3D model of Cold Virus to Cure Common Cold

The Australian scientists for the first time have developed a three dimensional model of one of the viruses responsible for common cold, with the help of the fastest computer IBM blue Gene Q. This new development probes scientists into new targets for drug treatments which could save many lives worldwide.

Common cold though does not cause harm to the healthy individuals, it often proves fatal to people who have been suffering from chronic lung disease such as Asthama and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Nearly 70 per cent people are linked to Rhinovirus infection. This is linked to about of all asthma exacerbations with more than 50 per cent of these patients requiring hospitalisation. And over 35 per cent of patients with acute chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are hospitalised each year due to respiratory viruses including rhinovirus.

The 3D image will help researchers to see the virus from its interiors, and will help them understand more details of the same.

The Deputy Director of St Vincent's Institute of Medical Research, Michael Parker, said that the discovery will help to know more types of illness and will let researchers to find more treatments of the same.

"An increase in understanding how existing drugs work with one virus will pave the way for the development of new anti-viral medications for these related viruses", said Parker. Talking about the speed of computer, Parker said that the computer is able to calculate 836 trillion numerical and that too in one second.

According to Parker, the information was useful for Biota Holdings Ltd, which has its drug in phase two trails but would also be published for the use of scientists. This boosts the hope that researchers could do the same for a range of other viruses including polio and meningitis.

Professor Parker believes a cure for the common cold may still elude scientists for some time yet. "I don't believe you can get a cure for the common cold, because the common cold is caused by more than two hundred viruses. Rhinovirus itself has got 100 different types, so I think it would be a real challenge to develop a cure, or even a vaccine."