Can adults get very sick from RSV?

RSV infections can be dangerous for certain adults. Each year, it is estimated that between 60,000-160,000 older adults in the United States are hospitalized and 6,000-10,000 of them die due to RSV infection. Adults at highest risk for severe RSV infection include: Older adults, especially those 65 years and older.

What does RSV feel like in adults?

What are the symptoms of RSV in adults? Typical symptoms include a cough, sore throat, congestion, runny nose, headache, mild fevers, and fatigue.

How do you know if adults have RSV?

Signs of RSV in adults usually include the typical cough, runny nose, sore throat, fatigue and sometimes fever. Adults over the age of 65 or those with health complications are at higher risk for developing more severe RSV. Serious cases can cause trouble breathing or dehydration and may lead to a hospital stay.

How long does RSV last in adults?

Most RSV infections go away on their own in a week or two. There is no specific treatment for RSV infection, though researchers are working to develop vaccines and antivirals (medicines that fight viruses).

What age is RSV most severe?

People at increased risk of severe or sometimes life-threatening RSV infections include: Infants, especially premature infants or babies who are 6 months or younger.

Severe RSV illness possible in adults

What day does RSV peak in adults?

RSV symptoms peak around day 5 of the illness and often improve at 7–10 days. However, the cough may linger for about 4 weeks due to the slow recovery of the ciliated cells.

What do they do for RSV in adults?

How to Treat RSV in Adults. There is no treatment for a mild or moderate RSV. In most cases, doctors simply recommend drinking plenty of fluids, taking over-the-counter pain or fever medication, and resting. Symptoms should go away on their own in a week or two.

Do adults need to quarantine with RSV?

Remember, adults get RSV, too. And they can spread it to others in their own home. So it's not just kids who need to stay home from school if they're sick — adults need to stay home from work as well. Experts recommend staying home for 8 days from the time you first get sick.

How can I treat RSV in adults at home?

For older children and adults, keep a steady supply of cool water at the bedside. Offer warm fluids, such as soup, which may help loosen thickened secretions. Ice pops may be soothing as well. Try saline nasal drops.

Can adults carry RSV and not know it?

Because RSV symptoms resemble those of the common cold (runny nose, sore throat, mild headache, cough, and sometimes a fever), parents and other adults may not realize they are infected with the virus but can still be contagious.

Why do adults not get RSV?

Yes, adults can get RSV. In fact, you've probably had RSV several times in your life. As you get older and your immune system develops more antibodies, you're able to fight off RSV more efficiently. So you may have only developed a mild cold with your RSV infection.

How do you get rid of RSV in older adults?

RSV treatment in adults is supportive, including antipyretics, supplemental oxygen, and intravenous fluids as needed. 31 Inhaled or systemic corticosteroids and bronchodilators may be used for elderly patients or patients with preexisting pulmonary conditions (e.g., asthma, COPD) with acute wheezing.

Is RSV more mild in adults?

When an adult gets RSV infection, they typically have mild cold-like symptoms, but some may develop a lung infection or pneumonia. RSV can sometimes also lead to worsening of serious conditions such as: Asthma.

What is the last stage of RSV?

Typically, RSV causes a cold, which may be followed by bronchiolitis or pneumonia. Symptoms generally last an average of 5-7 days.

Is RSV very serious?

Most people recover in a week or two, but RSV can be serious, especially for infants and older adults. RSV is the most common cause of bronchiolitis (inflammation of the small airways in the lung) and pneumonia (infection of the lungs) in children younger than 1 year of age in the United States.

Is RSV worse than a cold in adults?

In adults and older children, RSV is typically a mild illness very similar to the common cold. In infants and the elderly, the symptoms can be more severe.

What age do you worry about RSV?

Infants and older adults may develop severe infections from RSV, such as pneumonia or bronchiolitis. Most kids get an RSV infection by age 2. However, you can get an RSV infection at any age and more than once in your lifetime.

Does RSV cause low oxygen levels in adults?

In serious cases, RSV may lead to wheezing, difficulty breathing, higher fever, more severe cough and even bluish skin, indicating low oxygen levels.

What age is RSV no longer a concern?

RSV can affect a person of any age but causes the most problems for the very young and very old. Most babies have been infected at least once by the time they are 2 years old. Babies can also be reinfected with the virus. Infection can happen again anytime throughout life.

Is RSV worse than COVID?

Coronavirus and RSV

So far, the new coronavirus appears to be more dangerous for adults, especially older ones. RSV is riskier for young children, but it can also be serious for older people and those who have other health problems.

What happens if RSV is left untreated?

What if RSV goes untreated? For most healthy infants without a heart or lung condition, RSV is similar to the common cold. In children with a weaker immune system, untreated RSV can cause pneumonia or bronchiolitis (swelling of the smaller airways in the lungs). Sometimes these children have to stay in the hospital.

What antibiotic is used for RSV in adults?

Antibiotic Minocycline Prevents Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection.

What meds are given for RSV in adults?

Medications to treat respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection include the antiviral drug ribavirin, which can be used in severe high-risk cases, and bronchodilators. The efficacy of bronchodilators or racemic epinephrine in treating RSV disease remains unproved.

Do antibiotics help RSV in adults?

Treatment for severe infection or complications

Antibiotics may be used to treat a bacterial infection (such as pneumonia) that develops as a complication. But antibiotics don't treat RSV or any other viral infection.

How long does it take to fully recover from RSV?

RSV is a common respiratory virus that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms. Although most people recover within a week or two, it can be very serious in infants and older adults because it can lead to bronchiolitis and pneumonia.