Opinion | It’s Time to Double Down on Infection Prevention
I’m both an infectious disease physician and a healthcare epidemiologist. I’ve prepared for a respiratory viral pandemic for my entire career — but there’s no way I could have anticipated the scale of the COVID-19 pandemic. As we reflect on the experiences of the past 2 years, we should look for ways to fortify our […]
A Letter From the Front Lines of Quarantining With Kids
We saw this coming. Pediatricians sounded the alarm as cases of viral upper respiratory infections poured into our emergency departments, wards, and pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) earlier this summer. We warned citizens and lawmakers about what might happen if we sent our children back to school without reliable mitigation efforts in place. As a […]
The COVID-Flu ‘Twindemic’ That Wasn’t
Influenza and several other respiratory viruses declined in circulation during the pandemic in 2020, but increased during the spring of 2021, researchers found. Flu activity declined in March of 2020, remaining low until May 2021, with less than 0.4% of respiratory samples testing positive for influenza per week of flu season, reported Sonja J. Olsen, […]
What Is an RSV Test? Testing Guidelines & Complications
RSV is a common respiratory virus that is diagnosed through viral culture, serology, antigen detection tests and nucleic acid amplification tests, utilizing samples taken from the nasopharynx, saliva or blood. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), also called human respiratory syncytial virus (hRSV) and human orthopneumovirus, is a contagious disease that causes respiratory tract infections. Most commonly […]
What Months Are RSV Season? Symptoms & Prevention
Largely seasonal, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) outbreaks occur during the winter months in temperate climates and the rainy months in tropical regions. Additionally, temperature, humidity and rainfall can influence the severity of RSV in infants. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), also called human respiratory syncytial virus (hRSV) and human orthopneumovirus, is contagious and causes respiratory tract […]
What Is an RSV Test? Testing Guidelines & Complications
RSV is a common respiratory virus that is diagnosed through viral culture, serology, antigen detection tests and nucleic acid amplification tests, utilizing samples taken from the nasopharynx, saliva or blood. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), also called human respiratory syncytial virus (hRSV) and human orthopneumovirus, is a contagious disease that causes respiratory tract infections. Most commonly […]
What Months Are RSV Season? Symptoms & Prevention
Largely seasonal, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) outbreaks occur during the winter months in temperate climates and the rainy months in tropical regions. Additionally, temperature, humidity and rainfall can influence the severity of RSV in infants. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), also called human respiratory syncytial virus (hRSV) and human orthopneumovirus, is contagious and causes respiratory tract […]
Is Whooping Cough (Pertussis) Contagious?
Whooping cough (pertussis) is a highly contagious respiratory infection caused by Bordetella pertussis. Whooping cough symptoms include severe coughing fits and whooping sound produced during inhalation. The bacteria spreads via airborne droplets produced during sneezing or coughing. There is a whooping cough vaccine that is typically administered during childhood vaccinations. Whooping cough is considered highly […]