Acute viral bronchiolitis is one of the leading causes of worldwide admission of children under 2 years of age during winter months. There is a lack of consensus regarding the clinical definition of acute viral bronchiolitis in children and hence the management varies across the globe. The purpose of this article is to review the epidemiology, etiology, risk factors, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, assessment and management of children with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) bronchiolitis. The available evidence in the worldwide literature suggests that supportive and symptomatic management is still the mainstay of management in this condition. The key to reducing the morbidity and mortality in children with RSV bronchiolitis is through prevention of infection through immunoprophylaxis especially in high-risk children.
Key words: Respiratory syncytial virus; children; evidence based management; infants; viral bronchiolitis
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