where a lot of people come in close contact with one another—such as train stations, schools, or nursing facilities—increases your chances of coming in contact with cold viruses, especially during the wintertime. Shared surfaces: Cold viruses can live on surfaces for hours, making shared objects like doorknobs and handrails prime real estate for viruses looking to find their next host. Sanitary conditions: When you’re infected with cold viruses and wipe or blow your nose, the viruses get onto your hand or tissue and, from there, can transfer to other people or objects. Spending a lot of time in places where you can’t wash your hands or where surfaces aren’t frequently disinfected can increase your chances of becoming infected yourself. Health Risk Factors Not everyone exposed to cold viruses will get sick. Sometimes the body is able to fight off an infection early to prevent any symptoms from appearing. Some people are more likely to get seriously sick with either a cold or the flu (or other respiratory illnesses) because of their age, medical history or vaccination status. Age: Young children and older adults are more susceptible to getting sick with colds and flu and are particularly vulnerable to experiencing serious complications. Medical history: Some medical conditions can make it harder for your body to fight off diseases or be exacerbated by colds or the flu. Pregnant women and those with asthma, heart disease, diabetes, HIV infection, cancer, or certain neurologic conditions are more likely than others to get severely sick with diseases like the flu. Frequently Asked Questions What is the cause of a common cold? The common cold is an infection of the upper respiratory tract caused by any one of more than 200 different viral strains. The viruses most commonly associated with the cold are (by their general order of frequency):RhinovirusesCoronavirusesInfluenza virusesAdenovirusesHuman respiratory syncytial virusesRespiratory enterovirusesParainfluenza virusesMetapneumoviruses How is the common cold transmitted? The common cold is transmitted via airborne droplets, contact with nasal secretions, and contact with contaminated objects. Routine hand washing significantly reduces the risk of infection, particularly during cold and flu season. Wearing a face mask may be appropriate when around people who may be infected. What increases the risk of getting a cold? Having a chronic illness or weakened immune system increases your risk of getting a cold, as does being under the age of 6 (since the immune system is still not fully mature). Smoking also disrupts the immune response, increasing the risk of colds as well as other respiratory infections. When are you most likely to get a cold? You are most likely to get a cold in the fall and winter when temperatures are cooler. With that said, you can get a cold any time of the year. This is because certain cold viruses, such as respiratory syncytial viruses and some enteroviruses, persist and even thrive in warm weather. Who is at risk of complications from a cold? People with severe chronic respiratory diseases, such as COPD, are at risk of secondary infections like acute bronchitis, sinusitis, middle ear infections, and pneumonia following a cold. People with asthma may be at risk of asthma attacks, while younger children may be vulnerable to croup. How Colds and the Flu Are Diagnosed 5 Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Turner RB. The common cold. Bennett’s Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier; 2015. doi:10.1016/B978-1-4557-4801-3.00058-8 Allen GM, Arroli B, Prevention and treatment of the common cold: making sense of the evidence. CMAJ. 2014 Feb 18;86(3):190–9, doi:10.1503/cmaj.121442 Eddleston J, Lee RU, Doerner AM, Herschbach J, Zuraw BL. Cigarette smoke decreases innate responses of epithelial cells to rhinovirus infection. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 2011;44(1):118-26. doi:10.1165/rcmb.2009-0266OC Jeon JH, Han M, Chang HE, et al. Incidence and seasonality of respiratory viruses causing acute respiratory infection in United Arab Emirates. J Med Virol. 2019 Aug;91(8):1378-84. doi:10.1002/jmv.25464 American Lung Association. Facts about the common cold. By Robyn Correll, MPH Robyn Correll, MPH holds a master of public health degree and has over a decade of experience working in the prevention of infectious diseases. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Medical Expert Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! 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