New human rhinovirus species and their significance in asthma exacerbation and airway remodeling.

Asthma is the most common chronic disease of childhood, affecting 10% to 15% of all children. Several different stimuli including allergens, tobacco smoke, certain drugs, and viral or bacterial infections are known to exacerbate asthma symptoms. Among these triggers, viruses are frequent inducers of asthma exacerbations, with human rhinoviruses being the most common in children and adults. This article describes the different species of this virus and their roles as major triggers of asthma exacerbations.