Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is one of the most common viruses that cause respiratory tract infections in young children.
In most parts of the country, RSV starts to peak in fall and winter seasons.
Spread by Touch
According to Giovanni Piedimonte, M.D., of Cleveland Clinic Children’s, RSV is highly contagious and is spread by touch.
“Most of the infections occur because somebody has been touching their nose and touches somebody else and the inoculation in the new person that receives the virus is either through the nose or through the eyes,” Piedimonte said.
He added that RSV can stay alive on a surface for several hours, which is why it’s important for folks to remember to wash their hands, especially during fall and winter months.
Symptoms
RSV can sometimes be confused with rhinovirus, or the common cold, because of a similarity in symptoms.
Symptoms of RSV, which typically last for about five days, include:
- cough
- runny nose
- sore throat
- fever
Who is at Risk?
Piedimonte said RSV is very common, especially among young children.
Every child will likely be infected by age three, with about 50 to 60 percent of children being infected in their first year of life. Usually only one percent of those infected will require hospitalization.
Piedimonte said RSV can be very dangerous for the very young and the very old.
“If RSV hits a young baby or an old individual or somebody who has predisposing chronic diseases, it’s going to land you in a hospital and it’s going to be much more severe than typical rhino viral infections,” he said.
Piedimonte added that parents with babies under the age of six months should avoid crowded areas, such as shopping malls, to lessen the chance of contracting RSV or any other contagious virus.
— Submitted by Cleveland Clinic News Service
