Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Infection
John Mersch, MD, FAAP
Dr. Mersch received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, San Diego, and prior to entering the University Of Southern California School Of Medicine, was a graduate student (attaining PhD candidate status) in Experimental Pathology at USC. He attended internship and residency at Children's Hospital Los Angeles.
Mary D. Nettleman, MD, MS, MACP
Mary D. Nettleman, MD, MS, MACP is the Chair of the Department of Medicine at Michigan State University. She is a graduate of Vanderbilt Medical School, and completed her residency in Internal Medicine and a fellowship in Infectious Diseases at Indiana University.
- Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection facts
- What is the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)?
- When does RSV infection occur, and who gets it?
- Who is at risk for severe disease?
- Is RSV infection contagious, and how is RSV infection transmitted?
- What are the symptoms of RSV infection?
- How is RSV infection diagnosed?
- What is the treatment for an RSV infection?
- How can RSV infection be prevented?
- Is there an RSV vaccine?
- What is the prognosis of a respiratory syncytial virus infection?
- Find a local Pediatrician in your town
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) facts
- RSV is a highly contagious virus infection that most commonly causes illness during the winter season.
- Most children who develop an RSV infection have mild symptoms of fever, nasal congestion, and nasal discharge.
- High-risk groups are more likely to have a more severe disease process, including wheezing (bronchiolitis in infants) and/or pneumonia. Such high-risk groups include premature infants, those children with a compromised immune system, or those with chronic pulmonary disease or congenital/acquired cardiac disease.
- Supportive care is the mainstay of therapy. For high-risk patients, palivizumab (Synagis) preventative therapy is available.
What is the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)?
The respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), discovered in 1956, is capable of causing a broad spectrum of illnesses. Older children and adults will commonly experience a "bad cold" lasting one to two weeks. Fever, nasal congestion, and cough are their most common complaints. However, in babies and toddlers, RSV can produce severe pulmonary diseases, including bronchiolitis (inflammation of the terminal airways which produces wheezing) and pneumonia (infection of these terminal airways).
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