Rhinoviruses infect relatively few cells, causing little real harm. So why can they cause such miserable experiences? We have only ourselves to blame. Infected cells release signaling molecules, called cytokines, which attract nearby immune cells. Those immune cells then make us feel awful. They create inflammation that triggers a scratchy feeling in the throat and leads to the production of a lot of mucus around the site of the infection. In order to recover from a cold, we have to wait not only for the immune system to wipe out the virus, but also for the immune system itself to calm down.
