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Respiratory Syncytial Virus News
Related terms: Bronchiolitis, RSV
Common Viruses a Deadly Threat at Nursing Homes
Posted 13 Jan 2017 by Drugs.com
FRIDAY, Jan. 13, 2017 – Common viruses pose a serious threat in nursing homes, often sabotaging standard infection control measures, a new case study suggests. "Long-term care facilities have unique challenges. Infection-control policies from acute care hospitals cannot simply be mirrored in this setting and expected to work," said study lead author Dr. Schaefer Spires. His report details a 16-day outbreak of two viruses – respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and human metapneumovirus (HMPV) – that swept through a long-term dementia ward in Tennessee. Nearly three-quarters of the patients became sick and five died. "RSV and HMPV are viruses that need to be taken as seriously as we take the flu, especially in older adults," said Spires, an assistant professor of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville. RSV causes infections of the lungs and ... Read more
Related support groups: Infections, Cough, Dementia, Alzheimer's Disease, Cold Symptoms, Upper Respiratory Tract Infection, Sore Throat, Cough and Nasal Congestion, Mild Cognitive Impairment, Viral Infection, Respiratory Tract Disease, Respiratory Syncytial Virus
How to Spot a Common, Potentially Dangerous, Childhood Illness
Posted 12 Jan 2017 by Drugs.com
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 11, 2017 – Nearly all children get respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) by age 2. But just because the infection is common doesn't mean it should be taken lightly, one nursing specialist warns. Symptoms of this lung and respiratory infection – coughing, sneezing and a runny nose – are often mistaken for a cold, according to Alison Pittman, clinical assistant professor at Texas A&M College of Nursing. "Most healthy children will experience cold-like symptoms, but it can easily spread to babies with pre-existing conditions," and put them at risk for serious health problems, she said in a college news release. Those at greatest risk for a severe infection include premature babies, children born with heart or lung problems, and people of any age who have weakened immune systems. Most babies with RSV develop a cough, runny nose and other cold-like symptoms for one to two ... Read more
Related support groups: Influenza, Cold Symptoms, Dyspnea, Sore Throat, Respiratory Tract Disease, Croup, Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Vaccination and Prophlaxis
Health Tip: Considering a Humidifier?
Posted 21 Jan 2016 by Drugs.com
-- Dry, cold winter air may lead you to consider running a humidifier. But if you have allergies, the device may not be the best choice. The American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology offers this advice: Running a humidifier may promote mold and dust growth. Dust mites, a common cause of allergies, thrive in humid environments. Maintain a humidity level of between 30 percent and 40 percent to reduce dust mites. Regularly change and clean the filter in your humidifier to prevent mold growth. Also regularly clean the humidifier itself. Use demineralized or distilled water in your humidifier, which will help lessen bacteria and dust. Read more
Related support groups: Allergic Reactions, Allergies, Influenza, Cold Symptoms, Sore Throat, Croup, Respiratory Syncytial Virus
Health Tip: Help Prevent RSV
Posted 17 Jan 2016 by Drugs.com
-- Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a contagious virus. Potentially serious among infants and older adults, it usually mimics symptoms of the common cold. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers these preventive tips: Using warm water and soap, wash your hands frequently throughout the day. Wash for at least 20 seconds. Do not touch your mouth, nose, eyes or face with hands that have not just been washed. Do not share eating utensils or cups with someone who is sick. Avoid kissing or other close contact. When you cough or sneeze, use a tissue to cover your mouth or nose. Throw tissue away after use. If you are sick, stay home. Disinfect frequently touched items, such as doorknobs and toys. Read more
Related support groups: Respiratory Syncytial Virus
Potential Treatment for a Serious Respiratory Infection in Kids
Posted 19 Nov 2015 by Drugs.com
THURSDAY, Nov. 19, 2015 – An experimental drug shows promise as a treatment for a common and potentially serious illness known as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Currently, there is no treatment or vaccine for RSV, which can be deadly for infants and the elderly. Kids are nine times more likely to die from this virus than from flu, the investigative team pointed out. The drug, dubbed ALS-008176 for now, was tested in a group of adults infected with RSV. It reduced the amount of virus and improved their symptoms, the researchers said. "These results highlight the drug's potential as a safe and effective therapy for managing clinical disease," said Dr. Matthew McClure, of San Francisco-based Alios BioPharma, Inc., the drug's maker. Whether it will have the same effect in vulnerable children or seniors remains to be seen, however. RSV causes wintertime epidemics of respiratory illness ... Read more
Related support groups: Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Diagnosis and Investigation
Vaccine for Deadly Respiratory Virus Shows Promise in Early Trial
Posted 4 Nov 2015 by Drugs.com
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 4, 2015 – Another research team is reporting progress toward developing a vaccine to prevent respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a common lung infection that can cause deadly complications in infants and the elderly. Scientists think a proven vaccine could still be years away. But the new findings add to a growing list of recent advances toward routine immunizations against the disease. "It's impressive," said vaccine researcher Mark Peeples, a professor of pediatrics at Ohio State University College of Medicine, who was not involved in the study. "I'm not sure it's going to be the best possible vaccine, but it shows a good response." RSV causes wintertime epidemics of respiratory illness in U.S. children. According to Peeples, virtually everyone is infected by the age of 2 and is re-infected repeatedly throughout life. In 2 percent to 5 percent of cases, however, ... Read more
Related support groups: Diagnosis and Investigation, Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Vaccination and Prophlaxis
Parents' Clothing Can Infect Newborns in Intensive Care
Posted 25 Aug 2015 by Drugs.com
TUESDAY, Aug. 25, 2015 – The clothing of parents and visitors may spread dangerous respiratory infections to infants in an neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), a Australian study suggests. Four percent of swabs taken from the personal clothing of caregivers and visitors in the NICU at Royal Hospital for Women in Sydney had detectable respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), researchers found. RSV is the leading cause of respiratory-related hospitalizations among premature babies, the researchers said. The investigators also found RSV on 9 percent of high-touch areas in the NICU, including nurses' computers, chairs next to infants' beds and bed rails. RSV was not detected on the hands of doctors, nurses or visitors in the NICU. "Though the detection rate is low, personal clothing of caregivers/visitors do get contaminated with RSV," study author Nusrat Homaira, of the University of New South ... Read more
Related support groups: Infections, Cold Symptoms, Upper Respiratory Tract Infection, Respiratory Syncytial Virus
Vaccine Combo Shows Promise Against Common, Dangerous Infection
Posted 12 Aug 2015 by Drugs.com
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 12, 2015 – Researchers report they are closer to finding a vaccine for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a common illness that few recognize by name but one that's a major cause of lower respiratory infection in babies and the elderly. Two new studies of the same vaccine combination, one involving people, don't prove that it will work in humans. Still, "they certainly do offer hope for the development of vaccines," said Dr. Peter Openshaw, a senior investigator at the National Institute for Health Research in London, England. Openshaw was not involved in the study, but is working on potential vaccines for the disease. RSV is the most common cause of severe respiratory illness in infants, experts say. "Nearly all children are infected with the virus by 2 years of age," said Geraldine Taylor, a researcher with The Jenner Institute Laboratories in Oxford, England, and ... Read more
Related support groups: Diagnosis and Investigation, Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Vaccination and Prophlaxis
Viruses Increasingly Behind Child Pneumonia Cases
Posted 26 Feb 2015 by Drugs.com
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 25, 2015 – Young children are at increased risk of becoming seriously ill with pneumonia – but unlike in years past, the cause is usually a respiratory virus, a large U.S. study finds. The researchers found that 66 percent of pneumonia cases in the more than 2,000 children in the study were caused by viruses alone. Just 8 percent had solely bacterial causes, and 7 percent were known to be caused by both bacteria and viruses. And, those infections can end up being serious, the study authors said. "Pneumonia is one of the most common causes of hospitalizations among children," said the study's lead author, Dr. Seema Jain, a researcher at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Pneumonia is a general term for an infection of the lungs, and it can be caused by a range of viruses, bacteria or even fungi. The disease is often thought of as a problem ... Read more
Related support groups: Pneumonia, Viral Infection, Respiratory Syncytial Virus
New Drug May Fight Serious Respiratory Virus in Infants
Posted 21 Aug 2014 by Drugs.com
THURSDAY, Aug. 21, 2014 – An experimental drug shows promise in treating respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a leading cause of pneumonia in infants, researchers report. "We are finally making major progress in being able to treat human RSV infections – the world's second leading cause of serious viral pneumonia, second only to influenza virus," said study author Dr. John DeVincenzo, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Tennessee College of Medicine in Memphis. "There is no current treatment or vaccine for RSV pneumonia, and so patients were previously forced to get over the virus by themselves," he said. RSV is the leading cause of hospitalization among infants in the United States, the researchers noted. In this small study of 140 adults, the drug, dubbed GS-5806, reduced the amount of the virus in the systems of those who received the medication. "For the first time, we ... Read more
Related support groups: Respiratory Syncytial Virus
Reducing Respiratory Virus in Preemies Lessens Wheezing: Study
Posted 8 May 2013 by Drugs.com
WEDNESDAY, May 8 – Many pre-term babies suffer recurrent episodes of wheezing. Now, researchers say a common infection is a likely culprit and they may be able to prevent the breathing problems. Wheezing episodes in late pre-term babies often are caused by infection with the respiratory synctial virus (RSV), the researchers said. And they've found that injections of an expensive RSV medication can prevent the virus – and the wheezing. A study of more than 400 babies born late pre-term (between 33 and 35 weeks' gestation) found that days with wheezing dropped by more than 60 percent among those who received injections of palivizumab during RSV season. The effect lasted even after treatment ended. "In pre-term babies, RSV illnesses seem to be a risk factor for wheezing, and this treatment reduced that risk," said Dr. Robert Lemanske Jr., a professor of pediatrics and medicine at the ... Read more
Related support groups: Respiratory Syncytial Virus
Common Respiratory Virus Affecting Many Young Children
Posted 22 Mar 2012 by Drugs.com
THURSDAY, March 22 – Many pediatric hospital admissions involve a common virus that infects the lungs and airways and can lead to serious illness in young children and people with weakened immune systems, an expert says. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a leading cause of bronchiolitis – an inflammation of the small airways in the lungs – in infants younger than a year old, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "This is an extremely contagious virus, so it can easily be spread from one child to another in a school or home setting. We continue to see a large amount of kids being admitted to the hospital this year due to RSV. Though it often peaks in winter, the virus may continue to affect communities through early spring," Dr. Rahul Bhatia, a pediatric intensive care unit physician at Loyola University Health System, said in a Loyola news release. ... Read more
Related support groups: Respiratory Syncytial Virus
Vitamin D May Prevent Serious Respiratory Disease in Newborns
Posted 10 May 2011 by Drugs.com
TUESDAY, May 10 – Vitamin D supplements for pregnant women may help prevent a respiratory disease called RSV that can lead to pneumonia and other potentially life-threatening illnesses in newborns, Dutch researchers report. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the most common cause of pneumonia and inflammation of the lower airways (bronchiolitis) in infants in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While most children recover, many are hospitalized and develop respiratory problems that persist well into childhood. "We have no treatment for RSV. The only thing we can do is try to prevent the disease," said lead researcher Dr. Louis Bont, from the department of pediatric infectious diseases at Wilhelmina Children's Hospital and University Medical Center in Utrecht. One way to prevent RSV is for pregnant women to take supplemental vitamin D, ... Read more
Related support groups: Vitamin D, Vitamin D3, Cholecalciferol, Ergocalciferol, Drisdol, Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Calciferol, Delta D3, D3-5, D400, D 1000 IU, D3-50, Calcidol
Respiratory Infections Major Cause of Childhood Deaths
Posted 17 Apr 2010 by Drugs.com
FRIDAY, April 16 – As many as 200,000 children under age 5 die worldwide each year because of acute lower-respiratory tract infections caused by the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a new study finds. The researchers called for new prevention and treatment strategies to reduce this major cause of death in young children. The Scottish team analyzed available data and concluded that in 2005 there were 33.8 million new episodes of RSV-associated acute lower-respiratory tract infections (ALRIs) among children under age 5 (22 percent of all ALRI cases). At least 3.4 million of the cases among those children were severe and required hospital admission, and an estimated 66,000 to 199,000 of the children died, with 99 percent of the deaths occurring in developing countries. The case fatality ratio (the proportion of hospitalized children who die) among children in high-income countries was ... Read more
Related support groups: Respiratory Syncytial Virus
Discovery in Lungs May Lead to Treatment for Respiratory Virus
Posted 25 Dec 2009 by Drugs.com
THURSDAY, Dec. 24 – A lipid found in the lungs appears to have the ability to prevent infection with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which is a major cause of infection in babies and can also be dangerous for adults with chronic lung diseases and conditions such as HIV, researchers report. The lipid, known as POPG, seems to help the lungs do a better job of keeping irritants out, according to the new study. "Our findings demonstrate that POPG is a potent antiviral agent both as a prophylactic and after infection has occurred," said study co-author Dennis Voelker, a professor of medicine at National Jewish Health in Denver. "While these are still early studies, several characteristics of POPG make me believe that it has real potential as both an antiviral and anti-inflammatory treatment." POPG – palmitoyl-oleoyl-phosphatidylglycerol – is found in the fluid that lines the lungs' air ... Read more
Related support groups: Respiratory Syncytial Virus
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ribavirin, Synagis, Virazole, RibaTab, RespiGam, palivizumab, respiratory syncytial virus immune globulin
