Upper Respiratory Infections

• fomites are inert objects contaminated by a microbe
• Colds are marked by an irritation of the mucosa, leading to an inflammatory response
• Absence of high fever  is typically used to differentiate common colds from other viral infections, like influenza 
• Because of the numerous serotypes of the virus, immunity to rhinoviruses is transient and unlikely to prevent subsequent infection 
• Secretory IgA response dissipates quickly – immunity begins to wane approximately 18 months after infection 
• Enteroviruses (includes poliovirus, coxsackie, echovirus) gain entry into the body through the alimentary tract and cause Hand, Foot, and Mouth disease
• Herpangina = group A coxsackie virus infection 
• Characteristics sign of herpangina are small vesicular lesions of the soft palate
• Mono is caused by Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) and belongs to the herpes family 
• EBV replicates in oropharyngeal epithelial cells and later disseminates throughout the body and infects B cells, inducing latent infections, and persists in those B cells for the lifetime of the patient 
• The common cold is most commonly caused by rhino, adeno, and coronaviruses.
• Absence of high fever is used to differentiate common colds from other viral infections like flu.
• Nasal secretory IgA and serum IgG are induced by primary rhinovirus which can be detected within a week of infection.
• Enteroviruses include polioviruses, coxsackies, and echoviruses.
• Enteroviruses can enter the body through and infect the alimentary tract, causing vesicular lesions in the soft palate.
• Herpangina is a group A coxsackie virus infection.
• Mono is caused by EBV
• In mono, cytotoxic T cells activated against B lymphocytes containing the virus