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Guilherme Mazui

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What is the Difference Between Coronavirus and Rhinovirus?

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Coronavirus and rhinovirus are both types of viruses that cause respiratory illnesses, but they have some key differences:

  1. Causative agents: COVID-19, a disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, is a more severe respiratory illness than the common cold, which is most often caused by rhinoviruses.
  2. Seasonality: Rhinoviruses are most active in early fall, spring, and summer, causing 10%-40% of colds. Coronaviruses tend to be more active in the winter and early spring, causing about 20% of colds.
  3. Symptom onset: The common cold usually has a shorter incubation period, with symptoms appearing 1 to 3 days after exposure to the virus. In contrast, COVID-19 symptoms typically appear in 2 to 14 days following exposure to SARS-CoV-2.
  4. Symptoms: Both the common cold and COVID-19 have overlapping symptoms, such as body aches, cough, runny nose, and sore throat. However, the loss of smell and/or taste is a distinctive symptom of COVID-19 infection.
  5. Clinical presentation, laboratory abnormalities, and outcomes: In the pediatric population, there are differences in clinical presentation, laboratory abnormalities, and outcomes between COVID-19 and rhinovirus infections. For example, patients with COVID-19 were older than those with rhinovirus infections in one study.

In summary, while coronaviruses and rhinoviruses both cause respiratory illnesses, they differ in their causative agents, seasonality, symptom onset, symptom presentation, and clinical outcomes.

On this page
  • What is the Difference Between Coronavirus and Rhinovirus?
  • Comparative Table: Coronavirus vs Rhinovirus

    • Comparative Table: Coronavirus vs Rhinovirus

    Here is a table comparing the differences between coronavirus and rhinovirus:

    Feature Coronavirus Rhinovirus
    Causative Agent SARS-CoV-2 Various human rhinovirus strains
    Primary Infection Site Respiratory system Respiratory system and upper respiratory tract
    Clinical Presentation Fever, chills, cough, fatigue, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle pain or body aches, headache, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, loss of taste or smell Cough, runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat
    Incubation Period 2-14 days 1-3 days
    Symptom Onset Gradual Sudden
    Associated Infections COVID-19 Common cold, bronchiolitis, bronchitis, pneumonia
    Prevention Vaccination, handwashing, mask-wearing, social distancing Vaccination (for flu only), handwashing, mask-wearing, social distancing, fluids, rest, over-the-counter medications
    Treatment Supportive care, monoclonal antibodies, antiviral medications Symptom relief with over-the-counter medications, fluids, rest

    Coronavirus and rhinovirus are both respiratory viruses, but they cause different infections. Coronavirus, specifically SARS-CoV-2, causes COVID-19, a respiratory illness that can result in mild to severe symptoms and leads to hospitalizations and deaths. On the other hand, rhinovirus causes the common cold and other respiratory infections, which are generally less severe and do not result in significant hospitalizations or fatalities.

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    Guilherme Mazui

    Guilherme Mazui is graduated in journalism from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) and a master's degree in Communication from the University of São Paulo (USP). In addition, he has experience in advertising writing and has worked as a content editor in several companies.