Review : The Transmission of Colds and Coughs

Abstract

The commonest adverse health effect from the indoor environment is a respi ratory tract infection, most often a common cold. Any one of a number of viruses can cause colds. The full process by which infections are contracted is poorly understood. However, there must be direct contact between the infect ing agent and the nasal or lower airway cells. Such contact may follow disper sal as airborne droplets (5-20 μm), generated by sneezing. Alternatively, a dose of infective agent may be transmitted on the fingers, causing a cold when these come in contact with susceptible tissue. If this were the case, one would expect to be able to reduce transmission with simple hygiene procedures employing viricidal solutions. The experimental evidence for this is equivocal, suggesting that most common colds are transmitted via the indoor air.