Learn why some people are more prone to catching colds.
Some people are more susceptible than others to catching a common cold caused by the rhinovirus.
A new study shows that genetic factors may play a role in getting sick.
People with protective parts of DNA, called telomeres, that are longer may end up living healthier lives than people with shorter telomeres.
Researchers from the Carnegie Mellon University measured telomere lengths in white blood cells of 152 subjects age 18 to 55.
The subjects were exposed to the rhinovirus and quarantined for five days to see which people the virus would actually infect.
People with sorter telomeres were found to be more susceptible to infection.
The length of telomeres was less important for participants in the study who were under 21 years old.
Sheldon Cohen, who led the study said: "The increased importance of telomere length with age is likely because the younger participants had fewer very short telomeres, or that their young immune systems were able to compensate for the loss of effective cells."
Cohen also said that more research needs to be done to identify other factors that may contribute to a person’s susceptibility to catching a cold, and to verify the implications of the study.
