Biology · Human Health and Diseases · NEET
Rhinoviruses cause the common cold. It is a VIRUS, not a bacterium. NEET often tries to confuse you by pairing common cold with Plasmodium (malaria) or bacteria. Remember only one word: Rhinovirus.
No. This is the most tested line in NCERT. Rhinoviruses infect the NOSE and the respiratory passage but NOT the lungs. Pneumonia (bacteria) infects the lungs; common cold (virus) does not. This one difference is a favourite NEET trap.
It is caused by a virus (Rhinovirus). Do not confuse it with pneumonia, which is bacterial (Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae). Both are air-borne, but the cause is different: cold = virus, pneumonia = bacteria.
Nasal congestion and discharge, sore throat, hoarseness, cough, headache and tiredness. These symptoms usually last 3 to 7 days. NEET can directly ask the duration, so remember 3-7 days.
It spreads through droplets from the cough or sneeze of an infected person. These droplets are either inhaled directly or picked up from contaminated objects such as pens, books, cups and doorknobs. So it is an air-borne and contact disease.
Match List I with List II: List I: A. Common cold B. Haemozoin C. Widal test D. Allergy List II: I. Plasmodium II. Typhoid III. Rhinoviruses IV. Dust mites Choose the correct answer:
Try the real previous-year questions from this chapter — each with the answer and a full solution.
Rhinoviruses. It is a viral disease of the nose and respiratory passage.
Because Rhinoviruses infect only the nose and upper respiratory passage. NCERT clearly states they do not infect the lungs. This is different from pneumonia, which does infect the lungs.
According to NCERT, the symptoms usually last 3 to 7 days.
Yes. It spreads through droplets from a cough or sneeze, and also through contaminated objects like pens, books and cups. So it spreads by both air and contact.
Common cold = Rhinovirus (virus), attacks nose, not lungs. Pneumonia = bacteria (Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae), attacks the alveoli of the lungs. Cause and site are both different.
