DECRYPTION – Frequent in infants, this respiratory infection of viral origin saw its season start earlier this year.
All children encounter syncytial virus during their first or second winter. But this year, the bronchiolitis epidemic started in September, as soon as their older brothers and sisters returned to school, spending the day in class, without masks… In most cases, RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) is not responsible than one of the first colds of infants; but in 30% of them, the infection descends into the lungs and causes bronchiolitis, which is very uncomfortable for toddlers. “In newborns, especially before 2 months, the bronchioles are really small and when a virus causes inflammation there, the secretions are very difficult to evacuate”, explains the Pr Jacques Brouard, pediatrician at Caen University Hospital. After 2 months, the airways widen, muscles strengthen and immunity improves.
The syncytial virus is not the only cause of bronchiolitis, but it is involved in 60 to 80% of them and in the very large…
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