Scientists are hoping to find a cure for the common cold and a new discovery brings them closer to achieving this elusive goal. According to a new study published in the journal Nature, researchers were able to decode the genomes of 99 strains of common cold virus and developed a map of its vulnerabilities.

Now that this Achilles’ heel is discovered, curing the common cold may be easier than thought.
The University of Maryland School of Medicine and the University of Wisconsin, Madison worked together on the analysis.

Dr. Stephen Liggett of the University of Maryland medical school, who led the study, suggests that four or five drugs may be needed to fight the rhinoviruses, which use their gene to move from one person to another. Rhinoviruses cause about half of all colds. These viruses can swap genetic material. In other words, two cold strains responsible for infecting one person may recombine and form a new strain that has new properties. A single drug may not be enough to cure the common cold, as the virus mutates efficiently.

According to Dr. Liggett, the rhinovirus results in between $60 and $100 billion in health care costs a year. These viruses are responsible for respiratory problems, middle ear infections and are to blame for 80 percent of childhood asthma attacks. As an example, the discovery should make it possible to identify which particular group of the rhinovirus family tree should be targeted in the case of asthma patients. Experts could work to develop a drug against a particular group of viruses.

Those who are at high risk from rhinoviruses, such as children with asthma, old people, or those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease would benefit the most from the treatment, which researchers hope will be available within the next five years.