Generalities:

Picornaviridaeis a large family of viruses. Picornaviruses include important pathogens for humans and animals. The diseases it causes are varied, such as common cold, poliomyelitis and chronic infections in livestock. Two main categories are Enterovirus and Rhinovirus. Enteroviruses infect the enteric tract, while Rhinoviruses mainly infect the nose and throat. The former replicate at 37°C, while the latter grow better at 33°C, as this is the lower temperature of the nose. Enteroviruses are stable under acidic conditions and are therefore capable of surviving exposure to gastric acid. On the contrary, Rhinoviruses are unstable to acid and for this reason are limited to the nose and throat.