$Unique_ID{BRK01372} $Pretitle{} $Title{Has Anything New Been Developed in the Fight Against Colds?} $Subject{cold viruses treatment pulmonary system colds flu aphorism remedy help fight cure preventive viral placebos antibiotic placebo antibiotics infections influenza virus amantadine vaccine drug rsv respiratory syncytial virus pneumonia ribavirin interferon common rhinovirus headache headaches nausea vomiting infection home remedies nose throat sinuses sinus nasal treat flus cures prevention vaccines drugs pneumonias rhinoviruses} $Volume{H-6,A-6} $Log{ Symptoms of Influenza and Strep Throat*0008501.scf Symptoms of the Common Cold*0008502.scf Lobar and Viral Pneumonia*0015402.scf} Copyright (c) 1991-92,1993 Tribune Media Services, Inc. Has Anything New Been Developed in the Fight Against Colds? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ QUESTION: It is cold season again, and I know I am going to be battling one miserable cold after another. By now there surely must be something new you can tell us to help in the fight. With all the resources given to research, has anything new been developed? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ANSWER: Almost everyone I know has a remedy for the flu or a cold, from the woman next door to the deli owner downtown. We've all heard the fruit juice remedy, the chicken soup cure, the starve a cold, feed a fever (and it's opposite) aphorism. We've watched the vitamin C poppers, before, during, and after a cold. And, of course, those brave souls that take a swim in the midst of a northern winter as some type of cold preventive. But does anyone, including the wise men medicine, really have a cure? Well, colds and flu are viral as we all know by now, and medicine seems to have some trouble dealing with viruses, including our newest and most deadly, AIDS. When we take ourselves to our doctors with all the symptoms of cold or flu in full bloom, we frequently pester him for an antibiotic as a prophylactic (not documented) and simply because something in human nature reacts positively to a placebo (if we take some medicine, we'll feel better). But antibiotics work on bacteria, not viruses. And the harm in their frequent use is the creation of a whole new class of bacteria resistant to our known antibiotics. Colds are limited viral infections that usually run their course and are not helped by administering an antibiotic. But there is good news. There has been some limited success in treating colds and flu with medication recently. For instance, in the influenza type A virus, a drug called amantadine has been used. In a study where the drug was used as a preventive measure before exposure to the virus, 75 percent were protected from the illness and 50 percent were protected from infection. This means that 50 percent acquired the virus, but showed no symptoms of the disease. An immune response was developed, which might also act as protection against future infection. If given early in the treatment of influenza A, amantadine can lessen the severity of disease and shorten its course. Coupled with a flu vaccine, amantadine decrease your chances of ever contracting the disease. A drug used in treating RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) infection, a type of viral pneumonia, is ribavirin, administered in this country only to hospitalized patients at high risk. Studies are being conducted (not conclusive) using this drug to treat type A and B flu. But in studies of infants with RSV, the drug has seen some success administered through an aerosol method. The last drug we'll mention is interferon, which seems to be of value in the prevention of the common cold caused by the rhinovirus. In a case study (this drug has not been approved in this country), where interferon was used in a nasal spray, the spread of a cold was stopped in a household. What is curious about the drug is that its side effects resemble cold/flu symptoms--headache, nausea, vomiting. So as you can see there's work being done in the fight against viruses, including cold and flu. And yes, there have been some breakthroughs, though much more study and research is needed. But you can bet, for long as there is no wonder drug to cure virus infection, you will still hear all kinds of claims for a wide variety of home remedies. ---------------- The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace the counsel and advice of your personal physician. Promptly consulting your doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical problem.