What is the difference between influenza A and the common cold?

Influenza A refers to type A influenza. Influenza A differs from the common cold in terms of causative agents, transmissibility, and symptoms. The common cold is primarily caused by rhinoviruses, coronaviruses, and similar pathogens, whereas influenza A is an acute respiratory infectious disease caused by infection with the influenza A virus. Influenza A is highly contagious, while the common cold is generally not. Moreover, influenza A has a sudden onset, typically characterized by abrupt high fever, accompanied by chills, muscle and joint pain, fatigue, and loss of appetite—symptoms that affect the whole body. In contrast, the common cold produces milder symptoms; fever is either absent or mild to moderate, systemic symptoms are uncommon, and recovery usually occurs within a shorter time frame.