Does cold weather cause illness?

I live in France, where the slightest cool breeze has everyone terrified of 'Gastroenteritis'! Surely viruses and infections are caused by bacteria etc transmitted, and not by cold weather?

According to the Diathesis-Stress model, an organism under stress (ie. cold weather) will eventually have a drop in immuno response. Which means that while illness is caused by baterias and viruses, your susceptability increases when you are cold. For this to be true though, you would have to be cold for an extended period of time in which the primary goal your body had was for you to warm back up...this would mean standing outside shivering for a couple of hours

No. GERMS cause illness, not weather.

Why gastroenteritis? That's not even an airborne illness. You'd have to share a glass with someone who has the intestinal bug.

You are correct. Cold weather does not cause illness but it contributes by keeping people inside where they catch things from others.

You're right...viruses and bacteria cause most infections and diseases...however, cold weather makes us more susceptible to catching certain viruses.

Cold weather just makes the immune system weaker, but the germs and viruses are the ones who make you sick

viruses and bacteria cause illness.

If anything, the cold kills off the virus and bacteria more than normal weather would.
The one common illness cold weather causes is pneumonia.
The common misconception everyone makes is that cold weather causes colds. It doesn't. The fact that everyone is inside and huddled together helps the illnesses and colds spread even more.
Think about it. In the summer everyone is outside and not so much inside.
In the winter everyone stays inside and huddled together. The colds and illnesses spread more because people are closer together.
So no, a cool breeze won't cause any illness as long as you are warm enough with a jacket, etc.

No, it does not. It may give you a sore throat from breathing the cold air. It may give you a runny nose for the same reason. Bacteria and viruses cause you to become ill. being in an enclosed space with someone who is sick can make it easier for you to breathe in bacteria or viruses. Sometimes the heat put on in homes by central heating or a furnace (or even a roaring fire) can irritate your mucous membranes and cause you some discomfort. Keep your hands clean and away from your face and you will do much more to keep yourself from getting sick. Stay away from enclosed spaces (like elevators, movie theaters, etc.) as much as you can. Some people wear protective paper masks over their nose and mouth to keep from breathing in infectious agents.

Cold weather basically provides adequate atmosphere / climate for the viruses to grow/multiply. And thus the causal relationship of cold with viral infections.

cold weather cant cause illnesses your absolutely right........however if our bodies are spending too much energy keeping warm it can bring down the immune system.....also houses get less air in the winter so germs have a better breeding ground.......years ago people would always leave a window cracked at night because it lessened the chance of getting sick...and in the winter we don't get all the fresh vegetables and fruit so people tend to have less essential vitamins to prevent illness.

weather does not cause illness, if you are ill it might make you feel even more miserable.

hi. i dont say that cold weather causes illness.

true cold weather does not cause illness if anything it helps kill off some bugs that are about

It doesn't cause illness, but may contribute to it. In colder weather, we migrate indoors. In the warmer, enclosed spaces, it's easier for germs/viruses to incubate and be more readily spread between people.

Indirectly. The increased strain on the system due to cold weather also reduces the effectiveness of the immune system, so there's more chance a bug will actually make you sick.

that is true...the only way to get sick is thru bateria and germs...however the association with cold weather is not unfounded...when the air is cold the pores on you skin open up wider to accept more heat....and therefore more germs...so you get sick more often in cold weather

well in my experiance cold weather and a low immune system, can make you suspectable to a variety of unknown virsus. Including the cold, the body flu, etc. Although Gastroenteritis has in no way been proven to be spread and transmitted by cold weather, my advice would still be; stock up on vitamin c check any underlying symptoms. And if in doubt contact your g.p .

Cold weather does not cause illness...getting a germ and then getting cold and lowering your resistance does

Dear Laura

In answer to your question, cold weather during the course of winter can cause " Cold's " and " Flu ", and this can be caused by anyone of a number of viruses. So therefore, the statement within your question is correct.

However, for your information, the very young e.g. ( Baby ) etc and the elderly can become subject to cold's even in the slightest of cold weather.

Cold's and Flu act differently upon different people and no two people are the same.