Running Head: COMMON COLD
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Common Cold
Laura Bockelman, Maggie Christensen, Devon Kucinsky,
Christin Stimatze, Barbara Sullivan, and Kerry Wedel
Methodist College
Running Head: COMMON COLD
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Common Cold
I.
Introduction
II.
What are the differences between a viral infection and a bacterial infection?
A. Viral Infections
1. Acellular
2. Needs host cell to replicate
3. RNA or DNA
B. Bacterial Infections
1. Prokaryotic
2. Nucleoid has DNA
3. Cell wall has peptidoglycan
III.
Which type of infection is the common cold
A. Viral Infection
B.
IV.
Acquired by means of
A.
B.
C. Pass around Petri dishes
V.
Symptoms of the common cold
A. Congestion, Cough, Runny Nose, itchy eyes and throat, tiredness
1. Symptoms usually start 1-3 days after the virus is caught
2. Symptoms usually last between 7-10 days
Running Head: COMMON COLD
3. If symptoms last more than 10 days, your cough is sever or you are coughing
up dark mucous, you should go see your doctor as this may be a bacteria
infection
B. Fever
1. Usually fever is not associated with the cold
2. If you have a fever, this may mean the flu, not a cold
VI.
Why does an antibiotic not treat the common cold?
A. Over 200 different species of virus causing the common cold have been
identified.
B. Viruses are constantly changing
C. Antibiotics kill bacteria, not viruses
D. How antibiotics work
1. They destruct the bacteria cell wall (peptidoglycan)
2. Viruses do not have peptidoglycan in the cell wall
E. Antibiotics can make colds worse
1. Kills good, naturally occurring bacteria
2. Creates more hospitable environment for cold virus
VII.
Treating the common cold
A.
B.
VIII.
Preventing the common cold
A. Natural Remedies
1.
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Running Head: COMMON COLD
2.
B.
C. Hand washing
1. First line of defense
2. Prevents most hospital-acquired infections
3. Prevention saves the United States money during economic hardship
D. Hand sanitizer
1. Can be used to kill germs
2. Effectively kills 99.9% of infection-causing germs
3. To use, hands should be physically clean
4. It only removes germs as it dries
5. To work correctly, you must rigorously rub hands together for 25 seconds
6. Fast and convenient when water is not available
VIII.
Hand washing procedure
A. Equipment needed
1. Sink with running water
2. Antimicrobial soap
3. Paper towels
B. Procedure
1. Turn on faucet with warm water
2. Wet hands and lower arms under running water
3. Rub all surfaces of your hands with soap
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Running Head: COMMON COLD
4. Concentrate on fingernails, creases and breaks in the skin and nail beds
5. Rinse hands with warm running water
6. Dry hands thoroughly with a paper towel
7. Turn off the faucet with the used towel
IX.
Hand washing experiment
A. Have students apply Glow Germ
B. Have students look at hands under black light
C. Have the students wash their hands
1. Half of the students will use hand sanitizer
2. Half of the students will use soap and water
D. Have students look at “clean” hands under black light
E. Was there a difference in cleanliness between those students who used sanitizers
and those who used proper procedural hand washing?
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Running Head: COMMON COLD
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References
Harkreader, H. (2007). Fundamentals of nursing: Caring and clinical judgment
(3rd ed.). Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders Company.
Nester, E. (2009). Microbiology: a human perspective (6th edition). New York: Mc Graw Hill
Company.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hand-washing/HQ00407/NSECTIONGROUP=2