CDC Warns Parents with Babies and Small Children as RSV Starts Spreading Across the South

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned the public on Thursday, June 10, that a common cold virus known as a respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is spreading across the South. The sudden spike of cases has=ve caused an unusual wave of late spring disease in the country.

The CDC has already issued a Health Advisory Network warning to doctors and allied health care providers to be on alert for RSV. This virus could cause pneumonia, particularly in babies and very small children.

Spike on RSV Infections in the South

Last year, cases of RSV had decreased, likely due to the adoption of health protocols that help reduce the spread of COVID-19. However, the CDC found an increase in RSV activity since March, as reported by the National Respiratory and Enteric Virus Surveillance System.

"Due to this increased activity, CDC encourages broader testing for RSV among patients presenting with acute respiratory illness who test negative for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19," CDC wrote in its advisory. "This health advisory also serves as a reminder to healthcare personnel, childcare providers, and staff of long-term care facilities to avoid reporting to work while acutely ill - even if they test negative for SARS-CoV-2."

They noted that there is an increase in positive laboratory detections for antigen and PCR testing in the southern parts of the country, Fox 6 News reported.

These places include Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas.

RSV is one of the viruses that are commonly detected during the fall and winter seasons, but cases of RSV have plummeted during the pandemic.

The CDC said that the reduced circulation of RSV in the winter months between 2020 and 2021 might have made older infants and toddlers more vulnerable to RSV-associated illness.

AAP News reported that RSV patients this year were younger and had more severe illnesses compared to the 2019-2020 season. This year's median age was 6 months, while last season's median age was 17 months.

According to the paper "Delayed Seasonal RSV Surge Observed During the COVID-19 Pandemic," about two-thirds of the patients were hospitalized, and 81% of them were in a pediatric ICU, while only 45% admitted patients last season were treated in the ICU.

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What is Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)?

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is a common cold virus that causes mild, cold-like symptoms. While most infected patients could recover in a week or two, some cases could also be serious, especially in children and adults, according to the CDC.

It is the most common cause of bronchitis or inflammation of the small airways and pneumonia in children 1-year-old and below in the United States.

Symptoms could include a runny nose, a decrease in appetite, coughing, sneezing, fever, and wheezing. It is spread like most other respiratory diseases through small droplets on contaminated surfaces.

RSV could go away on its own in about one to two weeks. As of now, there is no treatment yet for RSV infection, although scientists are working on developing vaccines and antivirals to fight the virus.