A 6-month-old female infant is brought to the physician with a 2-day history of severe cough, wheezing, and respiratory distress. Physical examination shows rhinitis, mild cyanosis, and fever. Which of the following is the most likely etiology of this child's pulmonary infection?
RSV is an RNA virus, which is the major cause of bronchiolitis and pneumonia in infants. RSV bronchiolitis or pneumonitis presents with expiratory and inspiratory wheezing, cough, and hyper expansion of both lung fields. Hyperinflation, interstitial infiltrates, and segmented atelectasis are expected findings on chest X-ray. The illness is usually self-limited and typically resolves within 1 to 2 weeks. Mortality is low in healthy babies. The other viruses cause pneumonia much less frequently.Diagnosis: Respiratory syncytial virus, bronchiolitis
Adenovirus
Cytomegalovirus
Parainfluenza virus
Respiratory syncytial virus
Infectious Disease