According to research published Tuesday in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, a new immune response inside the nose could explain why the common cold and flu thrive in winter.
The immune response of the nose can be affected by cold temperatures.
Research shows that cells in the front of the nose unleash a cascade of small fluid-filled sacs as part of an immune response designed to attack and protect against threats.
The research shows that the nose uses the tactic to defend against colds caused by two rhinoviruses and a coronaviruses.
The researchers used healthy volunteers to measure the temperature inside the nose after moving from a room temperature environment to a warmer one.
To recreate the real-world drop, the researchers exposed the samples to a temperature of around 9F.
The researchers found that the lower the temperature, the less the immune response is.
Potential directions for future research testing the finding with other viruses and in humans and animals can be found in the findings.
A new immune mechanism in the nose that is constantly being bombarded has been discovered by one of the study's authors. The question now is, "How can we exploit this natural phenomenon and recreate a defensive mechanism in the nose and boost this protection?"
There is a clear connection between cold weather and illness, but experts don't know why. It's simplistic to say you can catch a cold from the cold. The virus must be encountered in order for one to be affected. Researchers have pointed to a number of different factors to explain the phenomenon, including the colder weather bringing people into closer contact, viruses lasting longer in colder climates, and drops in physical activity and sunlight during winter. The seasonal patterns are not likely to have a single cause, despite the new biological explanation.
The common cold and flu were not affected by the measures put in place to protect against Covid-19. Many of these are making a comeback and are expected to collide with a spike in Covid. There is a surge in the risk of respiratory syncytial virus in young children and elderly people.
Parents need to know what to look out for when it comes to children's hospitals.
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