Winter Viruses

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Abstract
SEASONAL PATTERNS of viruses that cause frequent respiratory tract infections are distinct. Rhinoviruses, adenoviruses, and parainfluenza viruses occur throughout the year, with periodic increases in frequency. Influenza virus and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), on the other hand, are usually confined to winter.1 Historically, cold temperature has been linked to health events, and winter increases in acute respiratory disease have been shown to presage increases in overall mortality.2 The recognition of the association between influenza epidemics and deaths over a century ago was facilitated by the explosive nature of influenza epidemics. Although RSV is recognized to cause seasonal increases in respiratory hospitalizations in children,3-5 its influence in adults is underappreciated. Emerging evidence suggests that both influenza and RSV cause substantial illness at both ends of the age spectrum during most winters.1,2,6,7