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In a typical case, an infant under twelve months of age develops cough, wheeze and shortness of breath over one or two days. The diagnosis is made by clinical examination. Chest X-ray is sometimes useful to exclude pneumonia, but not indicated in routine cases.
Testing for specific viral cause e.g. RSV by nasopharyngeal aspirate is common, but has little effect on management. RSV infection usually indicates more significant disease than other viruses. RSV status is usually used for surveillance and grouping admitted patients together in hospital wards as to prevent cross infection.
The infant may be breathless for several days. After the acute illness, it is common for the airways to remain sensitive for several weeks, leading to recurrent cough and wheeze. There is a possible link with later asthma: possible explanations are that bronchiolitis causes asthma by inducing long term inflammation, or that children who are destined to be asthmatic are more prone to develop bronchiolitis.
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The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other
qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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