RSV - It doesn't just affect children

As we head straight into the Flu season, there's a lot of threat of getting sick, especially if we don't take care of ourselves or if we aren't always aware of what's out there. With the pandemic hopefully behind us, it's made us more prudent in what is out there, and one of those viruses to be on the lookout for is Respiratory Syncytial Virus or RSV.

What is RSV?

Typically, RSV commonly appears in children and infants, but anyone can get it. It's a highly contagious virus and can cause respiratory infections. It's a virus that's part of the paramyxovirus family. The reason why it's so contagious is that it spreads through respiratory droplets. That means those droplets that happen in bulk from coughing or sneezing.

So to ensure proper senior care, especially, there needs to be more RSV testing done, as the way it can impact us and the elderly is extensive. It's also one of those viruses that can weaken our immune systems enough to cause a different illness to happen.

How is RSV impacting adults?

Again, since we primarily see this in our young, causing those severe infections that rightfully make any parent who has to struggle through this nervous, it's also harming adults. The issue is that it doesn't always have a proper diagnosis, as the symptoms are similar to your typical cold. Those runny noses, aches and pains, and the cough that comes with a cold, are the same symptoms RSV also has. They both even share the possibility of getting a fever as well to help fight off the infection.

Yet that's the issue there, as most adults are unaware of RSV and won't take the necessary actions to work towards preventing it or taking extra care to ensure recovery. Most of the cases of RSV will end at the same time as a cold within a few weeks. Then it feels like you just got sick again. However, there are some cases where the severity of the virus ends up actually causing even more severe illnesses, such as pneumonia or bronchitis.

It can affect those that have weaker immune systems and can typically target the elderly as well. This leads to those severe infections putting people into hospitalization and the possibility of death. The older someone is, the higher the chance of getting severe RSV, so it’s important more now than ever to look into molecular testing as a solution.

What Molecular Testing is done to detect RSV

Many of us are now familiar with molecular testing, and it's more commonly known as polymerase chain reaction or PCR testing. This is the more advanced version of testing for RNA-based viruses such as RSV and will actually work to detect the genetic material of the virus in question. If you're wondering about Antigen tests, they are also molecular testing but work much faster. In fact, those tests take your sample and are actually triggering a response. So it's a viable option when there's a significant amount of the virus in the sample.

In the end

We need to ensure that if the testing is available, some molecular testing happens every time we feel as if we're coming down with a common cold. This is there to help support senior care and will help to protect our loved ones around us. While most cases of RSV will end mildly, it's important to increase RSV testing regardless, as it will help to keep the rest of us safe and eliminate the spread of this highly contagious virus.