A–Z Glossary

Respiratory syncytial virus

A common respiratory virus that is the most frequent cause of bronchiolitis in babies.

← Back to A–Z Glossary

Search results for: Respiratory syncytial virus

RSV in Babies: Symptoms and Warning Signs

RSV in Babies: Symptoms and Warning Signs

What RSV is and why it can affect babies so strongly RSV is a contagious respiratory virus that spreads easily through droplets and contaminated surfaces. In adults and older children it often causes a self-limited upper respiratory infection, but in babies the same infection can affect the smaller airways more significantly because those passages are […]

Bronchiolitis During the First Year

Bronchiolitis During the First Year

What bronchiolitis is and why it matters in infancy Bronchiolitis is inflammation of the bronchioles, the small airways deep in the lungs. In infants, those airways are already narrow, so even modest swelling and mucus can increase resistance to airflow and make breathing look laboured. The condition is usually viral, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) […]