Bronchiolitis causes: Difference between revisions
No edit summary |
(→Causes) |
||
| Line 6: | Line 6: | ||
Bronchiolitis usually affects children under the age of 2, with a peak age of 3 - 6 months. It is a common, and sometimes severe illness. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the most common cause. Other viruses that can cause bronchiolitis include: | Bronchiolitis usually affects children under the age of 2, with a peak age of 3 - 6 months. It is a common, and sometimes severe illness. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the most common cause. Other viruses that can cause bronchiolitis include: | ||
*Adenovirus | *[[Adenovirus]] | ||
*Influenza | *[[Influenza]] | ||
*Parainfluenza | *[[Parainfluenza]] | ||
The virus is transmitted from person to person by direct contact with nasal fluids, or by airborne droplets. Although RSV generally causes only mild symptoms in an adult, it can cause severe illness in an infant. | The virus is transmitted from person to person by direct contact with nasal fluids, or by airborne droplets. Although RSV generally causes only mild symptoms in an adult, it can cause severe illness in an infant. | ||
| Line 16: | Line 16: | ||
Risk factors include: | Risk factors include: | ||
*Exposure to cigarette smoke | *Exposure to cigarette smoke | ||
*Age younger than 6 months old | *Age younger than 6 months old | ||
*Living in crowded conditions | *Living in crowded conditions | ||
*Lack of breast-feeding | *Lack of breast-feeding | ||
*Prematurity (being born before 37 weeks gestation) | *Prematurity (being born before 37 weeks gestation) | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
Revision as of 20:49, 4 December 2012
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
|
Bronchiolitis Microchapters |
|
Diagnosis |
|---|
|
Treatment |
|
Case Studies |
|
Bronchiolitis causes On the Web |
|
American Roentgen Ray Society Images of Bronchiolitis causes |
Causes
Bronchiolitis usually affects children under the age of 2, with a peak age of 3 - 6 months. It is a common, and sometimes severe illness. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the most common cause. Other viruses that can cause bronchiolitis include:
The virus is transmitted from person to person by direct contact with nasal fluids, or by airborne droplets. Although RSV generally causes only mild symptoms in an adult, it can cause severe illness in an infant.
Bronchiolitis is seasonal and appears more often in the fall and winter months. It is a very common reason for infants to be hospitalized during winter and early spring. It is estimated that by their first year, more than half of all infants have been exposed to RSV.
Risk factors include:
- Exposure to cigarette smoke
- Age younger than 6 months old
- Living in crowded conditions
- Lack of breast-feeding
- Prematurity (being born before 37 weeks gestation)