Common cold and asthma

During an asthma attack, inflammation in the airways leads to breathlessness, and severe cases can end up with sufferers being hospitalised or even dying.One culprit that can make asthma worse is the virus that causes the common cold, known as rhinovirus. But why does a cold mean a runny nose and feeling a bit grotty for most people, but can lead to dangerous breathing problems in asthmatics?Kat spoke to Imperial College's David Jackson, who's one of a team that has been finding out. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists