Which among the following is a major difference between common cold and pneumonia ?

In case of pneumonia and common cold pathogens generally enter the small intestine through food and water. Pneumonia is caused by virus but common cold is caused by bacteria . Pneumonia affects the alveoli of the lungs but common cold affects nose and respiratory passage but not the lungs. All of these.

Pneumonia affects the alveoli of the lungs but common cold affects nose and respiratory passage but not the lungs.

Rhino viruses represent one such group of viruses which cause one of the most infectious human ailments – the common cold. They infect the nose and respiratory passage but not the lungs. Bacteria like Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae are responsible for the disease pneumonia in humans which infects the alveoli (air filled sacs) of the lungs. As a result of the infection, the alveoli get filled with fluid leading to severe problems in respiration.