How does rhinovirus cause the common cold cough?

Atkinson, Samantha K.; Sadofsky, Laura R.; Morice, Alyn H.

Abstract

© 2016, BMJ Publishing Group. All rights reserved. Cough is a protective reflex to prevent aspiration and can be triggered by a multitude of stimuli. The commonest form of cough is caused by upper respiratory tract infection and has no benefit to the host. The virus hijacks this natural defence mechanism in order to propagate itself through the population. Despite the resolution of the majority of cold symptoms within 2 weeks, cough can persist for some time thereafter. Unfortunately, the mechanism of infectious cough brought on by pathogenic viruses, such as human rhinovirus, during colds, remains elusive despite the extensive work that has been undertaken. For socioeconomic reasons, it is imperative we identify the mechanism of cough. There are several theories which have been proposed as the causative mechanism of cough in rhinovirus infection, encompassing a range of different processes. Those of which hold most promise are physical disruption of the epithelial lining, excess mucus production and an inflammatory response to rhinovirus infection which may be excessive. And finally, neuronal modulation, the most convincing hypothesis, is thought to potentiate cough long after the original stimulus has been cleared. All these hypotheses will be briefly covered in the following sections.

Citation

Atkinson, S. K., Sadofsky, L. R., & Morice, A. H. (2016). How does rhinovirus cause the common cold cough?. BMJ Open Respiratory Research, 3(1), Article e000118. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjresp-2015-000118

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Dec 18, 2015
• Online Publication Date: Jan 17, 2016
• Publication Date: 2016
• Deposit Date: May 12, 2022
• Publicly Available Date: May 23, 2022
• Journal: BMJ Open Respiratory Research
• Electronic ISSN: 2052-4439
• Publisher: BMJ Publishing Group
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 3
• Issue: 1
• Article Number: e000118
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjresp-2015-000118
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/3609923