Welcome to the world of the pseudo-living Human rhinovirus (HRV)!!  Viruses are extremely complex organisms and to this day some remain not quite fully understood; yet they are some of the most fascinating organisms with some very unique capabilities in which there is still much, much more to discover! 


Viruses in general have the capacity to generate an incredibly diverse range of pathology ranging in duration from a few days, to a lifetime of sporadic symptoms.  For such a simple design, viruses have done quite well in terms of the ability to find and infect a host.  


The focus of this particular website will be on the frequently experienced Human rhinovirus.  This virus is the causative agent of the common cold in 20%-40% of cold cases, becoming more prevalent in the fall season. 


Get ready to get acquainted with HRV.  Explore this website to gain an up close and personal look at HRV.  The subsequent pages within this site will immerse those of you with a scientific background in the details of this parasite, as well as give those of you with less scientific understanding an appreciation for not only the virus itself, but for what is happening inside your own body when you succumb to a cold.




I’d like to draw your attention to the color coding of the website:

•The purple text will be targeted to those of you interested in gaining a more intense scientific understanding of HRV.

•The red text will be targeted to those of you who just want to become acquainted with HRV and do not wish to understand the “fine print” detail of this particular organism.

 

Get ready to be immersed in the “lifestyle” of the Human rhinovirus...

Human rhinovirus 14

Viruses come in many different morphologies.  Here is a cross-section of the Influenza Virus.  It looks somewhat similar to HRV.