Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) - More Than a Cold
What is RSV?
Respiratory Syncytial Virus, or RSV, is very common in infancy and early childhood. It is the most frequent cause of bronchiolitis and pneumonia during the first year of life and infects virtually all children by the age of 2 years1.
RSV infections tend to occur at a certain time of year - from autumn to spring, but RSV season may vary a little from year to year and from place to place.
How serious is RSV?
In many babies, RSV causes a mild cold. But in certain cases, most often in premature infants and in babies with chronic lung disease or congenital heart disease, RSV can cause an infection of the lungs. These babies can then become more ill and may require hospitalisation.
What are the symptoms of RSV?
The symptoms of RSV may be like a cold at first and can include:
- fever
- runny nose
- other cold-like symptoms
The symptoms may then get worse as the virus spreads to the lungs, and can include:
- coughing
- difficulty breathing
- wheezing (a whistling sound)
- rapid breathing
If your baby develops these symptoms, consult your doctor.
How is RSV spread?
RSV is very contagious. It is spread by physical contact-such as touching, kissing, or shaking hands with an infected person. The germs are also spread through the air by sneezing or coughing. The virus can live for a number of hours on tissues and hard surfaces such as countertops.
How to reduce the risk of RSV infection
There are several steps which you, as parents, can take to help reduce the risk of RSV infection, both at home and away from home.
- Wash hands with warm water and soap before touching the baby
- If you have a cold or fever, be aware that kissing your baby can spread the infection.
- If other young children have a cold or fever, try to keep them away from the baby.
- Keep people with cold symptoms or fever away from baby
- Keep your baby away from crowded places such as shopping centres and large family gatherings.
- Do not smoke around the baby
- Ban smoking inside your house
Is there anything else that can be done to prevent RSV?
There is also a medication available that your neonatologist or paediatrician may prescribe for certain infants who are at especially high risk if they develop an RSV infection. Your neonatologist or paediatrician will advise you on this.
What you need to remember about RSV:
RSV is contagious. The most important thing that you can do to prevent the spread of RSV is good hand washing before touching your baby. If you have any questions on RSV, please consult your doctor or nurse.
1 Glezen P et al. Am J Dis Child 1986; 140(6): 543-546. Risk of primary infection and reinfection with respiratory syncytial virus