posted on Apr, 10 2003 @ 07:52 PM
The common cold is a virus of the rhinovirus family. When you get sick and get better, you body develops antibodies to attack and destroy that
particular virus from that point on any time it enters your body.
Why do you keep getting sick with colds then?
The Rhinovirus is constantly mutating. Every few months to a year, the genetic makeup for the rhinovirus will change slightly. It wont change into an
entirely new disease, but it will change enough to slip past your current wall of antiobodies.
The Rhinovirus gentically attacks specifically the mucus and nasal tissues. Since it is airborne, this makes it very effective as it essentially
attacks the first body part it ecounters when it enters the body.
SARS appears to be constructed very similar, in terms of being airborne and attacking the nasal/respiratory system, but its effects on the respiratory
system appears to be greatly enhanced.
Now the big question is, if SARS is related to the cold, which is known to mutate readily and often, enough to make it continually contagious, what
will happen if SARS mutates with the same frequency?