Respiratory syncytial virus: what is it?
The respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a highly contagious seasonal virus, responsible for around 3 million hospital admissions and 120,000 deaths each year among children under the age of 5, is transmitted through coughing and sneezing or through contact with contaminated secretions on surfaces, and causes bronchiolitis and acute lung infection in very young, elderly and immunosuppressed subjects.
Respiratory syncytial virus: symptoms
L’infezione virale causata da RSV coinvolge il tratto respiratorio inferiore e può presentarsi con segni di distress respiratorio da lieve a moderato a grave.
I pazienti affetti da bronchiolite da RSV manifestano tipicamente sintomi del tratto respiratorio superiore per un periodo che oscilla dai due ai quattro giorni, tra cui
- fever,
- rhinorrhoea,
- congestion,
- sore throat.
Upper respiratory tract symptoms are followed by lower respiratory tract manifestations, such as:
- increased coughing,
- wheezing,
- increased respiratory effort.
RSV: children
RSV is the most common cause of lower respiratory tract infection in infants and young children, causing a clinical condition identified as bronchiolitis. Patients with RSV bronchiolitis usually experience fever, rhinorrhea, and congestion, followed by lower respiratory tract symptoms such as increased coughing, respiratory effort, and wheezing.
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV): mode of transmission
RSV is transmitted through contact with respiratory droplets directly from an infected person or through self-ingestion through contaminated secretions on surfaces.
How long can the respiratory syncytial virus last?
The duration of RSV infection is variable, usually with symptoms persisting for between 7 and 15 days. However, it is important to note that coughs originating from RSV may persist beyond the first two weeks after the onset of symptoms, contributing to prolonged symptoms.
RSV: diagnosis and tests
Haematological examinations useful for investigating RSV infection include:
- antigen detection
- detection of IgA and IgG antibodies
The most accurate and timely diagnosis involves performing a nasopharyngeal swab to detect, using molecular techniques, the presence of RSV nucleic acid, even before the antibody response.
Dr Angela Marano
Specialist in Pathology and Clinical Biochemistry
