OVERVIEW
Rhinovirus (RhV) was isolated in 1956 by Pelon and other scientists from specimens of patients with respiratory tract infections by tissue culture and other methods. More than 120 rhinoviruses have been identified, the largest number of serotypes among human viruses. Rhinoviruses are the main pathogens that cause the common cold. The virus is responsible for causing acute respiratory illness, and nearly half of all acute respiratory illness infections are caused by rhinovirus infections.
Epidemiology
Rhinoviruses are ubiquitous and active throughout the year. Winter is the period of high incidence. The main routes of rhinovirus transmission are airborne droplets and direct contact. Direct contact is the main mode of transmission. It is through contact that the virus spreads easily in places where people gather, such as schools and offices. Rhinoviruses can survive for several hours on human hands and everyday objects (including doorknobs, cutlery, toys, towels, etc.). Infants, young children, the elderly and immunocompromised people are susceptible to rhinovirus.
Symptoms
Rhinovirus usually resides in the upper respiratory tract and causes upper respiratory tract infections such as the common cold in adults, and bronchitis and bronchopneumonia in infants, young children and patients with chronic respiratory diseases, in addition to upper respiratory tract infections. The incubation period is 2 to 5 days, and the duration of infection is about 7 days. Clinical manifestations often include runny nose, sneezing, pharyngeal discomfort, nasal congestion, cough, sore throat, hoarseness, and no or slightly elevated body temperature, often accompanied by sinusitis and otitis media. The patient’s condition is usually self-limiting, with an average duration of 7 days. Some patients with rhinovirus infection do not show any clinical symptoms. Other patients, such as infants, young children, the elderly and immunocompromised patients, have relatively severe disease that can progress to lower respiratory tract infections, most often diagnosed as bronchitis and pneumonia. Rhinovirus infection in patients with a history of chronic respiratory disease can cause acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, and other respiratory diseases.
Tests
Rhinovirus can be detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), serologic assay and cell culture. PCR is the quickest way to detect rhinovirus.
Treatment
According to the different diseases, appropriate treatment should be given.