Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections – Bronchial Disorders

When you breathe in, the air travels down through your trachea (windpipe). It then goes through two tubes to your lungs. These tubes are your bronchi. Bronchial disorders can make it hard for you to breathe.

The most common problem with the bronchi is bronchitis, an inflammation of the tubes. It can be acute or chronic. Other problems include

• Bronchiectasis – a condition in which damage to the airways causes them to widen and become flabby and scarred
• Exercise-induced bronchospasm – a breathing problem that happens when your airways shrink while you are exercising
• Bronchiolitis – an inflammation of the small airways that branch off from the bronchi
• Bronchopulmonary dysplasia – a chronic lung condition in infants, most often premature infants

• Bronchiectasis (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Bronchiolitis (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Bronchiolitis – discharge (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Postural drainage (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Tracheal rupture (Medical Encyclopedia)

Also called: RSV

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes mild, cold-like symptoms in adults and older healthy children. It can cause serious problems in young babies, including pneumonia and severe breathing problems. Premature babies and those with other health problems have the highest risk. A child with RSV may have a fever, stuffy nose, cough, and trouble breathing. Lab tests can tell if your child has the virus. There is no specific treatment. You should give your child fluids to prevent dehydration. If needed, you can also give a pain reliever (not aspirin) for fever and headache.

RSV easily spreads from person to person. You can get it from direct contact with someone who has it or by touching infected objects such as toys or surfaces such as countertops. Washing your hands often and not sharing eating and drinking utensils are simple ways to help prevent the spread of RSV infection. There is currently no vaccine for RSV.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

• Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) (Medical Encyclopedia)
• RSV antibody test (Medical Encyclopedia)