The respiratory syncytial virus (RSV or RS virus) causes a common viralinfection of infants and young children. For most children, RSV produces only mild symptoms, often indistinguishable from common colds and minor illnesses. For some children, however, RSV can cause bronchiolitis, leading to severe respiratory illness requiring hospitalization and, rarely, causing death. This is more likely to occur in patients that are immunocompromised or infants born prematurely. Three types of viruses: a bacterial virus, otherwise called a bacteriophage (left center); an animal virus (top right); and a retrovirus (bottom right). ... An infection is the detrimental colonization of a host organism by a foreign species. ... The common cold is a mild viral infectious disease of the nose and throat; the upper respiratory system. ... Bronchiolitis is inflammation of the bronchioles, the smallest air passages of the lungs. ...
Anecdotally, RSV is also associated with childhood wheezing and asthma.
Treatment
Currently there are no vaccines in production for RSV infection. However, a moderately effective prophylactic drug is available for infants at high risk. This drug is a monoclonal antibody directed against RSV proteins. Ribavarin is used for treatment. A bottle and a syringe containing the influenza vaccine. ... Prophylaxis refers to any medical or public health procedure whose purpose is to prevent, rather than treat or cure, disease. ... Monoclonal antibodies (mAb) are antibodies that are identical because they were produced by one type of immune cell, all clones of a single parent cell. ... A representation of the 3D structure of myoglobin, showing coloured alpha helices. ...
During their first RSVinfection, between 25% and 40% of infants and young children have signs or symptoms of bronchiolitis or pneumonia, and 0.5% to 2% require hospitalization.
RSV also causes repeated infections throughout life, usually associated with moderate-to-severe cold-like symptoms; however, severe lower respiratory tract disease may occur at any age, especially among the elderly or among those with compromised cardiac, pulmonary, or immune systems.
RSV spreads efficiently among children during the annual outbreaks, and most children will have serologic evidence of RSVinfection by 2 years of age.
Respiratorysyncytialvirus (RSV) is a virus that causes infections of the lungs and respiratory tract.
Respiratorysyncytialvirus may be severe and may require hospitalization, especially in infants under 6 months of age, children with underlying conditions — such as congenital heart or lung disease — and children who were born prematurely.
Respiratorysyncytialvirus is the most common cause of respiratory illness in infants and young children.
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