IN THE NEWS: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common respiratory virus that causes mild, cold-like symptoms but can require hospitalization in children under 12 months of age.
Recently, there has been a rise of RSV cases in small child which has prompted the County Health Officer to issue a Declaration of Health Emergency in Orange County due to a record number of pediatric hospitalizations and daily emergency room visits.
While a vaccine to protect against RSV is currently not available, a group led by Dr. Coleen K. Cunningham, UCI Health pediatrician and professor and chair of the UCI School of Medicine’s Department of Pediatrics, is working on developing a vaccine.
Cunningham, who also serves as senior vice president and pediatrician-in-chief for CHOC Children’s Health of Orange County, recently spoke to The New York Times about her work developing a nasal-drop vaccine containing a weakened version of the virus for children 6 to 24 months of age.
“The advantage of that is, it’s not a shot, so you don’t have to worry about needles,” Cunningham told The New York Times. She adds, “the results so far are promising.”
Learn more:
- The New York Times: Scientists Are Gaining on R.S.V., a Persistent Threat to Children