Yearly Patterns of Rhinovirus Infection Consistent Over Three Decades

Posted on by Jodi Snare

Yearly circulations patterns of rhinovirus (RV)—the most common cause of the common cold—were remarkably consistent over three decades with certain types of rhinovirus found more often in infants and young children, according to a recent ECHO Cohort study led by Jo Wilson, MD of the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.

Some children—especially infants, toddlers, and children with asthma—can become seriously ill from a rhinovirus infection and may need hospital care. There are more than 160 different types of rhinoviruses, which has made it very difficult to develop prevention or treatment strategies. A relatively small group of rhinovirus types—about 15 to 20—account for about half of all the rhinoviruses circulating in each species, RV-A, RV-B and RV-C. Given the vast number of circulating rhinoviruses and the lack of rhinovirus surveillance programs, there has not been enough information for researchers to understand the circulation patterns of these viruses or which type are found most often in different age groups. To better understand the long‑term patterns of rhinovirus infections in children, researchers collected nearly 12,000 nasal samples from children across the United States, Finland, and Australia between 1997 and 2025.

Key Takeaways include:

  • Unlike other viruses like the flu or COVID‑19 that show dramatic changes in yearly circulation patterns, both the most common and rare rhinovirus types stayed remarkably consistent over three decades.
  • Certain rhinovirus types appeared more often in infants and young children, while a few others were common across all age groups.

The results of this study and additional studies can help researchers better understand which rhinovirus types are more commonly found in young children. This information could help guide the development of future strategies to prevent or treat rhinovirus infections.

This collaborative research, titled “Stability and Age-Specific Patterns of Rhinovirus Circulation in Children Observed Over Three Decades” is published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.