RSV: What is the infection ‘overwhelming’ hospitals with sick children?

The respiratory infection is common in children, but the recent surge in US hospitals is anything but normal

An electron micrograph of respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV (CDC via AP)

US hospitals have reported being "overwhelmed" with child patients suffering from respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV.

Though most children catch RSV at some point before they turn 12, the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention reports that the majority of cases are mild and resemble the common cold.

However, a new surge of the virus has physicians concerned.

On Thursday, Michigan reported its first known fatality from the virus since the surge began, with the death of a six-year-old boy from Macomb County.

Here’s key information to know about the virus:

What is RSV?

RSV is a respiratory infection that generally affects children, often — but not always — under the age of 12. Adults can also become infected with RSV.

According to the CDC, symptoms include runny nose, decrease in appetite, coughing, sneezing, fever, and wheezing. Often the symptoms occur in stages rather than all at once.

The CDC reports that "almost all children will have had an RSV infection by their second birthday."

An RSV infection can cause more serious health problems, including bronchiolitis and pneumonia.

Generally the infection does not require hospitalisation, but infants, older adults, and the immunocompromised are more susceptible to its worst symptoms and may require further care.

RSV can spread through droplets in the air from coughs or sneezes and can be passed by touching a surface contaminated by the virus, like a doorknob. Direct contact with an infected individual can also spread the virus.

Why is RSV surging?

Doctors who spoke with CNN said they have seen an "unprecedented" increase in pediatric RSV cases leaving them "overwhelmed" in hospitals. The CDC noted that there was an increase in cases in several parts of the country.

Three quarters of pediatric hospital beds nationwide are currently in use, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services. The agency does not specify the exact cause of the individual hospitalisations, so it is unclear how many are the result of RSV infections.

CNN reports that the Connecticut Children’s Hospital has seen such a significant increase in cases that it has coordinated with the governor and public health commissioner to weigh whether or not it needs to activate the National Guard to help expand its capacity to care for the infected children.

Experts speaking with the outlet said they believe cases may be spiking as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. They argue that, because Covid-19 resulted in a year-long shut down that kept people largely inside, RSV did not spread like it normally would.

Now that students have returned to in-class schooling, children who would have caught it while they were younger are now being exposed and infected.

Prevention and Vaccine

According to the CDC, the best way to prevent infection is for parents to teach their children to cough and sneeze into tissues or their elbows rther than their hands. The agency also recommends regularly cleaning surfaces that a child is likely to touch.

Dr Mallory Davis, an infection preventionist at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan, told CNN that maintaining clean hands was paramount to preventing the spread of the virus.

"Hand hygiene is the single most important thing that we can do to keep ourselves and others safe," she said.

There is currently no vaccine for the virus, as most past cases cleared up in days or weeks and did not require hospitalisation.

Pfizer is currently working on a vaccine for the virus and hopes to seek FDA approval for the immunisation later this year.