when you get sick(in this case a cold) and somebody else catches it,when you get better can you catch the same cold you gave to the other person.
2007-10-14 11:18:26 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Infectious Diseases
probably not the exact cold that you had before as you would have built up enough of an immunity to it when you actually had it. the thing is though that when the other person catches your cold, it then changes a bit, even on the cellular level, so it is not the exact same cold that you had originally. then you can get it. since the symptoms are the same then you will feel like you are catching the same cold.
2007-10-14 11:25:53 · answer #1 · answered by dances with cats 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are over 200 different cold viruses, that's why we haven't yet got a cure or a vaccine. It's possible that you could catch a cold again from your friend, because they may not have actually come down with the same virus that infected you, and you wouldn't know if they had caught the same virus unless expensive viral studies were done.
It's not really known if we develop a full resistance against the strains of the cold virus that we have been infected by. To avoid spreading colds, remember colds and sneezes spread diseases, so if you have a cold or flu always sneeze/cough into a diposable tissue, discard it ans wash your hands afterwards, if you can
2007-10-14 18:26:01 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Probably not. If it were a cold virus, you would have built up some immunity to that specific virus. (There are hundreds).
If, on the other hand, it were a bacterial infection, you could become re-infected, but passing bacterial infections back and forth is unlikely too.
Having one or the other though can increase the likelihood of getting the other, because your immune system would be weakened by fighting the other infection.
2007-10-14 18:24:47 · answer #3 · answered by Foggy1 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, your body builds immunity to the cold that you had. You may catch something else but your odds of catching the exact same thing again are slim.
2007-10-14 18:22:51 · answer #4 · answered by I know, I know!!!! 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No not usually, most of the time your body fighting the cold makes anti bodies to the virus and you are not likely to catch it in the near future, remember to always wash your hands after you sneeze and blow your nose and dispose of used tissues as soon as possible so germs are not left lying around you.
2007-10-14 18:23:09 · answer #5 · answered by cfrogwoman 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If your immune system is intact, it would be unlikely although possible. The person you transmitted it to would have the same strain as you, therefore you would contract the same strain back from them. Your host defenses would be a little more prepared since it would recognize the virus. Ask me the mechanism of recognition and you will be thrashed.
2007-10-14 18:23:38 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, somthing like each virus is different, so you can't re-get the same one you gave to them. But the virus may transform itself inside the other person's body even just a little bit, and they can give you that changed virus.
2007-10-14 18:21:44 · answer #7 · answered by Mike S 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Absolutely. The only thing you can't catch back from someone is an illness that you can only get once in your life (mono, whooping cough, etc). Best idea? Avoid them (or maintain a ten foot distance).
2007-10-14 18:22:38 · answer #8 · answered by Kardrinalin 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think so- because I think it mutates a little when it's passed and so it's not really the SAME virus, but a different strain of it. I'm not 100% sure, but I've heard that before.
2007-10-14 18:21:04 · answer #9 · answered by BlackDahlia 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
the infection can mutate, so you are not catching the exact same cold you first had but the mutation.
2007-10-14 23:53:10 · answer #10 · answered by andy 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋