We often assume that viral infections are caused by individual virus types. But in reality, we are exposed to many viruses on a day to day basis, and co-infection – where someone is simultaneously infected by two or more virus types – is quite common.
The cells lining our throat and lower airways are exposed to the environment around us, making them a prime target for co-infection by respiratory viruses. These range from common-cold-causing rhinoviruses to the more serious influenza viruses, which are often the cause of global pandemics.
One of the most frequent outcomes of co-infection is viral interference, a phenomenon where one virus out-competes and suppresses the replication of the other co-infecting viruses. Interestingly, a growing body of evidence suggests rhinoviruses may interfere with the replication of other respiratory viruses that tend to be more serious. They may even offer the host temporary protection from them.
The good news is that this appears to…