Respiratory viral infections in children with asthma: do they matter and can we prevent them?

Ahanchian, Hamid; Jones, Carmen M; Chen, Yueh-sheng; Sly, Peter D

There are three ways of common cold transmission in children. First, inhalation of small particles aerosolized by coughing; second, large particle droplets from saliva expelled while sneezing; and third, self-inoculation of one's own conjunctivae or nasal mucosa after touching a person or object contaminated with the cold viruses. The first two methods are inefficient [50] , while the third is the most important method of transmission. The mode of transmission could differ with age of the index case, duration of contact, and other factors. Moreover, there is some evidence that the daily activities of infected people can lead to the contamination of environmental surfaces with HRV e.g. light switches, telephone dial buttons and handsets [48] .