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Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) - Symptom

Alternative Names

RSV; Palivizumab; Respiratory syncytial virus immune globulin

Symptoms:

Symptoms vary and differ with age. They usually appear 4 - 6 days after coming in contact with the virus.

Older children usually have only mild, cold-like symptoms, such as cough, stuffy nose, or low-grade fever.

Infants under age 1 may have more severe symptoms and often have the most trouble breathing.

In general, RSV symptoms include:

Bluish skin color due to a lack of oxygen (cyanosis)
Breathing difficulty or labored breathing
Cough
Croupy cough (often described as a "seal bark" cough)
Fever
Nasal flaring
Rapid breathing (tachypnea)
Shortness of breath
Stuffy nose
Wheezing

Signs and tests:

Many hospitals and clinics can rapidly test for RSV using a sample of fluid taken from the nose with a cotton swab.

Bronchiolitis

Reviewed last on: 1/24/2011
Neil K. Kaneshiro, MD, MHA, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Committee on Infectious Diseases. Modified recommendations for use of palivizumab for prevention of respiratory syncytial virus infections. Pediatrics. 2009;124:1694-1701.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus. In: Mandell GL, Bennett JE, Dolin R, eds. Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 7th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone; 2009:chap158.

Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. Evidence based clinical practice guideline for medical management of bronchiolitis in infants less than 1 year of age presenting with a first time episode. Cincinnati (OH): Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center; 2006 May. 13 p.

Mcintosh K. Respiratory syncytial virus. In: Kliegman RM, Behrman RE, Jenson HB, Stanton BF. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier;2007:chap 257.

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