Respiratory virus making rounds

A seasonal respiratory illness that hits babies particularly hard is circulating in Nebraska and Iowa.

Public health officials say that while there are high numbers of cases, the counts are typical for this time of year.

For example, Nebraska reported 167 confirmed cases for the week ending Feb. 6, about the same as a year ago. That count is from the state’s 80 surveillance labs and does not reflect the actual number of cases statewide.

There is no vaccine for the illness — respiratory syncytial virus, known as RSV. So the best say to stop the spread is by washing hands, covering coughs and keeping sick kids home, said Dr. Patricia Quinlisk of the Iowa Department of Public Health.

The number of cases typically declines in March and April.

Adults can get RSV, but it usually results only in relatively minor cold symptoms, said Dr. Tom Safranek of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

RSV is the most common cause of pneumonia in children under age 1. Almost all children will have had an RSV infection by their second birthday, but only a small percentage develop a severe case, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Children most at risk for severe complications are premature infants, children younger than 2 with congenital heart or chronic lung disease and children with weakened immune systems.

The Mayo Clinic says most cases of RSV aren’t life-threatening. Seek immediate medical attention if your child experiences difficulty breathing, runs a high fever or turns blue in color.

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