PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To highlight recent findings on how picornavirus infections of the airways and cardiac tissues impact cellular inflammation and remodeling events. RECENT FINDINGS: Recent published work has revealed that although many picornavirus infections appear to be initially asymptomatic, there are significant disease sequelae that result from chronic or persistent infections and the long-term, pathogenic effects on host tissues. SUMMARY: Because many acute picornavirus infections are asymptomatic, it is difficult to diagnose these pathologies at the early stages of disease. As a result, we must rely on preventative measures (i.e., vaccination) or discover novel treatments to reverse tissue damage and remodeling in affected individuals. Both of these strategies will require a comprehensive knowledge of virus-and cell-specific replication determinants and how these processes induce pathogenic effects in infected cells and tissues.