Final answer:
There are several factors that make it tough to know which cold virus you are infected with, including rapid mutation and multiple strains, overlapping symptoms between different viruses, and the possibility of misidentification by healthcare professionals.
Step-by-step explanation:
The reason it is tough to know which cold virus you are infected with is because of multiple factors:
- Rapid mutation and multiple strains: Cold viruses, especially the influenza virus, can mutate quickly and have multiple strains. This makes it difficult to keep up with the changing viruses and develop effective diagnostic tools.
- Symptoms overlap between different viruses: Many cold viruses share similar symptoms, such as runny nose, sore throat, and cough. Therefore, it can be challenging to differentiate between them based solely on symptoms.
- Misidentification by healthcare professionals: Sometimes, healthcare professionals may misidentify the cold virus based on symptoms alone, leading to incorrect diagnosis and treatment.
These factors contribute to the challenge of accurately identifying the specific cold virus a person is infected with.