engleski

Therapy of respiratory syncytial virus lower respiratory tract infections

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the most common cause of severe lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) in infants. Beside the support therapy by oxygen and rehidratation, bronchodilators and corticosteroids are usually used. Antibiotic therapy was last ten years also used rather frequently and noncritically. A specific antiviral drug is ribavirin but its application is relatively limited and results are controversal. Recently, the use of RSV-specific immunoglobulin therapy is possible. Since until today there is no efficient vaccine for RSV infections, only passive prophylaxis by RSV-immunoglobulin (RSV-IG) or humanized monoclonal antibodies could be done. Surveillance from 1988-94 for Zagreb RSV positive patients who were mainly infants with RSV-LRTI, bronchodilators were applied in 75.6% and corticosteroids in 20% of patients. In 5% of patients mechanical ventilation was applied and specific therapy by ribavirin was not used. Antibiotics were administered in 92.4% of RSV-LRTI patients.

children; lower respiratory tract infections; respiratory syncytial

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