What is RSV?

RSV – Respiratory Syncytial Virus - is the main cause of lower respiratory tract infections among children and premature infants.

The virus causes an upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) in adults and children, but in premature infants it often develops into a more serious infection affecting the lower respiratory tract (LRTI) and may cause prolonged hospitalization and even a stay in intensive care, and even death.

The RSV virus appears seasonally from autumn to spring. The infection is transmitted through sneezing, coughing and the baby's contact with surfaces contaminated with the virus (surfaces/objects that have been in contact with a sick baby or child).

The virus causes an upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) in adults and children, but in premature infants it often develops into a more serious infection affecting the lower respiratory tract (LRTI) and may cause prolonged hospitalization, a stay in intensive care and even death. The RSV virus appears seasonally from autumn to spring. The infection is transmitted through sneezing, coughing and the baby's contact with surfaces contaminated with the virus (surfaces/objects that have been in contact with a sick baby or child).

There is no adequate treatment for this virus, therefore prophylactic treatment is extremely important as the right solution to prevent RSV and the complications of the disease.

infections:
RSV infections tend to appear seasonally from fall to spring. The infection is transmitted through sneezing, coughing and the baby's contact with surfaces contaminated with the virus (surfaces/objects that have been in contact with a sick baby or child).

Symptoms:
The symptoms of RSV usually appear for the first time in the form of a mild flu: low fever, runny nose and ear infections.

After 3-5 days, the symptoms may worsen if the virus has spread to the lower respiratory tract and manifest itself in coughing, difficulty breathing, rapid breathing and wheezing resulting from the respiratory tract difficulties.

Dr. Bader, director of the neonatal and premature intensive care departments at Bnei Zion Hospital in Haifa, affiliated to the Technion's Faculty of Medicine, explains:

"The RSV virus is most common in the winter months and attacks the entire population of children up to the age of two. If the virus attacks a baby in the first two months of its life, the disease is more severe and develops into pneumonia (bronchiolitis), which in severe cases can cause shortness of breath, respiratory arrest and the need to hospitalize the baby.

In severe cases of the disease, there is even a need to admit the baby to the intensive care unit. Recent studies in the field have shown that newborns in their prime or premature babies who have developed a severe disease due to RSV, develop short bronchial growth (asthma)."