When you get the classic signs of a flu or cold—like a runny nose, sore throat, and fatigue—it’s easy to assume that’s what you have. But there’s another virus out there that can also cause these symptoms: It’s called respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and even if you’ve never heard of it before, there’s a very good chance that you’ve had it in the past.
The virus is a common cause of illness in children—in fact, most kids will have had an RSV infection by their second birthday, per the CDC—but it can affect people of all ages and you can get it over and over throughout your lifetime.
RSV symptoms usually include a runny nose, decrease in appetite, coughing, sneezing, fever, and wheezing. So it can be tough to distinguish RSV from other upper respiratory infections. And like those other illnesses, RSV can spread directly when an infected person coughs or sneezes. You can also get it by touching a surface that’s been contaminated with virus-containing respiratory droplets and touching your nose or mouth.
Because of the overlap with the flu in both symptoms and timing, your doctor (or your child’s) will have to be careful when figuring out a diagnosis.
RSV cases tend to spike at certain times of year, and those usually overlap with flu season. For most of the US, infections usually start to rise in the fall, peak in the winter, and slow down in the spring.
As we said, it can be hard to tell if you have RSV or something else, such as COVID-19, the flu, or another virus. If your doctor suspects that you have RSV, they’ll likely do an exam to check you for wheezing or other signs of lung inflammation. Still, that’s usually not enough to give you a proper diagnosis. “Just looking at a patient, you can’t tell if they have the flu or RSV,” William Schaffner, MD, an infectious disease specialist and professor at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, tells SELF.
That’s why your health care provider will likely swab the inside of your nose to check for signs of the virus (and rule out something else, such as the flu), infectious disease expert Amesh A. Adalja, MD, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, tells SELF. (A doctor’s office or clinic can give you a rapid test that will quickly tell if you have the virus.) Sometimes you might also need a blood test to help rule out other diseases or a chest X-ray to check for lung problems.
Most people are able to recover from an RSV infection in a week or two, although some people may have more severe symptoms.
For healthy adults, RSV often feels like a run-of-the-mill cold (annoying, but not dangerous). For at-risk people, especially young kids and older adults, it can be serious and even lead to hospitalization.
RSV can cause bronchiolitis (an inflammation of the small airways in the lungs) and pneumonia (an infection of the lungs). Young children, premature babies, the elderly, people with compromised immune systems, and folks with other underlying health conditions are at a higher risk for these types of problems.
The link between RSV and bronchiolitis is especially strong, Daniel Ganjian, MD, a pediatrician at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, tells SELF. “Any child I see with bronchiolitis, I automatically test them for RSV,” he says.
In more severe cases, you could be hospitalized for a few days and given supplemental oxygen, IV fluids, or even mechanical ventilation to make it easier to breathe. If you or your child has been diagnosed with RSV but are otherwise okay, your doctor will likely recommend supportive care like OTC pain and fever reducers, saline drops to help clear a stuffy nose, and drinking plenty of fluids, Dr. Ganjian says. But if they’re not eating and drinking normally, their nostrils are flaring when they breathe, or they’re breathing faster than usual, it’s a good idea to get checked out by a doctor ASAP. And if you’re having trouble breathing and it’s not getting better, you should call your doctor, Dr. Schaffner says.
There are RSV vaccines for older adults and pregnant people.
The good news is that we now have some great ways to protect older adults and babies from this virus. Three different RSV vaccines were approved by the FDA in 2023 and 2024.
The CDC recommends everyone 75 and older get an RSV shot. People between 60 and 74 with certain risk factors—for example, a weakened immune system or heart or lung disease—should also get immunized to protect against the virus. The best time to get it is late summer or early fall, and once you have it, you’re generally good—you don’t usually need to get them every year like a flu shot.
To protect their newborns, pregnant people can also get a vaccine between 32 and 36 weeks of pregnancy (if it’s RSV season). “The immunity the mother builds is passed on to the newborn through the placenta, and it protects the newborn for the first six months of life,” says Dr. Snyder. For babies whose parent didn’t get a vaccine during pregnancy, there’s a shot that delivers monoclonal antibodies, which are protective proteins. It’s typically given in the hospital shortly after birth, and it protects the baby for their first RSV season. “I advise pregnant people to talk to their doc about the vaccine or the monoclonal antibody as an alternative,” Dr. Snyder says. “These are only administered during seasonal windows.”
You can also take steps to avoid spreading RSV in your home. The virus can survive for several hours on hard surfaces like tables, doorknobs, and crib rails. So you want to do your best to keep those areas clean, especially if someone in your home has been sneezing or coughing lately.
If you have a young child at home, a premature baby, or a youngster with a weakened immune system, ask people to stay away if they have cold- or flu-like symptoms. Otherwise, you’ll just want to do your best to avoid close contact with sick people, wash your hands often with soap and water, and avoid touching your face with unwashed hands.
And, if you can, encourage people around you who do qualify for the vaccine to get it. “We’re really happy to have a vaccine because it’s a problem we’ve been looking for a solution for a long time,” Michelle Prickett, MD, a pulmonologist and critical care physician at Northwestern Medicine, previously told SELF.
Related:
Everything You Need to Know About Getting the RSV Vaccine During Pregnancy Yes, RSV Can Spread to Adults From Kids—Here’s Why That Matters Right Now My Baby Was Hospitalized With RSV After a Relative Kissed Him at a Party
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