- What is RSV virus infection?
RSV infection is a contagious respiratory disease caused by infection with the RSV virus. The RSV virus is called respiratory syncytial virus. It is so contagious that almost all children up to 2 years old are infected.
Once infected with this virus, the patient will be reinfected for life. In adults, the disease often presents with mild cold symptoms. However, immunocompromised or elderly people can develop severe infections.
Children from 3 months old to under 5 years old are the ages with the highest hospitalization rate after infection. The RSV virus mainly causes capillary bronchitis and pneumonia. The risk of death will be high if young children are infected with RSV virus.
If young children are at high risk such as premature babies, children with chronic lung disease or children with congenital heart disease, RSV virus infection can lead to serious complications.
RSV virus infection usually appears from fall to early spring and sometimes appears at any time of the year. The infection rate is high in crowded environments such as amusement parks.
- Cause of RSV virus infection
The RSV virus is a virus that is very common in everyday life and can survive for hours on kitchen counters, toys, towels, blankets or blankets, used tissues and other items. If you come into contact with these RSV viruses, you will most likely become infected. Young children who live with many family members or attend daycare are more likely to be infected.
- Symptoms of RSV virus infection
The incubation period of RSV virus infection is 2 ~ 8 days and the symptoms are similar to the common cold such as sneezing, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat and fever. However, it can develop into serious symptoms, such as wheezing or very rapid breathing, severe coughing, difficulty breathing, blue and gray skin, and difficulty eating, drinking, and sleeping.
- Diagnosis of RSV virus infection
Diagnosis of RSV infection can be made by sputum culture testing. If the differential diagnosis does not detect bacterial pneumonia or upper respiratory tract infection viruses such as Rhinovirus or bronchiolitis, it is necessary to pay attention to the possibility that the child is infected with the RSV virus.
If noninfectious hypoxia, pneumonia, or asthma due to foreign body aspiration is present, differential diagnosis should be performed.
- Treatment of RSV virus infection
In the treatment of RSV infection, there is no preventative vaccine or anti-RSV medication, so conservative treatment of symptoms is the first priority. Newborn cases will be treated with Ribavirin inhalation.
Also for high-risk groups such as children with bronchopulmonary dysplasia or congenital heart disease, RSV virus immune globulin injections may be given in the winter to prevent infection or intramuscular injections with targeted antibodies ( monoclonal anti-RSV antibody) every month from September to March when the RSV virus spreads rapidly.
- Monitor and take note of this virus
Infants hospitalized with RSV infection were followed and found that they often developed asthma or abnormal lung function after 10 years. The mortality rate from lower respiratory tract infections is about 2%.
The risk of death may increase due to symptoms of neurological, heart, lung, and immune disorders. The younger the child, the higher the risk of death from capillary bronchiolitis caused by the RSV virus. RSV virus is the leading cause of death in infants under 1 year old. The annual death rate per 100,000 infants born under 1 year of age is about 1.3 ~ 2.5 times higher than deaths due to influenza infection.
