Illnesses Associated with Respiratory Viruses
| Frequency of Respiratory Syndromes | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Virus | Most Frequent | Occasional | Infrequent |
| Rhinoviruses | Common cold | Exacerbation of chronic bronchitis and asthma | Pneumonia in children |
| Coronavirusesa,b | Common cold | Exacerbation of chronic bronchitis and asthma | Pneumonia and bronchiolitis |
| Human respiratory syncytial virus | Pneumonia and bronchiolitis in young children | Common cold in adults | Pneumonia in elderly and immunosuppressed pts |
| Parainfluenza viruses | Croup and lower respiratory tract disease in young children | Pharyngitis and common cold | Tracheobronchitis in adults; lower respiratory tract disease in immunosuppressed pts |
| Adenoviruses | Common cold and pharyngitis in children | Outbreaks of acute respiratory disease in military recruitsc | Pneumonia in children; lower respiratory tract and disseminated disease in immunosuppressed pts |
| Influenza A viruses | Influenzad | Pneumonia and excess mortality in high-risk pts | Pneumonia in healthy individuals |
| Influenza B viruses | Influenzad | Rhinitis or pharyngitis alone | Pneumonia |
| Enteroviruses | Acute undifferentiated febrile illnessese | Rhinitis or pharyngitis alone | Pneumonia |
| Herpes simplex viruses | Gingivostomatitis in children; pharyngotonsillitis in adults | Tracheitis and pneumonia in immunocompromised pts | Disseminated infection in immunocompromised pts |
| Human metapneumoviruses | Upper and lower respiratory tract disease in children | Upper respiratory tract illness in adults | Pneumonia in elderly and immunosuppressed pts |
aSevere acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) caused epidemics of pneumonia from November 2002 to July 2003 (see text).
bMiddle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) has caused severe respiratory illnesses from 2012 to the time of this writing (2015); see text.
cSerotypes 4 and 7 most commonly; also serotypes 14 and 21.
dFever, cough, myalgia, malaise.
eMay or may not have a respiratory component.