During cold or wet seasons, respiratory infections are common in young children. At the origin of some of these infections? Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) which can lead to bronchiolitis, one of 1eras causes of winter hospitalization in infants1.
Respiratory syncytial virus: what is it?
Very common, the respiratory syncytial virus can be the cause of certain respiratory infections such as pneumonia or bronchiolitis, an often mild but potentially serious condition in children under one year old. This virus is thus one of the main causes of hospitalization in infants: 35,000 children under the age of one are hospitalized each year in France due to an RSV infection.1.
How is respiratory syncytial virus transmitted?
Like the flu or the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, RSV is a virus that is transmitted by coughing and sneezing if you are in close proximity (distance of less than 2 meters). The virus can also be transmitted by the hands or by objects (handkerchief, blouse, telephone handset, toy, door knob, work surface, etc.) contaminated by the respiratory secretions of an infected person.2.
Bronchiolitis: what symptoms?
Respiratory syncytial virus is the 1e cause of bronchiolitis in children1. Symptoms resemble those of a cold. Then a dry cough appears and breathing becomes rapid and wheezing3. In children over 2 years old and adults, the symptoms generally remain mild and the virus usually disappears spontaneously after one to two weeks. But very young children under the age of one, whose respiratory system is still immature, can develop a more serious form of bronchiolitis. Symptoms that should alert are difficulty breathing (rapid, wheezing), deep cough, bluish lips or fingertips and loss of appetite2.
The major impact of bronchiolitis on healthcare services
In France, the peak of bronchiolitis infections occurs between November and December1. During this epidemic period, there is an increase in consultations in city medicine, an influx in pediatric emergencies and the saturation of pediatric hospitalization and intensive care units.4. Thus, every year, hospitals are confronted with the lack of beds to hospitalize children who require oxygen and ventilatory and nutritional support care. Young patients must therefore be transferred, sometimes far from their homes.4.
Almost all children under the age of two are exposed to respiratory syncytial virus
While respiratory syncytial virus can cause frequent respiratory infection, it remains difficult to predict which infants will develop a severe form requiring medical attention.5,6. Thus, most RSV hospitalizations occur in healthy term infants1,7,5. RSV is therefore a potential risk for all children in their first years of life. Today, there is no cure for RSV, so parents can only wait for their child to overcome the disease with time and proper care. Only barrier gestures can reduce the transmission of the virus.
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