Hooray, the end of the common cold could be in sight!
Scientists have moved a step closer to preventing this pesky winter virus.
Researchers from the Universities of Leeds and York used a code-breaking system to study the genetic code of the virus that causes most colds and winter vomiting diseases.
Whilst the common cold may just be an inconvenience for most of us – a red nose and a couple of self-indulgent days on the sofa with a blanket and a honey and lemon drink – it can of course prove fatal for the most vulnerable.
The NHS reports that: “in the last three weeks of January, death rates were significantly higher than predicted for the time of year.
It adds: “The number of deaths always rises in winter, especially among elderly people. This is because of the colder weather and increases in respiratory problems.
“While flu is a viral infection, it can make the lungs vulnerable to bacterial infections, such as pneumonia, which can be fatal in the elderly.”
The new scientific breakthrough could lead to the development of treatments that would stop the cold virus taking hold.
Dr Roman Tuma, Reader in Biophysics at the University of Leeds, told The Telegraph: “We have understood for decades that the RNA carries the genetic messages that create viral proteins, but we didn’t know that, hidden within the stream of letters we use to denote the genetic information, is a second code governing virus assembly.
“It is like finding a secret message within an ordinary news report and then being able to crack the whole coding system behind it.”
This is great news – even if I do have to find another excuse to spend the day in cuddled up in a blanket feeling sorry for myself.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/nhs/11390786/End-of-common-cold-could-be-in-sight.html