According to the World Health Organization (WHO), respiratory infections have the highest burden of disease worldwide and it has been estimated that 80% of all acute respiratory infections are caused by viruses. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), common cold viruses cost Americans an estimated $40 billion annually, while Influenza infections cost an estimated $87 billion per year.
Respiratory viruses range in size, shape, virulence, and mode of entry into the host cell, while this course aims to discuss respiratory viruses, it is not intended to be all-encompassing of all respiratory viruses, nor will all the information about the viruses will be discussed.
This course is not all-encompassing and is written to support various levels of experience. It is intended to provide a basic description of seven common respiratory viruses and how they interact with the host. In addition, this course also discusses the importance of the most frequent types of respiratory viral mutations, testing methods, and indications of disease. Finally, it identifies types of vaccines and treatment options available for respiratory viral infections.
