cold weather causes a surge in cases of bronchiolitis.
temperatures facilitate the transmission of the respiratory syncytial virus, main causative infectious agent of bronchiolitis in children
some emergency room and ICU services have been multiplied cases, especially in these two last months.
Madrid, 2011-March with the sharp drop in temperatures has been a significant increase in cases of bronchiolitis. In the December-February period multiplied emergencies for infants affected by respiratory infections caused by Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). According to the DRA. Maria Victoria Ramos, Assistant doctor in the service of Pediatric ICU of Hospital 12 October Madrid, only in December and January were more children by VRS in whole epidemic station of the year ”.
el Dr. Martinón, head of Department and coordinator of the healthcare area of Paediatrics of the University Clinical Hospital of Santiago de Compostela, asserts that the epidemiological data collected to date on infection by respiratory syncytial virus show a significant increase of cases (about a third) with respect to those observed last year. Bronchiolitis is a peak that usually extends from late autumn to mid winter; the period from November to April is usually presents a greater number of cases ”. The DRA. Mª Victoria Ramos added that with the available data can say that in March of last year there was income for VRS in the ICU with very advanced month, and in April continued seeing cases of VRS in the emergency ”
according to the experts at lower temperatures, rainfall and humidity, the virus remain longer in the environment. In the words of Dr. r. Lejarazu Ortiz, head of the service of Microbiology and Immunology of the Hospital ClÃnico Universitario in Valladolid, climate is essential in the behaviour of the virus. At very low temperatures, it’s as if the environment outside a ‘ fridge ’ for viruses, so it makes it easier transmission of the same ”.
in this situation, experts warn of the need for prevention of the most vulnerable babies with existing prophylaxis against RSV. Preterm infants, infants with heart disease or infants with chronic lung disease are more vulnerable to bronchiolitis.
according to the DRA. Ramos, in the Pediatric ICU of the October 12 Hospital service group more we are preterm infants and infants with brothers in school age, especially infants with less than 20 days. These babies may be up to 14 days hospitalized due to bronchiolitis. In patients at risk, we look at the effectiveness of the preventive treatment; babies included in the recommendations of prophylaxis, except certain preterm infants, does not enter with gravity ”.
el Dr. Ortiz of Lejarazu says that there are various publications that demonstrate an increase in the incidence of hospitalizations for VRS in the last ten years. The incidence by bronchiolitis is always much higher in children under two years, premature babies or those with chronic diseases. RSV infections are responsible for 1 in every 2 pediatric hospitalizations in this period ”.
el VRS affects the lower part of the respiratory system and manifests itself initially with rhinitis and sometimes fever. Later appear the classic symptoms of bronchiolitis due to obstruction in the respiratory tract. The most severe cases of this pathogen can result in death; die more infants less than one year from the Respiratory Syncytial Virus than flu.
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