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Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) - Treatment

Alternative Names

RSV

Treatment:

Antibiotics do not help in the treatment of RSV. Mild infections go away without treatment. Infants and children with a severe RSV infection may be admitted to the hospital so they can receive oxygen, humidified air, and fluids by IV.

A breathing machine (ventilator) may be needed.

Expectations (prognosis):

RSV infection may rarely cause death in infants, but this is unlikely if the child is seen early in the course of the illness.

In older children and adults, the disease will usually be quite mild.

Some evidence suggests that children who have had RSV bronchiolitis have an increased risk for asthma.

Complications:

Ear infections
Lung failure
Pneumonia

Calling your health care provider:

Call your health care provider if breathing difficulties or other symptoms of this disorder appear. Any breathing difficulties in an infant should be regarded as an emergency and the appropriate help sought.

Bronchiolitis

Reviewed last on: 12/1/2008
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

Meissner HC, Long SS; American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Infectious Diseases and Committee on Fetus and Newborn. Revised indications for the use of palivizumab and respiratory syncytial virus immune globulin intravenous for the prevention of respiratory syncytial virus infections. Pediatrics. 2003 Dec;112(6 Pt 1):1447-52.

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.

Simoes EA, Groothuis JR, Carbonell-Estrany X, et al. Long-term respiratory outcomes study group. J Pediatr. 2007 Jul;151(1):34-42, 42.e1.

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