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| 12/25 |
| 2004/1/14-15 [Health/Disease/General] UID:11774 Activity:kinda low |
1/13 What is it about cold weather that facilitates the transmission of
cold and flu? Do viruses in general reproduce faster when it is
colder? Is it because the extra energy is used to heat up the body
instead of the immune system? Or something else?
\_ moisture in the air and probably weaker immune systems
\_ bzzzz. winter air is actually dryer. it is perceived
wetter due to a lower dew point, but the actual moisture
per cubic volume in Alaska winter is actually lower than
say warm tropical weather.
\_ whatever. I'm not talking about freezing cold like in
Alaska or in the northeast. It rains more in winter
months than other months, and things get wet. Anyhow,
perhaps cold weather also makes people more likely to
stay indoors and to be in closer proximity to other
people?
\_ I always thought cold temperatures just generally weakened
people's immune systems. Prolonged exposure to cold requires
more energy exertion from your body just to maintain the
correct temperature, and thus less energy dedicated to fighthing
viruses. ?? just a guess
\_ Cold weather makes it more difficult for your respiratory
system to push mucus out, so maybe as a result virii can
accumulate more easily?
\_ Current research suggests that cold weather does not suppress the
immune system but that colder temperatures enable bacteria to live
longer on their own on non-organic surfaces such as doorknobs,
keyboards, and chairs. The best way to catch a cold is to wash
your hands frequently. http://csua.org/u/5jr
\_ "catch a cold" -> "avoid catching a cold"
\_ Doh. Yes, you are correct. Thank you.
\_ s/bacteria/viruses. AFAIK viruses should be pretty hardy,
so the bit about temp affecting viruses on nonorganics
seems like hand waving. The protein capsid would only
be affected by extreme heat or cold.
\_ viruses are much smaller than bacteria and have less
capacity for self-restoration. so afaik, most are
actually kinda fragile. e.g., they won't survive long
on surfaces exposed to sunlight.
\_ Cold weather keeps people indoors. Lots of people in an enclosed
space makes transmission of virii that much easier.
\_ I seconded.
\_ Its virUSES people. The plural is viruses.
\_ There is no Latin plural of virus, so the only options are by
analogy with Latin (virii) or analogy with English (viruses).
\_ "virii" is not analogy with Latin. At best, that would be
the Latin plural of the non-existent word "virius".
\_ dict sulcus
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) :
Sulcus \Sul"cus\, n.; pl. {Sulci}. [L., a furrow.]
\_ and? "virii" has two i's, "sulci" does not. That's
exactly why "virii" would be the plural of the word
"virius".
\_ http://www.perl.com/language/misc/virus.html
\_ Let me summarize: there is no Latin plural of virus, but there
*IS* an English plural of virus. And it's not virii.
\_ virora! |
| 12/25 |
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| csua.org/u/5jr -> abcnews.go.com/sections/living/Healthology/weather_flu_healthday_031212.html Despite what your grandmother may have told you, cold weather does not cause colds, and in fact, that goodbye kiss and pinch on the cheek that she gave you may have placed you at much greater risk for catching something than not bundling up. Thats because cold and flu are spread either by directly touching respiratory secretions on another person, such as in handshaking, kissing or, in Grandmas case, cheek-pinching. They are also spread through indirect contact with secretions in the environment, such as being sneezed on by the person next to you on the subway. Colds and flu are especially common in the winter not because of the cold itself, say experts with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, but because people spend more time indoors where viruses have a greater opportunity to jump from person to person. Children are especially vulnerable because they havent built up resistances, which is why they can typically suffer from six to eight colds per year. Adults over 60, meanwhile, have the fewest colds about one a year because their natural immunities are well-established. One aspect of winter that does play a role in some colds is the relatively dry air. Dry conditions can increase the chance of infection because viruses can thrive when humidity levels are low, according to the NIAID. Furthermore, since nasal passages are drier, they may be more susceptible to infection. Since germs are transmitted through direct contact, hand washing is key to preventing both colds and the flu. Regularly cleaning environmental surfaces with virus-killing disinfectants can also make a difference, experts say. You can further increase your defense against the flu by getting a flu vaccine shot. More information Read all about how the flu and colds are spread and what you can do to prevent them in this helpful article from the United States Food and Drug Administration on colds and the flu . |