PHOENIX — People returning from holiday travel are bringing home more than holiday memories. Videos circulating on TikTok show people describing a virus that makes their throat feel like they’ve swallowed razor blades.

But despite the barrage of videos claiming it's a "mystery virus" of some sort, medical experts say it’s not rare or mysterious. It’s adenovirus, a common respiratory virus that can cause severe cold-like symptoms.

“If we're following seasonal patterns, we think in the next few weeks, we're gonna see even more respiratory viruses,” said Dr. Natasha Bhuyan, medical director at OneMedical.

Adenovirus can be mistaken for the flu, but it’s generally a bad cold. Symptoms often include a runny nose and a severe sore throat.

“Unlike typical cold viruses, the symptoms for adenov

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