Caught in the Cold

According to statistics from 1995, the most recent year for which figures are available, there are nearly 61 million cases of the common cold annually.

As sufferers of the common cold, or viral rhinitis, know, symptoms include a runny nose, sore throat, fatigue, headache and low-grade fever. There’s no effective medical therapy, but the symptoms can be alleviated.

Prevention--washing your hands with soap and water--is the best defense. Avoid touching the nose with your hands; always clean or blow your nose with tissues and always wash hands after.

Here are other facts and figures:

* About 27.5 million of the annual cases affect children younger than 17.

* About 12 million of the annual cases affect adults 45 and older.

* About 22 million days of school are lost to colds.

* About 58 million “bed” days are associated with colds.

Sources: National Center for Health Statistics, Johns Hopkins Family Health Book (HarperCollins, 1999)