EPIDEMIOLOGY OF THE COMMON COLD IN MILITARY RECRUITS WITH EMPHASIS ON INFECTIONS BY RHINOVIRUS TYPES 1A, 2, AND TWO UNCLASSIFIED RHINOVIRUSES1

Abstract

Rosenbaum, M. J. (Div. Virology, Naval Medical Research Unit No. 4, Great Lakes, Illinois 60088), P. DeBerry, E. J. Sullivan, W. E. Pierce, R. E. Mueller and R. O. Peckinpaugh. Epidemiology of the common cold in military recruits with emphasis on infections by rhinovirus types 1A, 2 and two unclassified rhinoviruses. Amer J. Epidem93: 183–193, 1971.—An epidemtologic study of common colds associated with rhinoviruses was conducted in military recruits while in training. Almost 90% of the subjects became infected with one or more of at least 12 different rhinovirus serotypes. Forty % of these men sustained two or more infections confirmed by virus isolations in the 4-week period. Many of these infections occurred within the first week of training with a gradual decline in incidence during the next three weeks. The majority of these infections were associated with four rhinovirus serotypes with a correlation between absence of pre-existing homologous antibody and subsequent infection. The illness data are consistent with the high number of infectious agents and total number of men infected. Virtually all men had a respiratory illness sometime during the 4-week study, with an average of 1.2 illnesses per man indicating multiple episodes. Such illness showed a high degree of correlation within ±5 days of onset of rhinovirus infection. Typical symptoms of the common cold were associated with selected rhinovirus infections. These included nasal obstruction, cough, sore throat, headache and malaise. Fever and systemic symptoms were much less evident.