Respiratory Virus Hits State Hard

Doctors are uncertain whether a respiratory virus infecting area infants in higher-than-normal numbers is more severe than usual or has just arrived earlier this year.

Seattle’s Children’s Hospital admits 5 to 10 infants with respiratory syncytial virus in a normal December. Last month, it admitted 130 babies with the virus infection. The trend is continuing this month and November numbers also were much higher than usual.

Higher incidence of the virus also has been reported from southwestern Washington, where 20 cases were reported in December and another 20 so far this month.

It is impossible to tell whether this is a peak year for the virus or whether it merely appeared earlier in the season, said Dr. Craig Rubens, Seattle Children’s Hospital’s infectious disease specialist.

“The virus usually hits us hardest in January through March and usually trails off in April, ” he said.

The virus grows in the cells lining small airways of the lungs. It not only causes typical cold symptoms - runny nose, coughing, fever - but can also cause mucus to build up, obstructing the tiny air passages.