Dr. Andi Shane, the chief of the division of pediatric infectious diseases at Emory University School of Medicine and the medical director of infectious disease at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, says Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is a common virus that causes respiratory infection.
Shane says most people recover from the upper airway disease that causes mild cold symptoms, but older adults and children are most vulnerable.
“For some younger children who have smaller airways, the virus can then go deeper into the lungs and cause problems because the airways are really small and it’s difficult for children to really deal with the virus,” explained Shane. “Also, on the other end of the age spectrum are older adults who also may have difficulty controlling the virus and, therefore, it goes into their lower airways and lungs.”
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