Respiratory syncytial virus (or RSV) is a respiratory virus that mainly affects little kids- and circulates around this time of year. There’s no vaccine- but clinicians can give a preventive antibody treatment to folks at greatest risk (e.g. premature infants). It spreads mostly in the winter (like influenza) but flu and RSV don’t usually peak at the same time. Influenza activity in AZ is still pretty light- but we’ve received several laboratory reports of RSV over the past several weeks with an increase in case reports last week.
Once RSV infections begin to increase cases usually rapidly rise and stay fairly high for a few several months. Our recent data and experience makes us think it will start circulating more widely in Arizona in the next few weeks. Doctors who administer RSV antibody to high-risk infants might want to start incorporate this info into their treatment plans- and it’s time for hospitals to start thinking about implementing their RSV prevention plans. Our flu and RSV website has a host of useful information about flu and RSV including periodic reports.
My son is 5 months, was diagnosed with RSV a week ago (though hes had the symptoms for over two weeks) and he has been on a nebulizer with steroids. His congestion is loose compared to before, but it is louder. He seems to be sneezing up mucous now though. I was just wondering if RSV gets loose so he can get it out of his lungs? Is this close to the end of it?