Doctors are warning the public about respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) after a young infant was hospitalized because of it. What is RSV and who are the people most at risk of contracting it?
Bark-Like Cough
Earlier this month, a couple brought their 14-month-old infant Vivian to the doctor after they noticed her “bark-like” cough at 3 a.m. The doctor gave her some medications but the infant only got worse, so they were told to monitor their child’s fever and cough. They immediately took her to the Children’s Hospital when their child’s fever reached 103 degrees, and they were told that Vivian had to be placed in the ICU.
Evidently, she was suffering from Pneumonia, Adenovirus, and RSV, which doctors told them was quite bad this year compared to other years. In fact, nine out of the 19 ICU rooms at the hospital had children with RSV.
According to a pediatrician at the facility, RSV is one of the leading causes of death in babies. Some of the signs of RSV in babies are rapid breathing, and when you can see the infant’s ribs with each breath.
To prevent RSV, the best step to prevent the spread of germs is said to be proper hygiene and hand washing.
Respiratory Syncytial Virus
RSV is actually a common respiratory virus that causes mild, cold-like symptoms. Someone who catches RSV typically recovers in one or two weeks but it can also develop into a serious illness, particularly among those who are more vulnerable to the virus.
Those who are more at risk for serious RSV are young children and the elderly. In fact, there are about 57,000 children below 5 years old who are diagnosed with RSV in the United States each year, and it is the most common cause of bronchiolitis and pneumonia in children below 1 in the country. Further, children exposed to cigarette smoke are also said to be more at risk of contracting the virus
Among older adults, those over 65 years of age, those with chronic heart or lung conditions, as well as those with compromised immune systems are most at risk for RSV. People with chronic conditions such as asthma as well as congestive heart failure may also experience worse symptoms.
RSV occurs in the United States each year during fall, winter, and spring, and extra care should be taken if a loved one is deemed more at risk of contracting the virus.
As for Vivian, she spent three days in the ICU but still got home in time for Christmas.
