Acute nasopharyngitis

**Definition:** A disease of the upper respiratory tract, caused by an infection with rhinovirus. This disease is characterised by pharyngitis, runny nose, stuffy nose, or cough. Transmission is by inhalation of infected respiratory secretions, or direct contact.

**Long definition:** The common cold (also known as nasopharyngitis, rhinopharyngitis, acute coryza, or a cold) is a viral infectious disease of the upper respiratory system which affects primarily the nose. The meaning of nasopharynx is the same as epipharynx however the term nasopharyngitis is generally used when epipharyngitis extends to the nose, pharynx and larynx. Often called "a cold" indicates a "common cold infection". The cause of nasopharyngitis is 90% by a viral infection, other causes include bacterial or mycoplasma infections. Patients with nasopharyngitis present with a cough, pharyngeal pain, running nose, stuffy nose as local symptoms, and increasing fever, general fatigue and headache as general symptoms. These symptoms usually resolve in seven to ten days, with some symptoms lasting up to three weeks.

**Exclusions:** - Chronic nasopharyngitis - pharyngitis NOS - Acute pharyngitis - Chronic pharyngitis - rhinitis NOS - Allergic rhinitis - Chronic rhinitis - Vasomotor rhinitis - sore throat NOS - acute sore throat - chronic sore throat