RSV: Respiratory Syncytial Virus

RSV stands for respiratory syncytial virus. RSV is very contagious and mimics a moderate to severe cold. RSV is not typically a cause of concern unless it is a severe case or comes with complications.

You may not have heard of RSV, but it is the most common cause of infections in the lower respiratory tract among children. Most children have had it by age 3, although adults can get it as well.

RSV tends to happen most during late fall, winter and into early spring. It is a viral infection that affects the eyes, throat, nose and lungs. Sharing food or drink is the most common way to get this infection. If the virus gets on your hands and you touch your nose, eyes or mouth you can get sick with it as well. Symptoms show two to eight days after infection.

Symptoms of RSV are the same as the typical cold. Sore throats, stuffy or runny noses, low-grade fevers, wheezing and coughing or earaches are common. The symptoms usually clear in about two weeks.

Babies can have a harder time with RSV. They may become listless and irritable and have a decline in appetite. Their sleep can also become disrupted and they may become uninterested in what is going on around them. Babies with RSV rarely develop apnea - a condition where breathing stops for 15-20 seconds.

Unfortunately there are two types of RSV and several subtypes. This means people don't become immune: they can have RSV several times in their life or even a few times in one season.

There are several risk factors including congenital heart disease, infants under six weeks old, chronic lung conditions, crowded living conditions, immunodeficiency, attending daycare, and exposure to cigarette smoke.

Tests are usually not done in diagnosis. Symptoms and any known community outbreaks are usually enough for a doctor to reach a conclusion. If you have a risk of complication, your doctor may want to do a viral test.

For otherwise healthy individuals, RSV usually clears itself up within two weeks. Severe cases, including some babies, may need hospitalization in order to treat RSV.