 [ Symptoms ] what is a common cold [ Disease ] the common cold is a group of symptoms in the upper respiratory tract caused by a large number of different viruses although more than 200 viruses can cause the common cold the perpetrator is usually the rhinovirus which is to blame for causing 10 to 40 of colds also the coronaviruses cause about 20 of colds and the respiratory syncytial virus rsv causes 10 of colds