Rhinovirus

The rhinovirus is one of the viruses that causes the common cold. Cold symptoms associated with a rhinovirus infection include coughing, fever, sore throat, and a runny nose. There are no treatments that can kill a rhinovirus; treatment involves relieving symptoms as the body fights the rhinovirus infection. A lot is known about the rhinovirus, thanks to common cold research scientists, who are hard at work looking for an effective rhinovirus cure or rhinovirus vaccine.

 

Rhinovirus: An Introduction

The common cold is caused by a virus. More than 200 different viruses are known to cause the common cold. One such type of virus is the rhinovirus.
 

Rhinovirus Facts

Rhinoviruses (from the Greek word rhin, meaning "nose") are the cause of the common cold in an estimated 30 to 35 percent of all adults. More than 110 distinct rhinovirus types have been identified. Rhinovirus belongs to the Picornaviridae family of viruses. A rhinovirus is a very small RNA virus.
 
Rhinovirus types are most active in early fall, spring, and summer. Rhinoviruses can live up to 3 hours on your skin. They also can survive up to 3 hours on objects such as telephones and doorknobs.
 
Rhinoviruses grow best at temperatures of about 91 degrees Fahrenheit, the temperature inside the human nose.
 

Rhinovirus Symptoms

When someone becomes infected with a rhinovirus, he or she will experience what is commonly known as the common cold. The rhinovirus symptoms usually begin 2 to 3 days after infection. The symptoms of infection with a rhinovirus often include:
 
  • Mucus buildup in your nose
  • Difficulty breathing through your nose
  • Swelling of your sinuses
  • Sneezing
  • Sore throat
  • Cough
  • Headache.
     
With a rhinovirus infection, fever is usually slight, but can climb to 102 degrees Fahrenheit in infants and young children.
 
Rhinovirus symptoms can last from 2 to 14 days, but like most people, you'll probably recover in about a week. A rhinovirus infection rarely causes serious problems.
 
(Rhinovirus Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD