Respiratory Syncytial Virus
What is respiratory syncytial virus?
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of lower respiratory tract disease in young children is a virus of the paramyxovirus family and was first discovered in 1965.
What regions of the world affected by this infection?
The distribution of the virus is universal and has been detected in geographic regions with different climates. In all communities is reflected in a rise in the number of cases of bronchiolitis (inflammation of the bronchioles, ie, terminal areas and smaller caliber of the bronchi) and pneumonia in childhood and a parallel increase in the number of hospital admissions of children with acute lower respiratory tract.What time of year are more frequent infections respiratory syncytial virus?
Primary infection occurs, as indicated in very young children. Outbreaks of infection occur annually, usually in winter or spring, with a pattern that can be predicted in most cases.
Interestingly when the respiratory syncytial virus appears in a community does as “sole actor”, ie rarely other viral respiratory agents produce simultaneous infection with this virus.