Respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, is a common respiratory illness that causes mild, cold-like symptoms for most healthy children and adults. Most infants will get this virus before their second birthday. It’s about as common as the flu, especially during late fall through early spring. Each year, RSV leads to more than 2 million outpatient visits in the U.S. for children 5 years and younger. Learn what to look out for and how you or your loved ones can prevent getting RSV.
Symptoms
RSV symptoms are mild and show up about four to six days after being infected. Symptoms may include:
- Coughing
- Decrease in appetite
- Dry cough
- Low-grade fever
- Runny nose
- Sneezing
For babies younger than 12 months, symptoms can look different, including:
- Difficulty breathing
- Drowsiness
- Irritability
- Poor feeding
Mild RSV infections will go away after about one to two weeks.
Severe RSV
Most people who get RSV have minor, manageable symptoms, but certain populations are at higher risk of getting severe RSV, including:
- Infants and young children born prematurely or who have preexisting medical conditions
- Older adults with weakened immune systems or who suffer from lung or heart diseases
- People with immunodeficiencies, such as organ transplant recipients, chemotherapy patients or HIV/AIDS patients
Severe RSV symptoms can include:
- Fever
- Rapid or difficulty breathing
- Severe cough
- Wheezing
Severe RSV can lead to pneumonia or bronchiolitis, which is inflammation of small airway passages that enter the lungs, making breathing difficult. Hospitalizations of people with severe RSV are usually only a few days.
Prevention
Like many other respiratory viruses, RSV spreads through contact with an infected person or a surface that has the virus on it. RSV can live on hard surfaces, such as tables and cribs, for several hours. For those who aren’t at risk of getting severe RSV, typical flu-preventive actions, like regularly washing your hands and cleaning frequently touched surfaces, should be enough to stop the virus. It’s also best to avoid contact with those who may be infected as much as possible since you can be contagious one to two days before you begin showing symptoms. Those who are immunocompromised can spread the RSV for up to four weeks even after they stop showing symptoms.
For populations at risk of getting ill, vaccines are available.
- Older adults: RSV vaccines are available to protect adults 60 years and older. Talk with your primary care doctor to learn more and see if the vaccine would be beneficial for you.
- Pregnant women: A new vaccine for pregnant women protects their newborns from severe RSV. Pregnant women can get this vaccine between 32-36 weeks of pregnancy, if their baby will be born during RSV season, which runs October-April. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this vaccine has been shown to reduce the risk of RSV hospitalizations for babies by more than 50% in the first six months of life. Talk with your OB-GYN or primary care doctor to learn more about this vaccine.
- Babies: There is also an RSV antibody immunization treatment available for babies younger than 8 months or high-risk babies between 8-19 months to help reduce their risk of severe RSV. Talk with your pediatrician to learn more about the RSV immunization for infants.
Takeaway
Though this virus is mild in most cases, it’s better to be safe and protect yourself and your loved ones. Talk to your primary care doctor, OB-GYN or pediatrician to learn more about RSV and other ways to prevent getting sick.
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