What virus is the most common cause of the common cold?

What virus is the most common cause of the common cold? Rhinovirus is the predominant viral cause of the common cold.

Rhinoviruses are small, positive-sense, single-stranded RNA viruses in the genus Enterovirus and family Picornaviridae. They mainly infect cells lining the nose and upper airways, producing familiar symptoms such as sneezing, sore throat, nasal congestion, and a runny nose. Rhinoviruses account for at least half of common-cold infections, though the exact share varies by study and season.

The name comes from the Greek word for nose. Three recognized species—rhinovirus A, B, and C—contain well over 100 antigenically or genetically distinct types. This diversity helps explain why infection does not provide broad, lasting protection against every rhinovirus strain.

Rhinovirus is often confused with influenza, but influenza usually causes more pronounced fever, muscle aches, and exhaustion. Coronaviruses and adenoviruses can also cause cold-like illness, yet rhinovirus remains the leading cause. Rhinoviruses reproduce particularly well around 33 °C, the cooler temperature of the nasal passages, and there is no universal rhinovirus vaccine.