Table: Characteristics of common respiratory infections

DISEASE and SEASON and COMMON SYMPTOMS UNLIKELY CAUSE TRANSMISSION SYMPTOMS*

COMMON COLD – Late August to April, Blocked nose with watery to Body aches, rash, RHINITIS; also in summer; thick green discharge, wet enlarged nodes*** rhinoviruses, droplet**, human-to- eyes, itchy throat, dry cough, coronaviruses, RSV human (sometimes low-grade fever and other viruses or headache); lasts 1 week ACUTE SINUSITIS; Winter; complication Pressure and tenderness in Body aches, swollen various viruses, of existing viral cheeks and/or front, nodes, rash bacteria, fungi (also disease; sinusitis as a headache, blocked nose, pollutants or allergy) disease is not thick green mucus (thin contagious mucus in allergy), post-nasal drip, or swollen eyelids; lasts less than 4 weeks SEASONAL FLU; November- April, Body aches, headache, Swollen nodes, rash Influenza A or B occasionally in tiredness, blocked, runny (in severe flu), virus summer (in travelers) nose, sore throat, dry cough, pneumonia (in small (1); droplet, human- high fever (101-105°F =38- children, old, chronic to-human 40.5°C, rarely no fever at patients) all), lasts 1-2 weeks STREP THROAT; Late autumn to early Sore throat, difficult Body aches bacterium spring, but may be swallowing, swollen, Streptococcus year-round; droplet, reddened tonsils, cough, pyogenes human to human enlarged nodes behind the ears and in neck, high fever, headache, mostly children 5- 15 y/o; lasts up to one week CROUP; Year-round, droplet, Barking cough, hoarsness, Body aches, rash parainfluenza virus, human to human continues with runny nose, RSV in children, lasts about a week

For a more complete list of common respiratory infections please visit, http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/revb/respiratory/hpivfeat.htm