Viral infections combined with long-term exposure to cigarette smoke can significantly affect the lung structure, reveals a recent study. The study – – Exacerbation of chronic cigarette-smoke induced lung disease by human rhinovirus in mice – – published in the journal Respiratory Physiology & Neurobiology, developed and characterised a mouse model of HRV-induced COPD after lengthy exposure to cigarette smoke to find that it leads to more severe symptoms, such as increased inflammation and poorer lung function. It also showed that HRV infection increased both the number of neutrophils and the levels of IP-10.