Respiratory Syncytial Virus
Breanna Kennelly
Apollo College
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) causes acute respiratory tract infection in patients of all ages and is one of the most popular diseases of childhood. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection, which manifests primarily as bronchiolitis and/or viral pneumonia, is the leading cause of lower respiratory tract (LRT) infection in infants and young children. RSV is the most common cause of bronchiolitis (inflammation of the small airways in the lungs) and pneumonia in children under one year of age in the United States. During the first year of life, most infants are infected with the virus. Most RSV infected children encounter …show more content…
RSV is an enveloped, non-segmented negative strand RNA virus of the family Paramyxoviridae (www.appredbook.com). Specific diagnostic tests for confirmation of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection are readily available. These tests can be performed on samples of secretions obtained by washing, suctioning, or swabbing the nasopharynx. Secretions can be analyzed for virus in the laboratory by culture and/or antigen revealing techniques. Newer molecular probes for revealing RSV in clinical specimens are being developed and may be more sensitive than the above assays, although they are not routinely available at this time (www.eMedicine.com). Chest radiography is frequently obtained in children with severe RSV infection (Chest radiography typically reveals hyperinflated lung fields with a diffuse increase in interstitial markings. In 20-25% of cases, focal areas of atelectasis and/or pulmonary infiltrate are also noted. Generally, these findings are neither specific to RSV infection nor predictive of the course or outcome, except for the observation that infants who have the additional findings of atelectasis and/or pneumonia may have a more severe course with their illness.) [ (Leonard R Krilov, 2010) ] There is no specific treatment for RSV infection but there are easy ways to help relieve some of the typical symptoms. Keep hydrated to ensure that dehydration does not occur. Typically a humidifier, acetaminophen