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What is respiratory syncytial virus?
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a viral disease of
the respiratory tract that occurs primarily during the winter
and early spring.
Who gets RSV?
RSV is very common; almost everyone has an infection with
this virus in their first few years of life. RSV is a cause
of the common cold in persons of most ages. However, in infants
and young children, it is the most important cause of inflammation
of the bronchial tubes of the lungs and of pneumonia. For
children under six months of age it can be a severe disease,
especially if they have a condition such as prematurity,
heart disease at birth, respiratory disease, or a disease
or treatment affecting the immune system.
How is the virus spread?
Humans are the only source of infection. RSV may be spread
by direct or close contact, which may involve droplets from
the nose or mouth of an infected person. RSV may also be
spread indirectly by hands, handkerchiefs, tissues, eating
utensils, or other items soiled with the virus.
What are the symptoms of RSV?
Symptoms of RSV include inflammation of the lining of the
nose, throat, tonsils, upper breathing tubes, or bronchial
tubes of the lungs. Other signs include fever, chills, headache,
general aching, tiredness, and a loss of appetite. In premature
infants the signs may be minimal and often include lethargy,
irritability, poor feeding, and apnea (temporary stops in
breathing).
How soon do symptoms appear?
The first symptoms usually appear within one to ten days
after being exposed, but the average time is five days after
exposure.
How long can an infected person spread the virus?
A person is infectious just before the onset of the disease
and for as long as they are ill. The period of viral shedding
is usually two to eight days, but may be longer in young
infants who may shed the virus for three to four weeks.
Can a person get RSV again?
Reinfection
throughout life is common because we do not develop immunity.
Infection in older children and adults usually causes cold
symptoms and sometimes inflammation of the bronchial tubes.
What is the treatment for RSV?
Most healthy infants improve with only minimal home care
within two to five days. However, if your child is having
difficulty breathing or has a blue tint to their skin or
has a sustained high fever, you should visit your doctor.
Children with more severe RSV often require hospitalization
and aerosol treatment with a drug called Ribavirin. The use
of respiratory syncytial virus immune globulin has been shown
to improve high-risk infants' outcomes when used in combination
with Ribavirin.
How can the spread of RSV be stopped?
Breast-feeding offers some protection against respiratory
infections for infants. Frequent handwashing by people in
contact with infants is important. Hospital and day care
employees with upper respiratory infections during the RSV
season should not care for infants at risk for severe RSV.
There is no vaccine to prevent RSV
To read the rest of this fact sheet from the Utah Department
of Health, please click here: http://health.utah.gov/epi/fact_sheets/rsv.html
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