Respiratory syncytial (sin-SISH-uhl) virus, or RSV, is a common respiratory virus that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms. Most people recover in a week or two, but RSV can be serious, especially for infants and older adults.
How serious is RSV?
For most babies and young children, the infection causes nothing more than a cold. But for a small percentage, infection with RSV can lead to serious, sometimes life-threatening problems such as pneumonia or bronchiolitis, an inflammation of the small airways of the lungs.
What is the survival rate of RSV?
Even in children hospitalized with RSV infection, mortality is less than 1%, and fewer than 500 deaths per year are attributed to RSV in the United States.
Infection can happen again anytime throughout life. In high-risk babies, RSV can lead to severe respiratory illness and pneumonia. This may become life-threatening.
How long does it take to recover from RSV?
Most children and adults recover in one to two weeks, although some might have repeated wheezing. Severe or life-threatening infection requiring a hospital stay may occur in premature infants or in anyone who has chronic heart or lung problems.
Most RSV infections go away on their own in a week or two. There is no specific treatment for RSV infection, though researchers are working to develop vaccines and antivirals (medicines that fight viruses).
How do you treat RSV at home?
At-home treatment includes:
Removing sticky nasal fluids with a bulb syringe using saline drops.Using a cool-mist vaporizer to keep the air moist and make breathing easier.Providing fluids in small amounts frequently through the day.Giving non-aspirin fever-reducers such as acetaminophen.
What happens if RSV is left untreated?
What if RSV goes untreated? For most healthy infants without a heart or lung condition, RSV is similar to the common cold. In children with a weaker immune system, untreated RSV can cause pneumonia or bronchiolitis (swelling of the smaller airways in the lungs). Sometimes these children have to stay in the hospital.
Symptoms generally begin four to six days after exposure. Symptoms generally develop slowly over a period of several days. The contagious period is usually less than 10 days after symptoms begin, but occasionally is longer.
Is RSV worse than Covid?
So far, the new coronavirus appears to be more dangerous for adults, especially older ones. RSV is riskier for young children, but it can also be serious for older people and those who have other health problems.
What does RSV sound like?
When your pediatrician listens to your baby’s lungs, if they have RSV and bronchiolitis, it actually sounds like Rice Krispies in the lungs; it’s just all crackly.
How do you get rid of RSV cough?
Other tips for relieving symptoms are:
Create moist air to breathe. Keep the room warm but not overheated. Drink fluids. Continue breastfeeding or bottle-feeding your infant as you would normally. Try saline nasal drops. Use over-the-counter pain relievers. Stay away from cigarette smoke.
Medications to treat respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection include the antiviral drug ribavirin, which can be used in severe high-risk cases, and bronchodilators. The efficacy of bronchodilators or racemic epinephrine in treating RSV disease remains unproved.
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