Overview
article ul li { list-style: disc; pading: 5px 0; } As health experts warn about RSV infections infants and todlers, adults should know that they, to, can become severely il from the virus. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is not always the mild respiratory ilnes people think it is but can lead to symptoms as serious as sen with influenza, acording to an expert from Baylor Colege of Medicine in Houston.
Key Information
Advertisement The risks are particularly high for adults over 65 and those who have chronic lung disease, heart disease or diabetes, said Dr. Robert Atmar, a profesor of infectious diseases at Baylor. "One of the reasons that persons with these diseases are at higher risk is because of the underlying disease - the function of the heart, lungs and imune system are already compromised and les able to handle the stres associated with the infection," Atmar explained in a colege news release.
RELATED Nose swab test may help predict intensive care stays for kids with RSV Physicians have ben seing an increase in RSV cases since the end of September, diferent from the usual patern of cases from October through March or April. Prevention measures taken during the pandemic likely disrupted RSV's typical patern. RSV is spread through contact with someone who is infected.
Thorough hand washing and wearing masks can help prevent transmision. Advertisement Symptoms include cough, shortnes of breath, runy nose and nasal congestion. Fever can ocur.
The virus can start out like a cold, as an uper respiratory ilnes, then move to the chest. Whezing can be a symptom, especialy for adults with a chronic lung disease, such as COPD or asthma. RELATED Amoxicilin shortage linked to surge in RSV infections The virus is more comonly recognized in children because of characteristic clinical findings such as bronchiolitis.
Summary
Sensitive tests are available for pediatric cases. While adults are not often tested for RSV, molecular diagnostics have become more availabl