children s health issues
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Infection and Human Metapneumovirus Infection
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
RSV is a very common cause of respiratory tract infection, particularly in children. Nearly all children have been infected by age 4 years, many in the first year of life. Infection does not provide complete immunity, so reinfection is common, although usually less serious. Outbreaks typically occur in winter and early spring. RSV is the most common cause of Overview of Viral Respiratory Tract Infections in Children in young infants and is responsible for more than 50,000 hospitalizations every year in the United States in children under the age of 5 years. The first infection often progresses from an Overview of Viral Respiratory Tract Infections in Children with congestion and fever to involve the lower respiratory tract, most commonly causing Children with serious underlying disorders (such as congenital heart disease, asthma, cystic fibrosis, neuromuscular disorders, or a weakened immune system) or who were born prematurely and infants under 6 months of age are at particular risk of developing serious illness. Older children and adults also can be infected with RSV, and older adults may develop pneumonia. 