Etiology of Acute Upper Respiratory Infection,(Common Cold). ∗

Abstract

In 1914, Kruse 1 reported that he was able to reproduce the common cold in human volunteers by introducing into their nasal passages small amounts of Berkefeld filtrate of the nasal secretions from individuals suffering from natural colds. This observation has been confirmed by Foster 2 and by Olitsky and MacCartney. 3 Dochez, Shibley and Mills 4 have been able to infect apes by means of intranasal inoculations of Berkefeld V. filtrates of the nasal washings from natural human colds. However, in all positive experiments a gram negative anaerobic bacillus of the type described by Olitsky and Gates, 5 was cultivated from the Berkefeld filtrates. In a later report Shibley, Mills and Dochez 6 stated that they had been unable to infect apes by means of intranasal inoculation of filtrates of nasal washings from healthy individuals, although the majority of these filtrates contained gram negative anaerobes of the type described by Olitsky and Gates. These findings led them to believe that the type of upper respiratory tract infection under consideration was caused by filterable virus. Recently Shibley and Dochez 7 have described an upper respiratory tract infection in man, which followed the intranasal inoculation of filtrates of the nasal washings from natural human colds.

However, as has been pointed out by Olitsky and MacCartney and by Dochez and his associates, the Berkefeld V. and N. filtrates of the nasal washings from colds frequently contain minute filter-passing bacteria. Thus, while it has been demonstrated that the infectious agent of the common cold will pass the Berkefeld V. and N. filters, the question whether the filter-passing anaerobes constitute the infectious agent, or whether it is a true filterable virus, has not been definitely settled.