![]() Adults experience on average two to three infections and young children up to 12 infections per year. Multiple rhinovirus types co-circulate in the community and re-infections occur throughout life, suggesting that cross-protective immunity between serotypes is incomplete. Chronic rhinovirus carriage for as long as 4–12 months has been documented in patients with immunodeficiency after cord blood or organ transplantation. However, as no genotyping was performed, a new infection with another rhinovirus could not be excluded. Prolonged rhinovirus detection for 5–6 weeks after a symptomatic infection has been reported in young children, suggesting that the virus can persist for a significant period of time. Using sensitive molecular techniques, rhinovirus RNA has been detected in 10–35% of apparently healthy subjects and therefore the clinical relevance of RT-PCR-positive results remains controversial. Virus shedding lasts on average for 10–14 days in immunocompetent subjects however, this shedding is not always associated with respiratory symptoms. In immunocompetent individuals, rhinovirus infections are usually associated with a mild self-limiting upper respiratory tract illness that resolves spontaneously within 1–2 weeks. ![]() Currently, more than 160 sero-/genotypes have been described and classified within three main species: RV-A, RV-B and RV-C. Rhinovirus is a member of the genus Enterovirus, family Picornaviridae. Rhinovirus infection might contribute to serious complications such as obliterative bronchiolitis and acute graft rejection in lung and stem-cell transplant recipients. ![]() It is also a commonly detected co-pathogen identified in 24% and 30% of mixed viral and bacterial infections, respectively. Rhinovirus is recognised as a major trigger of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations. The clinical spectrum of rhinovirus infection can range from asymptomatic to more severe lower respiratory tract illness such as obliterative bronchiolitis and pneumonia. Rhinovirus (RV) is a major cause of acute respiratory disease in both children and adults. Our findings indicate that in immunocompetent adults rhinovirus re-infections are more common than prolonged infections, and chronic airway comorbidities might predispose to more frequent rhinovirus re-infections. Rhinovirus re-infections were significantly associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (p=0.04) and asthma (p=0.02) and appeared to be more severe than prolonged infections. Prolonged rhinovirus shedding occurred in six (35%) out of 21 and re-infection with a different rhinovirus in 11 (65%) out of 21. Genotyping of both virus detections was successful for 17 (81%) out of 21 of these patients. 21 (5%) of the 444 patients had both samples positive for rhinovirus. Rhinovirus RNA was detected in 444 (18%) out of 2485 visit one samples and in 110 (4.4%) out of 2485 visit two respiratory samples. Nasopharyngeal samples were collected at the initial general practitioner consultation and 28 days thereafter and symptom scores were recorded by patients over that period. Patients were enrolled prospectively by general practitioners from 12 European Union countries during three consecutive years (2007–2010). To determine the incidence and clinical relevance of sequential rhinovirus detections, nasopharyngeal samples from 2485 adults with acute cough/lower respiratory illness were analysed. The clinical significance of sequential rhinovirus infections remains unclear. ![]() ![]() Rhinovirus infections occur frequently throughout life and have been reported in about one-third of asymptomatic cases. ![]()
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