SCIENCE/HEALTH/SCIENTISTS MAP COLD VIRUS

(The breakthrough may help us in the future to fight the 'common cold virus')
Everyday we have some breakthroughs and advances in Science. Now we have come to mapping of the 'Cold Virus' .Scientists are now able to crack the genetic code of all known species of the human rhinovirus-an important step that we get cure for the common cold. The cold virus may be very insignificant in terms of other major illnesses but it makes so many people very sick and send thousands of asthmatic children to the hospitals .
The report in StarLedger Newspaper of Feb.13,2009 says,"The findings, published this week in the journal Science, highlighted why researchers have found it so difficult to develop effective drugs to combat cold viruses."
"We have never known what they all look like,and if you want to go after them, then you need to know that," a co-author of the study, molecular virologist Ann Palmenberg said of rhinoviruses, "So we decided to go after the whole thing"
. The genome or DNA sequence, of every organism, from a virus to a person, is essentially the instruction manual of how to build that organism. Comparing this genetic code with another's also can reveal whether two organisms are related or evolved from a common ancestor. If you map the genetic code of enough related organisms, you can even make a family tree for them.
There are 99 known strains of the human rhinovirus. The researchers discovered, as they pieced the tree together, was many branches and a lot of variety, which explained why attempts to build one drug to combat all varieties of the cold virus had not worked. If there is drug fit for all could be a winner but it is difficult.. The researchers may look specific groups of similar viruses and figure out which are the dangerous ones and target them , So hopefully, if we win over the battle, we may not have to drink a lot of chicken soup,depend on over -the- counter medicine and sending children to hospitals all the time.
It may take a long time before a suitable and effective drug can be made.
*This article is written with the information published under the Title "Gesundheit ! Scientists map cold virus" in StarLedger Newspaper, New Jersey, Feb.13.Friday,2009/ Chicago Tribune.