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All About

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)

Wildlife

Symptoms

Symptoms a baby may have with RSV include:

breathing that’s faster than normal

  • difficulty breathing
  • cough
  • fever
  • irritability and lethargy or behaving sluggishly
  • runny nose
  • sneezing
  • using their chest muscles to breathe in a way that appears labored
  • wheezing

Causes

RSV is highly contagious and it spreads through droplet transmission. When a person with the infection coughs or sneezes, secretions from their respiratory tract containing the virus are passed out into the air.

RSV can survive for hours on surfaces such as tabletops, hands and clothing, making it easy for the virus to be transmitted from person to person.

A person is usually contagious for 3 to 8 days, but young children and those with a weakened immune system may still be able to pass it on for up to 4 weeks, even after their symptoms disappear.

Those at highest risk for complications or severe symptoms include:

  • infants who were born preterm
  • those aged younger than 2 years
  • older adults
  • adults or children with a weakened immune system
  • people with congenital heart or chronic lung diseases
  • those with other existing medical conditions, such as asthma
  • Infection is more likely among those who have a child or sibling in daycare or school.

More about Treatment

Here are some key points about respiratory syncytial virus.

Most children experience respiratory syncytial virus by the age of 2 years.The virus can spread through both direct and indirect contact with secretions from people with the infection.It can survive on hard surfaces, such as tabletops and toys, for several hours.Full recovery from infection usually takes 1 to 2 weeks.Treatment typically involves relieving the symptoms.

FAQ on this Treatment

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