In recent weeks, the number of children hospitalized with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection has increased sharply, creating a public health concern.
Medical news on March 8: Children hospitalized suddenly increase due to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
In recent weeks, the number of children hospitalized with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection has increased sharply, creating a public health concern.
Hospitalizations of children with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) spike
At Saint Paul General Hospital, the number of children with RSV pneumonia accounts for nearly 50% of all respiratory cases. It is worth noting that many children have been hospitalized in serious condition, with severe respiratory complications, requiring oxygen or mechanical ventilation.
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| RSV virus can spread rapidly, especially in crowded communities such as schools, hospitals, or child care facilities. |
RSV is a virus in the Paramyxoviridae family that can cause respiratory infections. Although RSV can cause illness in people of all ages, children under 2 years of age and older adults with weakened immune systems are most likely to be severely affected. The virus is primarily spread through droplets from coughing, sneezing, or direct contact with contaminated surfaces.
RSV causes many of the same symptoms as the flu, but can be more severe, especially in children. Initial symptoms include cough, nasal congestion; mild to high fever; difficulty breathing; rapid, wheezing breathing; fatigue; and loss of appetite.
In severe cases, RSV can lead to pneumonia, bronchiolitis, and in some cases, respiratory failure. This is why it is important to monitor your health and detect signs of the disease early, to avoid serious complications.
Children, especially those under 2 years of age, have an underdeveloped immune system, making them more susceptible to pathogens and their development. The alveoli in children's lungs are small and vulnerable to infection, especially when the RSV virus causes bronchitis, bronchiolitis or pneumonia.
In addition, children are often exposed to the outside environment, especially in kindergartens or childcare facilities, where the possibility of spreading viruses is very high. This increases the risk of infection, especially during the cold months when the RSV virus is likely to thrive.
Although most children with RSV recover within a few weeks with supportive treatment, some cases can develop severe illness, causing difficulty breathing and requiring hospitalization.
According to health experts, RSV can spread rapidly, especially in crowded communities such as schools, hospitals or child care facilities. To reduce the risk of infection, health experts recommend:
Wash your hands regularly: Washing your hands with soap and clean water helps remove viruses and prevent the spread. Avoid contact with sick people: If someone in your family or community is sick, limit contact with children.
Wear a mask: This is an effective measure to help limit airborne transmission, especially in public areas. Strengthen immunity: Give children a nutritious diet and supplement vitamins to help strengthen the immune system.
Almost lost his life because of self-treatment
Recently, the Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases received a case of serious stroke of Ms. H. (66 years old, living in Hai Duong).
Ms. H. had suffered a stroke 8 years ago, leaving her paralyzed on her left side. Although she was diagnosed with high blood pressure and began treatment, she did not follow treatment instructions and did not undergo regular health check-ups. As a result, Ms. H. faced a dangerous emergency.
Ms. H. could not remember clearly what type of blood pressure medication she was using, because she had only been taking the medication as prescribed by her doctor for the past 8 years without returning for a check-up to adjust her treatment regimen.
She also frequently forgot to take her blood pressure medication, and instead went to the pharmacy to buy blood pressure medication without proper medical consultation or advice. This led to uncontrolled blood pressure, leaving her vulnerable to serious complications.
Recently, Ms. H. began to show signs of gradual loss of consciousness, slurred speech, and a crooked mouth, and her family took her to the hospital in a coma. Doctors diagnosed her with a cerebral hemorrhage due to high blood pressure, a serious condition that can lead to death.
Immediately, Ms. H. was intubated and placed on a ventilator and an emergency CT scan of the brain was ordered. The CT scan showed a brain hemorrhage next to the right pontine nucleus, with a very high risk of death. The doctors then decided to perform emergency surgery that night.
In an emergency situation, Dr. Ta Viet Phuong and Dr. Nguyen Quang Thanh, leading experts in the brain, performed a surgery lasting more than an hour to remove a 63x24mm hematoma that was pressing on structures in the brain.
Doctor Nguyen Quang Thanh said that fortunately, the hematoma did not cause direct damage to the brain. After the surgery, Ms. H. was transferred to the Intensive Care Center for monitoring and treatment. Doctor Tran Van Quy said that Ms. H. recovered very well, was able to perceive her surroundings and move her right arm and leg after 8 days of surgery.
Cerebral hemorrhage is common in the elderly with underlying medical conditions such as high blood pressure. According to Dr. Nguyen Quang Thanh, about 80% of patients with cerebral hemorrhage have a history of high blood pressure.
If blood pressure is not well controlled, the risk of cerebral hemorrhage is very high. This condition occurs when blood escapes from the blood vessels and flows into the brain parenchyma, forming a hematoma that puts pressure on the surrounding tissues, leading to brain cell damage and can be fatal if not intervened promptly.
Dr. Thanh recommends that controlling blood pressure properly and regularly is very important.
It is necessary to maintain stable blood pressure through a scientific lifestyle, reasonable diet, and regular exercise. At the same time, performing regular health checks is extremely important to detect and promptly treat diseases such as high blood pressure, helping to prevent dangerous complications such as cerebral hemorrhage.
From the above case, the doctor recommends that people should not buy medicine without consulting a doctor. Have regular health check-ups, especially blood pressure check-ups, to monitor their health status. Follow the doctor's treatment instructions and do not change the treatment regimen on your own.
Detecting malignancy from a swelling in the head area
Recently, a boy named NMT (11 years old, Hanoi) had to face a rare and serious illness when his family discovered a swollen tumor in his head without any signs of pain or other suspicious symptoms.
The tumor, measuring about 1.5 cm, was discovered in October 2024, causing the baby's family to worry and decide to take the baby to the hospital for examination. After examination and testing, the doctors discovered a malignant disease, specifically Myeloid Sarcoma, a rare disease that can lead to serious complications.
The family said that T. had felt a mass in his head, about 1.5 cm in size, painless and without other symptoms. Clinical examination showed that the mass was 2x1 cm in size, slightly firm and painless. Head ultrasound showed a mixed-echo lesion, measuring 16mmx7mm. Blood tests also showed no abnormalities.
Initially, doctors diagnosed benign fibrolipoma and did not recommend any intervention. However, after 2 months of monitoring, the tumor gradually grew larger and the family decided to return for a check-up. At that time, doctors prescribed surgery to remove the entire tumor and send the sample for testing.
The specimen was sent to Medlatec Pathology Center for specialized tests such as histopathology and immunohistochemistry. After analysis, experts at Medlatec concluded that the baby had Myeloid Sarcoma.
This is a malignant tumor involving promyelocytes (myeloid cells), which appears outside the bone marrow and can spread to soft tissues or other organs in the body.
This diagnosis made the baby's family extremely confused and decided to send the sample for consultation at leading specialized hospitals such as K Hospital and the Central Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion. The experts there also agreed with Medlatec's conclusion. After that, the baby was transferred to the Central Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion for further treatment.
Myeloid Sarcoma is a rare disease that involves the formation of tumors from promyelocytes (myeloid cells), which are cells that produce red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets in the bone marrow. When these cells develop into tumors outside the bone marrow, they can appear in soft tissues or other organs such as the skin, lymph nodes, liver, spleen, bones, and even the brain.
If not detected and treated promptly, Myeloid Sarcoma can spread to other organs, making treatment more complicated. Symptoms depend on the location of the tumor, but may include pain, swelling in the area of the tumor, fatigue, weight loss, infections due to low white blood cells, and easy bleeding or bruising.
Diagnosis of Myeloid Sarcoma is usually made through imaging methods such as X-ray, MRI or CT scan to determine the location and size of the tumor.
At the same time, histopathology and immunohistochemistry are also important to identify neoplastic cells from surgical specimens. These cells are usually immature myeloid cells, which may be granulocytes, preleukemic cells, or other immature granulocytes.
Depending on the severity of the disease, treatment may include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or a bone marrow transplant (or stem cell transplant) to treat this malignancy.
According to Dr. Truong Quoc Thanh, Deputy Director of Medlatec Pathology Center, when detecting any abnormal signs such as pain, swelling, fatigue, or weight loss, patients should immediately go to reputable medical facilities for examination and accurate diagnosis. Timely detection and treatment will help increase the chance of effective treatment and avoid dangerous complications.
The case of baby T. is a typical example of detecting malignant disease from seemingly innocuous signs.
Myeloid Sarcoma is a rare and dangerous disease, but if diagnosed and treated promptly, patients can have a chance of successful treatment. Regular health monitoring and paying attention to unusual signs in the body are extremely important to detect such serious diseases early.
Source: https://baodautu.vn/tin-moi-y-te-ngay-83-tre-nhap-vien-tang-dot-bien-do-mac-virus-hop-bao-ho-hap-rsv-d251424.html
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