Respiratory RNA viruses are a major cause of acute lower respiratory tract infections and contribute substantially to hospitalization among infants, elderly, and immunocompromised. Complete viral clearance from acute infections is not always achieved, leading to persistence. Certain chronic respiratory diseases like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease have been associated with persistent infection by human respiratory syncytial virus and human rhinovirus, but it is still not clear whether RNA viruses really establish long-term infections as it has been recognized for DNA viruses as human bocavirus and adenoviruses. Herein, we summarize evidence of RNA virus persistence in the human respiratory tract, as well as in some animal models, to highlight how long-term infections might be related to development and/or maintenance of chronic respiratory symptoms.
Keywords: respiratory RNA viruses; respiratory tract; viral persistence.