Respiratory giant cell virus causes mass illness in young children in Hungary

The institution quoted the expert in a statement to MTI on Wednesday as saying RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) is a long-known, highly virulent pathogen spreading by droplet infection but has not caused as much of an epidemic as it has been for decades.

He added that the disease poses a high risk mainly to premature babies and newborns, as well as babies, who are more likely to develop severe inflammation of the small airways (bronchiolitis) or even pneumonia, which prevents oxygen uptake.

The season for RSV infection is in the late fall, even more so in the winter months, but this year they see a change as well, as the university’s pediatric clinic No. I had high patient traffic from the beginning of October, RSV said.

Attila Szabó pointed out that the latent period, which lasts for an average of 4-5 days until the onset of the first symptoms, favors the rapid spread of the pathogen. A person who has already become infected can still pass the pathogen on to those around him.

The disease does not usually cause serious problems in pre-school and school age, in older children or adults, it is usually in the form of runny nose, fever, loss of appetite (common cold), so they pose a high risk primarily for the spread of the virus. that there is currently no therapy or drug for infection with the virus, so special emphasis should be placed on prevention. The means of doing this have become commonplace during the coronavirus epidemic: frequent hand washing, mask use, surface disinfection, and social separation. RSV remains infectious on solid surfaces, such as door handles and telephones, for approximately 7-8 hours.

Attila Szabó emphasized that with upper respiratory symptoms, a doctor should be consulted immediately if we experience rapid breathing, wheezing, and an unquenchable cough in seizures in young children. In the case of preterm or newborns, “feeding difficulty” can also be an important warning sign of the risk of dehydration.

“This year, unlike previous decades, there were cases requiring hospital treatment until the age of six,” he noted.

There is no traditional vaccine to prevent RSV infection, but children in the highest risk group (under 2 years of age) are entitled to so-called passive immunization, which involves injecting the antibody into a muscle, but this only provides short-term protection, he said. a rapid test is available to identify the infection, and a childhood PCR test known during a coronavirus epidemic may provide reliable results. The positive test in this case does not involve any quarantine obligation or automatic hospital admission – said Attila Szabó.

Cover image: Marijan Murat / picture alliance via Getty Images

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