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Medical science has made such rapid progress in the treatment of so many life-threatening diseases. Yet, treatment of a common cold has remained a difficult proposition, and patients suffering from it are forced to go through many days of discomfort.
Recently, US scientists have reported a novel method of stopping the multiplication of one of the principal viruses that causes cold symptoms in adults.
A virus is dependent on the living cell to multiply. It first binds to the cell, enters into it, and multiplies to cause disease. US scientists have successfully stopped the adenovirus, which causes about 50% common cold infections, from binding to the human cell. So far this has been performed in a test tube.
In fact the scientists feel that if they find a method of preventing viral binding to human cells, by altering the genes of the viruses, then the virus would stand no chance.
Although the common cold is only a minor irritation to most adults who contract it, it can have more serious consequences for infants who develop severe breathing problems when infected by certain specific viruses.
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