​​Most of us are familiar with the expression, "Don't worry, it's only a virus." This phrase was coined during an era when diagnostic virological possibilities were rudimentary and slow, and no specific therapeutic possibilities existed. This is no longer the case, and currently the appropriate use of rapid viral diagnosis will help to decide on specific anti-viral therapy, may also avoid unnecessary, expensive, potentially toxic antibiotic treatment and alleviate costly, unnecessary investigations. Furthermore, it may help in either shortening or avoiding hospital stay. Rapid viral diagnosis is also invaluable to provide safe infection control advice, a particularly poignant issue on pediatric wards in community and pediatric hospitals.​

Only occasionally do virus infections display clinical features distinctive enough to provide an immediate identification of the causative virus on a clinical basis (e.g. chickenpox or cold sores). Most generalized virus infections have less characteristic presentation and cause general clinical symptoms such as a sore throat, lower respiratory tract infection, gastro-enteritis or rash. Some viruses may cause several of these symptoms concurrently.

An awareness of the most likely candidates for such viral syndromes will help the attending physician provide a differential viral diagnosis and decide on appropriate specimen collection. With the decentralization of health care, it will become increasingly important for general pediatricians and general practitioners in the community to be aware of existing possibilities for rapid viral diagnosis and therapeutic possibilities. This page aims to provide you with practical knowledge relevant to your day-to-day work. For the purpose of clarity, viral disease has been divided into syndromes (i.e. respiratory disease, viral exanthemata, hepatitis, CNS infection and congenital viral infection).