COVID-19 State-by-State Q1 2021 Archive
Early Cases Of RSV Worry Mid-South Doctors Of Severe Respiratory Virus Season
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Cases of Respiratory Syncytial Virus, better known as RSV, are already starting to circulate across the Mid-South.
Doctors say this could be a sign of a severe and early respiratory virus season.
The virus caused significant problems last year, straining children's hospitals across the nation.
"It was hard seeing him in the hospital, but it also showed how fast it can happen," David Henson, whose son was recently diagnosed with RSV, said.
What started out as the sniffles and congestion turned into something much more serious for Henson's 17-month-old son Chandler.
"He was up most of the night coughing, and we kind of we could see from his breathing that he was having to work a little bit harder," Henson said.
Chandler's pediatrician confirmed the boy had RSV. Because his oxygen levels were low, Henson took his son to Le Bonheur Children's Hospital.
"He immediately started getting steroids and breathing treatments in the hospital," Henson said.
Because a baby's airways are so small, RSV can especially be dangerous in infants and in young children like Chandler.
Though the virus is more common during winter months, Dr. Nick Hysmith, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Le Bonheur, said they have already started to see some cases at this hospital.
"We'll usually see cases start to go up in Florida and in Georgia first. And that started happening last week and then early this week," Dr. Hysmith said. "So, we've been expecting to start seeing cases and we have started seeing cases."
Dr. Hysmith said RSV typically starts with cold symptoms and a persistent fever. Sometimes, it can lead to breathing difficulty and cause respiratory complications like pneumonia.
"If you start to see kids struggling to breathe, if they are really pulling or you can see every time, they take a breath because their skin around their chest goes in when they take a breath, that is concerning," he said.
Now out of the hospital, baby Chandler is doing much better. Henson wants other parents to be aware of the signs.
"If seems to kind of progressively get worse or they don't seem to be getting better, I think visit their pediatrician and get it checked out just to make sure that everything's OK," he said.
This summer the FDA approved RSV vaccines for the first time and a new monoclonal antibody designed to protect young children from complications of the virus.
The drug is approved for use in infants 8 months and younger who are going into their first RSV season and in toddles 8 to 19 months at higher risk of severe complications.
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Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) In Children: Signs And Symptoms
Respiratory tract infections (RTIs) occur when you develop an infection in areas of the body responsible for breathing. RTIs can develop in the nose, throat, airways, or lungs.
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common cause of RTIs in the United States. It affects approximately 5% of adults annually and is responsible for as many as 80,000 hospitalizations in children under 1 year of age.
If left untreated, severe RSV can be fatal. According to the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID), RSV causes an estimated 100–300 deaths in children under the age of 5 years annually.
RSV symptoms affect everyone differently — including children. Around 90% of children contract the virus by the age of 2, according to research from 2022. However, many never experience severe symptoms.
Among children, infants are particularly vulnerable to developing severe RSV. Smaller airways make it easier for inflammation and mucus to cause obstructions. Babies' immune systems aren't usually as strong as those of older children for fighting RSV.
RSV can be challenging to spot in its early stage, even in infants. Symptoms may appear to be those of a mild cold.
Some, but not all, children may experience a fever with RSV infection.
For many children, symptoms remain mild and resolve in a few days. Signs that RSV is progressing and medical attention is needed include:
Dehydration can become a concern in RSV. Children may express they have a dry mouth or persistent thirst, for example, or they may become unable to produce tears. Discolored and decreased urine output can also be a warning sign.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), children at the highest risk for developing severe RSV include those:
RSV doesn't discriminate. It can affect any child of any race or ethnicity, but disparities do exist.
Research from 2023 indicates that Black and Hispanic children have an increased risk of infectious respiratory diseases, such as RSV. The researchers note that several factors, such as higher rates of poverty and chronic conditions, may contribute to this increased risk.
Socioeconomic risk factorsSocioeconomic factors can also influence a child's risk for RSV-related hospitalization.
Limited disease education, poverty, language barriers, and lack of access to culturally and clinically appropriate care can affect health outcomes for children and adults.
A 2021 study suggested that additional socioeconomic factors that might increase a child's RSV hospitalization risk include:
Young children aren't the only ones considered high risk for severe RSV infection. Other high risk groups include people who are:
RSV affects almost all children at some point, but there are ways you can reduce the risk of exposure and help protect children who may be at risk for severe RSV.
Simple steps that can prevent RSV include:
To help reduce the chances that RSV will become severe, infants and young children can receive a monoclonal antibody injection that gives the body a temporary immunity boost against RSV infection during peak season when the rate of RSV cases is high.
Monoclonal antibodies aren't vaccines. They're products that contain proteins that mimic the body's natural antibodies to fight off infections.
If you're concerned about RSV, talk with your doctor about the monoclonal antibody treatment.
RSV is a common cause of respiratory infections for both children and adults.
In children, symptoms may appear like the common cold. Coughing and congestion are typical, and fever is possible. RSV that becomes severe can cause major breathing challenges and dehydration and can be fatal if not treated.
Very young children, older adults, and those living with certain medical conditions are at a higher risk for severe RSV illness, but practical prevention steps and symptom awareness can help lower risk factors.
To learn more about RSV, you can visit the following resources:
Vital SignsFight RSV With Vaccine For Older Adults, Antibody Treatment For Children
As we enter the autumn months, we prepare for an increase in respiratory viruses. Many respiratory illnesses have taken a backseat to COVID-19 over the past several years, but as we return to pre-pandemic lifestyles and move indoors for cozy movie nights and family gatherings, we expect more viruses to circulate.
One of these, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), travels through the air after a cough or sneeze and lives on surfaces for several hours. RSV can lead to serious pneumonias and is a significant threat to young children and older adults alike.
RSV infection in infants and toddlers is nearly universal, and almost all children have experienced an RSV infection by the time they reach 2 years old. RSV causes lower respiratory function that may lead to pneumonia. Premature infants are at particular risk of an RSV infection that leads to an ICU stay, but being a full-term infant does not necessarily protect children. Each year, nearly 80% of infants hospitalized with RSV infection had no previous medical conditions. Children will typically have congestion, cough, runny eyes, runny nose, and wheezing. However, RSV is not limited to the very young.
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In adults older than age 60, RSV infection results in 6,000 to 10,000 deaths each year. Adults with pre-existing medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes, COPD, heart disease and immune system compromise are at the highest risk of complications. Symptoms of RSV in adults are similar to those in children, though adults may interpret them as a typical head cold or seasonal allergies. While many adults with RSV infection recover, those with risk factors may find themselves short of breath or experiencing difficulty thinking and processing information. If these symptoms appear, seek medical attention immediately.
Proper handwashing is one of the first lines of defense during cold and flu season. This year, however, we have new tools to prevent RSV infection. The FDA recently approved a new vaccine for adults older than 60. The one-dose vaccine is currently available through many local pharmacies, private providers and health departments and may be given safely at the same time as other vaccines, such as the flu vaccine. Though it can be difficult to pinpoint exactly when the RSV season will begin this winter, it is recommended that the vaccine be distributed now to provide protection to vulnerable people.
There is also a preventative treatment for children. Rather than a traditional vaccine, it is an antibody treatment that helps protect them during the RSV season. It helps boost their immune systems should they come into contact with RSV, but it does not grant long-lasting or life-long protection the way a vaccine often does. Typically, the protection lasts about five months, which is the duration of the RSV season.
The treatment is recommended as a one-time dose for children younger than 8 months who are experiencing their first RSV season. Children at higher risk for RSV complications due to health conditions may receive additional treatments on the advice of their primary care provider.
If you have welcomed a new little one into your family recently, are older than 60 or have underlying health conditions, speak with your healthcare provider about RSV prevention. With these tools in hand, we can spend less time focusing on illness, and more time making precious memories during our autumn months.
Hope Peritz is public health nurse for the Blue Ridge Health District and Immunization Action Plan coordinator.
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