( CNN ) -- Researchers have solved the first step in treating the common cold , by mapping its entire genome , or genetic map , teams from the University of Maryland and the University of Wisconsin-Madison reported Thursday . The common cold , also known as the human rhinovirus infection . `` We have the pieces all in place . They ca n't go in any other way . Now we have to understand what the pictures are telling us , '' said Dr. Stephen B. Liggett , professor of medicine and physiology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and director of its Cardiopulmonary Genomics Program . The research was published in the online edition of the journal Science on Thursday afternoon . Technically known as the human rhinovirus infection , the common cold is responsible for half of all asthma attacks and is a factor in bronchitis , sinusitis , middle-ear infections and pneumonia . The coughs , sneezes and sniffles of colds impose a major health care burden in the United States -- including visits to health care providers , cost of over-the-counter drugs for symptom relief , often-inappropriate antibiotic prescriptions and missed work days -- with direct and indirect costs of about $ 60 billion annually . How mapping the cold genome may lead to a cure » . `` We generally think of colds as a nuisance , but they can be debilitating in the very young and in older individuals and can trigger asthma attacks at any age , '' Liggett said . `` Also , recent studies indicate that early ... infection in children can program their immune system to develop asthma by adolescence . '' Finding a cure for the common cold has been elusive . That 's because the rhinovirus is so complex . Made up of at least 99 different strains , it can infect different people with different symptoms . Visit CNNhealth.com , your connection for better living . By mapping the genome of the common cold and assembling the results into a `` family tree , '' scientists can see how the virus strains are related , as well as their differences . Liggett , who is also the study 's senior author , says this is a breakthrough in solving the common cold puzzle because . `` At least now we have an understanding of which virus one might have . '' Now that the pieces are together , drug companies can work on developing new treatments that would either halt or prevent the cold virus before it begins to spread . Researchers found that human rhinoviruses are organized into about 15 small groups . So the idea of one drug fits all probably wo n't work , Liggett says . `` Our mindset right now is to consider more along the antiviral treatment , rather than vaccines , but always keep an open mind to the new technology of vaccine development . '' Investigators are so optimistic with their findings that they predict the development of new drugs within the next two to five years , depending on Food and Drug Administration approval , which could mean one day soon , runny noses caused by colds may be a thing of the past .
Scientists map entire cold virus for first time . Could be a step toward finding a cure , researchers say . Colds result in direct and indirect costs of about $ 60 billion annually in the U.S .