Editor’s note: This column originally appeared Nov. 1, 2022.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention surveillance is showing increase in respiratory syncytial virus detections.
RSV-associated emergency department visits and hospitalization are also increasing in multiple regions of our country. Some regions nearing seasonal peak levels. You hear it in the news daily. This virus usually shows up in the late fall through the early spring months.
RSV is a common respiratory virus that usually causes infections of the lungs and the respiratory tract, with mild, cold-like symptoms. The last few years of mask-wearing and social distancing kept the infection under control with fewer reported cases. However, once the safety measures relaxed, the RSV cases began to show up earlier.
While most will recover uneventfully from RSV infection in a week or two, these populations are vulnerable to more serious complications:
• Young children with congenital (from birth) heart or chronic lung disease.
• Young children with weakened immune systems due to a medical condition or medical treatment.
• Adults with weakened immune systems.
• Older adults, especially those with underlying heart or lung disease.
According to the CDC, RSV is the most common cause of bronchiolitis (inflammation of the small airways in the lung) and pneumonia (infection of the lungs) in children younger than 1 year of age in our country. RSV is highly contagious. Those infected with RSV are usually contagious for three to eight days. However, some with weakened immune systems can continue to spread the virus even after they stop showing symptoms, for as long as four weeks.
Symptoms usually show within four to six days after being infected. First signs of RSV may include:
• Decrease in appetite.
These symptoms may appear in stages and not all at once. In very young infants with RSV, the only symptoms may be irritability, decreased activity, and breathing difficulties. Seek medical attention immediately when symptoms are worsening. Infants are most severely affected by RSV.
Signs and symptoms of severe RSV infection in infants include:
• Short, shallow and rapid breathing.
• Struggling to breath (chest muscles and skin pull inward with each breath).
• Bluish discoloration of skin, particularly on the lips and nail beds.
Just like any viral infection, prevention is best. There is no vaccine for RSV, but lifetime habits we have learned and practiced for Coronavirus infection prevention can also help prevent the spread of RSV. Good hand hygiene, avoiding exposure, keeping things clean and washing toys regularly are preventative.
Additionally, studies have shown that babies who are exposed to tobacco smoke have a higher risk of getting RSV and potentially more severe symptoms. If you are taking care of a loved one with mild RSV symptoms at home, maintaining hydration is very important. Offer plenty of fluids to drink. Create moist air to breath, and have over-the-counter pain or fever-reducing medication at hand.
And if you are sick, get plenty of rest and stay home to help prevent the spread.
A registered nurse, Elvie C. Ancheta is administrator of the California Department of Veterans Affairs’ William J. “Pete” Knight Veterans Home in Lancaster.
