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Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Infection

Sahil Mullick, FAAFP, MD and Sudeshna Dutta, MD Reviewed 04/2024
 


BASICS

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a medium-sized, membrane-bound RNA virus that causes acute respiratory tract illness in patients of all ages. 

DESCRIPTION

  • In adults, RSV typically causes upp...

DIAGNOSIS

HISTORY

  • History of prematurity, secondhand tobacco smoke exposure, daycare, number and age of siblings

  • Immunization history

  • Family history of respiratory disease

  • Children: nasal congestion, coug...

TREATMENT

GENERAL MEASURES

  • Treatment for patients with RSV is supportive.

  • Nasal suction and lubrication. Antipyretics for fever. Treat dehydration (oral or intravenous/nasogastric)—particularly in infan...

ONGOING CARE

  • Ad26.RSV.preF demonstrated protection from RSV infection through immunization in a human challenge model, and therefore could potentially protect against natural RSV infection and disease...

REFERENCES

1
Ralston SL, Lieberthal AS, Meissner HC, et al. Clinical practice guideline: the diagnosis, management, and prevention of bronchiolitis [published correction appears in Pediatrics. 2015;136...

ADDITIONAL READING

SEE ALSO

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. RSV. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/rsv/clinical/index.html.

  • Munro APS, Martinon-Torr...

CODES

ICD10

  • B97.4 Respiratory syncytial virus causing diseases classd elswhr

  • J06.9 Acute upper respiratory infection, unspecified

  • J21.0 Acute bronchiolitis due to respiratory syncytial virus

  • J12.1 Respira...

CLINICAL PEARLS

  • RSV causes 50–90% of pediatric bronchiolitis.

  • Hand sanitation (alcohol-based rubs are preferred) is the key to RSV prevention.

  • The diagnosis of RSV is typically clinical. Routine laborat...

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