Overview
RSV: the Bedside Pattern
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is common; nearly all children have been infected by age two, and reinfection can occur.
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is common; nearly all children have been infected by age two, and reinfection can occur. The same virus may cause a mild upper-respiratory illness in one person and bronchiolitis or pneumonia in another, with the greatest concern in young infants and people with cardiopulmonary or immune vulnerability. For an RPN, severity is a bedside judgment. Oxygenation, work of breathing, hydration, alertness, age, and underlying risk factors determine urgency more reliably than a positive test or a loud wheeze. The practical response is supportive: maintain nasal airflow, protect safe hydration, provide oxygen when indicated, and escalate as respiratory reserve declines. Canadian prevention strategies now include long-acting antibody protection for infants and, when eligible, maternal RSVpreF vaccination.