Prevention & Treatment for this Common Virus

Respiratory synctial virus (RSV) affects most children by 2 years of age. While adults may also be infected, infants are most severely affected by this virus. RSV may be transmitted through coughing or sneezing, and enters the body through the eyes, nose, and mouth. Symptoms typically appear within 4 to 6 days after exposure to the virus. In adults and children older than 3 years, mild symptoms such as sore throat, dry cough, and low-grade fever may occur. In children younger than 3 years of age, more serious conditions such as pneumonia may result. Symptoms in this age group include high fever, severe cough, and bluish colored skin due to lack of oxygen.

Over-the-counter medications such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) may help to reduce fever; however, they do not cure the infection. Antibiotics will not work against RSV since it is not a bacterial infection, however antibiotics are used for treating bacterial complications associated with the virus, such as an ear infection or bacterial pneumonia. For severe cases, a nebulized bronchodilator such as albuterol (Proventil, Ventolin) may be used to alleviate wheezing by opening the lung air passages.  Palivizumab (Synagis) is the name of an injection used to prevent serious RSV infection in infants and young children at high risk.