RSV in Seniors

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I was reading the Phoenix morning paper, and noticed one of those medical ads for volunteers.....It was an investigational vaccine for RSV and seniors were targeted......Is it because I`ve almost always worked in rural hospitals, but i don`t EVER remember seeing an elder with RSV........actually have only seen a few in kids over age of 3........? Are we not looking for this? Is it a concern? Any input appreciated......

nancy

Any age can get RSV. The older the patient , usually, the milder the symptoms. In adults it resembles a slight cold. Most infants and children with RSV do not even get sick enough to get admitted to a hospital unless they were premature and have some lung damage or underlying resp. illness.(asthma, BPD etc). Same with adults - elderly with compromising lung problems are higher risk for more severe infection. Peds nurses almost always have some RSV going on when it's in season- just who would stand still for a NP swab to prove why you have a slight cold?

Yeah, Mattigan, that`s what I thought about RSv.....so.why would they make a vaccine for elders??/ Weird......In the part of Nm where I used to live RSV is a very big deal.....seems like Native Americans are very inclined to get it...I worked in a small rural hospital, and some winters over 75% of our patients would be babies with it at times...we even had to send the REALLY sick ones as far away as San Diego some years as no Ped ICU could be found closer......that was hard on families......I don`t know if Az.`s milder winter or the tribes down here aren`t as suseptible to it, because we only have a few cases every year here. I still shudder when need to swab babies.....yuk...can`t imagine having it done to me....

what does rsv stand for? what is rsv?

We don't get peds on our floor. Just how do you get the swab?

Through the nose? Or through the mouth into the pharynx?

RSV.....Respiratory Syncytial Virus in infants or babies usually up to 3 or so, causes nasty respiratory problems...wee ones are often placed in croup tents with O2.....can be fatal....especially vunernable are premies...even those who have caught up with their full term counterparts.......as it is a virus antibiotics can`t help unless there is a co bacteria infection going on.....these kids sound like they are in a major asthma attack......In adults it usually is just a minor cold........many hospitals ( ours does this) refuses to let any visitors under 14 in the building during RSV season....winter have seen it in Oct. but more usual in Dec., Jan., Feb......

Swab looks like a Q-tip, but on a wire....goes up the nares.........ouch !!:o

Wow, I work with frail elders and have never considered that they could get RSV. I remember working with some very sick little kiddies with RSV back when I was a student. I guess it often just goes undiagnosed in the elderly.

Thanks for the explanation. Ive never heard of that. Not quite an LPN yet. well any way thanks:)

Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

RSV can be dangerous to anyone w/compromised immune systems such as infants, elderly and those on steroids or have HIV/AIDS. It is subclinical in most healthy normal kids and adults.....but believe me you don't want a sick gramma or your baby to get it.

There is another way to test for RSV without the nasopharyngeal swab. We instill saline in the nares and then suction with a bulb syringe. Much easier on the babes and it also clears the airway. Too bad all hospitals don't use this method.

+ Add a Comment