Seasonal weather is a favorable condition for viruses and bacteria to be active, causing many people to often catch colds and flu. Although "flu" is a common expression, they are not exactly the same.

Basically, colds and flu are both respiratory viral infections.

Regarding the causative agent, a cold (or cold) is an inflammation of the respiratory tract caused by a respiratory virus, most of which are rhinoviruses with more than 100 types, enteroviruses, coronaviruses (including SARS-CoV-2), RSV. Sometimes cold symptoms are also caused by the flu virus.

Because there are so many viruses that cause cold symptoms, a person can have multiple colds in their lifetime. On average, an adult has about 2-4 colds and children have 4-8 colds a year.

Meanwhile, influenza (seasonal flu) is caused by influenza viruses type A, B and sometimes type C. Influenza A viruses that cause illness in humans belong to subgroups containing H1, H2, H3, and N1, N2. In addition, there are strains of influenza A that cause disease in animals such as pigs and poultry.

Influenza A viruses, when genetically modified to create zoonotic strains or new strains that do not have human immunity, can cause epidemics. The world has recorded many pandemics related to influenza A causing severe consequences.

Influenza B virus is common, only causing disease in humans, but symptoms are usually mild, transient, do not cause epidemics.

In terms of symptoms, a cold has prominent symptoms of the respiratory tract such as runny nose, a lot of stuffy nose, sore throat, sneezing. Systemic symptoms are usually mild, such as mild fever and mild aches and pains.
Meanwhile, flu is more prominent with systemic symptoms such as high fever, headache, body aches, chest tightness, cough. Upper respiratory tract symptoms are less common than colds.

In young children, flu can be accompanied by gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, and loss of appetite. Children may also experience complications of pneumonia (prolonged high fever, wheezing cough, chest tightness, difficulty breathing), otitis media (ear pain, purulent discharge from the ear)... Symptoms of colds and flu are usually self-limiting. Children usually get well after 1-2 weeks, cough can last 3-4 weeks.

Thus, colds and flu are both viral upper respiratory tract symptoms. Colds are characterized by symptoms in the nose and throat, which usually resolve on their own after 1-2 weeks. Influenza often has more severe systemic symptoms, spreads rapidly, can cause epidemics and pandemics, and is more likely to cause complications. Parents need to pay attention to closely monitor their children when they have the flu.

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