A child at a doctor’s appointment.Photo: Getty
Some states are seeing an unusual increaseof cases of RSV, orRespiratory Syncytial Virus. The illness is common and is the typical cause of bronchiolitis and pneumonia in kids under 1 years old.
The CDC advised parents and doctors to keep an eye out for cases of RSV, particularly in young children, adults over age 65 or those with chronic illnesses.
Here’s what to know about the easily-spreading RSV germ.
It transmits like COVID-19
“The reason why it’s spreading now is unclear, but likely relates to the reason we didn’t see much RSV and influenza in the winter: masking, distancing and good handwashing,” saysDr. Elizabeth Murray, a pediatrician specializing in Pediatric Emergency Medicine and Child Health Advocacy and amember of PEOPLE’s Health Squad. “As those precautions start to go away, we can expect germs to return.”
And because the two viruses are similar, it can be tough to diagnose RSV.
“For now, a COVID-19 test is needed” to eliminate that as a possibility and diagnose someone with RSV, says Murray. “It’s too hard to distinguish between the two without a test now that both germs are circulating.”
RSV primarily affects the respiratory system
“RSV is notorious for causing wheezing and a ton of mucous in little children,” Murray explains. “It often starts with a runny nose and maybe a fever, then often gets worse around day 3 to 5 of illness. It causes what is called bronchiolitis, which is different from bronchitis, meaning irritation and inflammation of the smaller airways in the lungs. This causes children to wheeze and have all sorts of noisy breathing.”
Because RSV is a virus, there’s no direct treatment like antibiotics, which are for bacterial infections. The best treatment is rest and fluids, but parents should closely monitor their child’s breathing.
That advice changes, though, for newborns.
And adults need to be cautious too. Though RSV presents as nothing more than a runny nose for typically healthy adults, “for the elderly or adults with other medical problems, it can be very serious, causing about 177,000 hospitalizations in those over 65 annually, according to the CDC,” says Murray.
Preventing RSV
To avoidgetting sick with RSV, the precautions are similar to what we’ve learned to do during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Anyone can catch RSV. The pandemic has done a great job at making everyone acutely aware of what they touch and how they interact with others,” Murray says. “Parents should continue to ensure good hand washing, including when coming home from camp or school or outings, and keep kids home when they are sick.”
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“The suggestions for adults are going to be the same,” she adds. “Continue to wash your hands, especially before meals and when coming home, and stay home if you are sick.”
Murray is disappointed that RSV is coming around in the summer months, but explains that it’s a common virus that “has been around for a long time,” that doctors know how to manage.
“This is the germ that normally, along with flu, fills every children’s hospital each fall and winter,” she says. “It was unusual that we did not see any RSV this past winter, however we know why. Now that we are lifting the restrictions that helped prevent it, it should not be unexpected that it has returned.”
source: people.com
