Acute Viral Rhinitis

Rhinitis refers to any kind of inflammatory condition of the nasal mucosal linings. Generally, acute rhinitis is associated with environmental allergies or respiratory viral infections. Viral microbes with numerous types and subtypes can infect the respiratory epithelium of the nasal cavity in a repetitive fashion throughout the year, or during a specific period of time such as winter or fall. Among all forms of inflammatory diseases of the nasal mucosa, acute viral rhinitis (AVR) has unique epidemiological, clinical, and therapeutic characteristics. As the most prevalent type of rhinitis, AVR is also the most common form of any infectious disease of the human body. Although it is almost always self-limiting, in rare circumstances disease might progress and the clinical scenario could become complicated. Common complaints and physical findings related to AVR are similar to those seen with other types of rhinitis such as allergic, hormonal, senile, or drug induced. The clinician must interpret these symptoms and findings in the context of other parameters such as “duration, environmental factors, and patient characteristics” to establish an accurate diagnose and appropriate therapeutic management. In this chapter, we aim to discuss the epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical findings, differential diagnosis, and therapeutic management of AVR in light of the recent literature knowledge. It is our hope that this chapter may aid medical professionals who encounter AVR in daily practice.