6 facts you didn’t know about respiratory syncytial virus – Health and Medicine

2024-02-02 00:35:17

Older people, adults with chronic illnesses, and those with a weakened immune system are at greater risk of becoming infected with respiratory syncytial virus and developing other serious illnesses.

RSV infection can cause symptoms similar to a cold.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is an important cause of respiratory tract infections in adults, especially older people and those with chronic diseases. RSV is very contagious and spreads very easily. Therefore, knowing more about RSV in adults is crucial to be able to identify those who have a high risk of infection and to be able to implement effective preventive measures such as vaccination.

RSV infection can cause cold-like symptoms

The most common symptoms of RSV infection include cough, runny nose, sore throat, headache, nasal congestion, loss of appetite, and fever. These symptoms often resemble those of other respiratory infections caused by other viruses, so a diagnostic test is necessary to confirm this.

While RSV infections can be self-limiting and resolve without complications, they can also progress to more serious respiratory illnesses, including pneumonia, which may require hospitalization.

There are groups of people who are at greater risk of having a severe RSV infection.

These groups of people are:

• Older people, especially if they are 65 years old or older.
• People over 60 years of age with chronic diseases such as: lung disease, heart disease, diabetes, neurological diseases, kidney diseases and liver disease.
• People who live in nursing homes or long-term care facilities.
• Adults with a weakened immune system.

Autumn and winter are the periods with a higher incidence of RSV infections

RSV infections typically begin in the fall months and peak during the winter months. Transmission of RSV occurs from person to person through the air when someone coughs or sneezes or by direct contact through the nose, mouth or eyes after a person touches a surface infected with RSV.

Infected people can transmit the virus up to two days before noticing symptoms and can be contagious three to eight days after developing symptoms of infection.

A large percentage of hospitalizations associated with RSV occur in people over 65 years of age.

A study published in November 2023 estimated the number of hospital admissions associated with RSV in 28 countries in the European Union (EU). Each year there are 158,229 hospitalizations associated with RSV infection in adults in Europe. 92% of these hospitalizations are in people over 65 years of age.

With simple prevention measures you can limit the spread of RSV

It is important to wash your hands with soap and water, cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, avoid touching your face with dirty hands, avoid contact with people who are sick, clean surfaces frequently, and stay home when you are sick. be sick to avoid infecting other people.

Quitting smoking is also very important, because it is a known risk factor for respiratory infections.

Two vaccines against RSV have been approved in 2023

In 2023, two RSV vaccines were approved for people over 60 years of age: Arexvy, manufactured by GSK, and Abrysvo, manufactured by Pfizer. Clinical trials with both vaccines have demonstrated their effectiveness and safety. A single dose of the Arexvy or Abrysvo vaccines can significantly reduce the risk of severe RSV disease in people over 60 years of age.

The way these vaccines work consists of introducing an inactivated protein of the virus. It fuses with cells and stimulates the immune system to recognize the RSV virus when in contact with it and helps prevent serious illness.

In summary, it must be taken into account that infections caused by RSV in adults represent an important public health problem and have a relevant impact on the morbidity and mortality of the population. Rev. Ana Mera, pharmacist. Barcelona