Respiratory virus lurks as wintertime worry
A common respiratory virus that circulates in winter can pose a serious threat to children, an expert warns. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the most important respiratory virus of infants and young children, said Dr. Pedro Piedra, a professor of pediatrics and molecular virology and microbiology at the Baylor College of Medicine, in Houston.
RSV is the leading cause of hospitalization for infants younger than 1 and each year is linked to 60,000 to 200,000 deaths worldwide of children younger than 5.
Nearly all infants and young children will have been infected at least once by the time they reach 2 years of age, and individuals will be reinfected throughout life, Piedra said in a Baylor news release.
The virus also affects older adults and causes nearly as many deaths in that age group as the flu, he said.
RSV during the wintertime is all around us and is rampant right now, Piedra said. A lot of times, people confuse RSV and the flu. There are several respiratory viruses that are co-circulating right now, and many of these viruses mimic each other.
Dont assume that its a breakthrough infection of the flu if you have been vaccinated, he warned.
In young children, RSV can cause symptoms of respiratory distress such as rapid breathing, coughing, not eating well and throwing up when coughing, especially when trying to eat.
In adults, RSV is hard to distinguish from the flu.
There is no specific antiviral treatment for RSV, but doctors can treat symptoms in children and adults, Piedra said.
RSV can cause severe infection in some people, especially premature babies, older adults, infants and adults with heart and lung disease, or anyone with a very weak immune system (immunocompromised).
Signs and symptoms of respiratory syncytial virus infection most commonly appear about four to six days after exposure to the virus. In adults and older children, RSV usually causes mild cold-like signs and symptoms. These include:
Respiratory syncytial virus infection can spread to the lower respiratory tract, causing pneumonia or bronchiolitis inflammation of the small airway passages entering the lungs. Signs and symptoms may include:
Infants are most severely affected by RSV. You may notice your childs chest muscles and skin pull inward with each breath. This is a sign that he or she is struggling to breathe. Other signs and symptoms of severe RSV infection in infants include:
Most children and adults recover in one to two weeks, although some might have repeated wheezing. Severe or life-threatening infection requiring a hospital stay may occur in premature babies or infants and adults who have chronic heart or lung problems.
Seek immediate medical attention if your child or anyone at risk of severe RSV infection has difficulty breathing, a high fever, or a blue color to the skin, particularly on the lips and in the nail beds.
Respiratory syncytial virus enters the body through the eyes, nose or mouth. It spreads easily through the air on infected respiratory droplets. You or your child can become infected if someone with RSV coughs or sneezes near you. The virus also passes to others through direct contact, such as shaking hands.
The virus can live for hours on hard objects such as countertops, crib rails and toys. Touch your mouth, nose or eyes after touching a contaminated object and youre likely to pick up the virus. An infected person is most contagious in the first few days after infection. However, the virus may continue to spread for up to a few weeks.
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