It is little known, it is not talked about as the influence or the coronavirus, but the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) physicians are increasingly concerned that more children, especially you drinkare seriously affected by this disease that in Peru reports “a worrying increase in infections.”
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From 2019 to the present, this virus has caused at least 6.5 million deaths worldwide, according to Our World in Data.
Reports indicate that more than 33 million children under the age of 5 are infected each year worldwide.
“This virus is characterized by its high level of contagion, since it is transmitted from person to person through the air, with direct contact or with contact with contaminated surfaces, which makes it dangerous. It mainly affects the lower respiratory tract in infants and young children. Due to the return of face-to-face, we have observed a worrying increase in infections ”, explained Dr. Julio César Arbulú, a pediatric pulmonologist at the Rebagliati Hospital.
How long does it take to incubate the disease?
One must be aware of how long it takes for the disease to appear with its external clinical manifestations.
“RSV has an incubation period of 4 to 6 days, and symptoms usually start with rhinorrhea, that is, nasal congestion, which may or may not be accompanied by fever. From the third to fourth day, a persistent cough is added, with increased respiratory problems and difficulty eating. This virusIn addition, it can present various complications such as bronchiolitis, otitis, croup and pneumonia”Arbulu pointed out.
Why is there a rise in cases in Peru?
In our country, the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) It has a rise in cases outside of its usual season.
In Peru, Dr. Julio César Arbulú indicates that this virus usually has infectious peaks between March and September, however, due to the return to face-to-face, various alerts are being triggered due to the increase in infections.
Due to the lack of efficient monitoring, there is no exact estimate of how many babies are affected by RSV in the country.
Why has PAHO already issued an epidemiological alert?
Due to the highly contagious nature of the virus, PAHO has already issued an epidemiological alert for this and other respiratory viruses, which mainly affect you drink and premature.
Fever is one of the symptoms. Photo: Stock.
According to its latest report, in Peru, towards the last weeks of September, an increase in pneumonia cases in children under five years of age was reported, being even higher compared to the 2020 to 2021 seasons; influenza and RSV are the other two diseases that most affect young children.
What are the symptoms of this disease?
The Respiratory syncytial virusFurthermore, it is the leading cause of bronchiolitis and pneumonia in babies, two of the main reasons for hospitalization in pediatrics. These infections are characterized by inflaming the lower respiratory tract, damaging and obstructing it due to the high production of mucus, which makes it difficult for the baby to breathe.
Other symptoms that can affect the health of these children are persistent cough, runny nose, fever, wheezing, and increased respiratory rate, effects that can last up to 4 weeks.
Is there a vaccine against RSV?
Although there are ways to immunize you drink In order to minimize these risks and keep them healthy, Peru still does not have this solution.
For this reason, Dr. Julio César Arbulú reported that hygiene measures such as frequent hand washing and covering coughs or sneezes can help prevent infection.
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