To provide staff with information relating to the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)

Staff will utilise the information to appropriately manage patients with RSV to prevent transmission and spread of the virus within the health care setting.

What is RSV?

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection is the most common cause of bronchiolitis and pneumonia among infants under 1 year of age.

Bronchiolitis is inflammation of small air passages in the lungs and pneumonia is inflammation of the lung tissue itself. Almost all children will get RSV infection at least once by 2 years of age.

RSV infection may cause respiratory disease at any age and infections may be severe among the elderly and people of any age with heart, lung or immune system problems.

Infections may recur throughout life. Infections are most common during winter and early spring.

How Respiratory syncytial virus infection is spread

RSV is spread when an infected person talks, coughs or sneezes small droplets containing infectious agents into the air. The droplets in the air may be breathed in by those nearby. Infection may be spread by contact with hands, tissues and other articles soiled by infected nose and throat discharges.

The virus survives only for a few hours outside of the body and is easily killed by soap and water or disinfectants.

RSV is a significant respiratory tract pathogen in young children with clinical features ranging from low-grade fever with coughing and wheezing, to profound respiratory distress. In adults RSV can mimic a severe common cold. The elderly, immunocompromised, and those with chronic heart or respiratory disease are also at risk.

Signs and Symptoms (children less than one year)

The first symptoms are usually:

• fever

• runny nose

• cough

• wheezing

• bronchiolitis

• rhinorrhoea, cough and wheeze

• lethargy

• poor feeding

• apnoea

Signs and Symptoms (older children/adults)

• upper respiratory tract infections

• rhinorrhoea and pharyngitis

• cough lasting 7-10 days

• otitis media, croup and pneumonia (less common)

Incubation Period

The average incubation period is 5 days, with a range of 2 to 8 days.
The infectious period is uncertain, but a person is probably infectious before symptoms develop until recovery from the infection. Most people recover from the infection within about 10 days.

Laboratory Diagnosis

Nasopharyngeal aspirate or nasopharyngeal swab for direct immunofluorescence and viral culture or PCR.

Prevention of Transmission

There is no vaccine against RSV.

• Isolation from other at-risk individuals (preferably single room with its own ensuite)

• Droplet /Contact precautions until asymptomatic or day 10 from onset of symptoms

• Respiratory etiquette should be adopted where possible

Victorian Statutory Requirement

• There is NO reporting requirement for this infection

How is it treated?

There is usually no need for treatment other than paracetamol for fever and maintaining adequate fluid intake. Aspirin should not be given to children under 12 years of age unless specifically recommended by a doctor. 

Very ill children and elderly people may require admission to hospital (less than 3% of children with RSV require this) and treatment is supportive. Because RSV is a virus, antibiotics do not help. There are no safe and effective antiviral drugs for routine use for RSV.