Respiratory illness caused by RSV — such as bronchiolitis or pneumonia — usually lasts about a week, but some cases may last several weeks. Health care providers usually diagnose respiratory syncytial virus by taking a medical history and doing an exam. In most healthy kids, they don't need to distinguish RSV from a common cold. But if a child has other health conditions or more serious symptoms, they might want to make a specific RSV diagnosis.
In that case, the virus is identified by testing nasal fluids. The sample is collected either with a cotton swab or by suction through a bulb syringe.
Most cases of respiratory syncytial virus are mild and don't need medical treatment. Antibiotics aren't used because RSV is a virus — antibiotics work only against bacteria. RSV infection can be more serious in babies, though. Some might need treatment in a hospital. There, they can be watched closely and get fluids, if needed, and treatment for any breathing problems. Avoid hot-water and steam humidifiers, which can be hazardous and can scald skin.
If you use a cool-mist humidifier, clean it daily to prevent mold and bacteria growth. If your child is too young to blow their own nose, use saline saltwater nose spray or drops and a nasal aspirator or bulb syringe to remove sticky nasal fluids. Symptoms of RSV infection usually include: runny nose, decrease in appetite, coughing, sneezing, fever, and wheezing.
The symptoms usually appear in stages and not all at once. In very young infants, the only symptoms may be irritability, decreased activity, and breathing difficulties. People infected with RSV usually show symptoms within 4 to 6 days after getting infected.
Healthy adults infected with RSV may have few symptoms but can still spread virus to others. People infected with RSV are usually contagious for 3 to 8 days. However, some infants, and people with weakened immune systems, can continue to spread the virus even after they stop showing symptoms, for as long as 4 weeks. In addition, cleaning frequently touched surfaces such as doorknobs may help stop the spread of RSV. These symptoms usually appear in stages and not all at once.
In very young infants with RSV, the only symptoms may be irritability, decreased activity, and breathing difficulties. Call your healthcare professional if you or your child is having difficulty breathing, not drinking enough fluids, or experiencing worsening symptoms. There is no specific treatment for RSV infection, though researchers are working to develop vaccines and antivirals medicines that fight viruses.
RSV can also cause more severe infections such as bronchiolitis, an inflammation of the small airways in the lung, and pneumonia, an infection of the lungs. It is the most common cause of bronchiolitis and pneumonia in children younger than 1 year of age. Healthy adults and infants infected with RSV do not usually need to be hospitalized.
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