Article: Runny nose. Achy head. Sore throat. All symptoms point to cold. Or do they?

Experts say there is no way to know for sure what is behind the nasty colds sweeping through the Bay Area and leaving some people with a hacking cough that drags on for weeks.

Kaiser Permanente reports numerous positive tests for respiratory syncytial virus. It typically arrives this time of year and strikes young children particularly hard.

But other people may be sickened by a parainfluenza virus, mycoplasma pneumonia or some other hardy bug.

"It's really hard for us to know what it is," said Dr. Carol Glaser, chief of the state's viral disease labora-tory. "I'd love to know what's causing these illnesses."

The uncertainty exists because California does not have a statewide system for ...

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