Even small health problems can turn into big ones when you don't treat them seriously.
A recent study discovered that respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a common infection in kids and seniors, can harm nerve cells and even cause nerve damage.
RSV typically causes not that serious symptoms, but it can also lead to more serious problems like pneumonia or bronchiolitis.
How it was discovered
A recent study discovered that respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which is common in kids and older people, can enter nerve cells and even cause nerve damage.
This finding could explain why kids with RSV sometimes experience neurological symptoms.
Previous research found RSV in the spinal fluid of kids who had seizures, and 40% of RSV-positive kids under 2 years old had brain damage called acute encephalopathy.
Scientists used 3D cultures of nerve cells grown from stem cells and rat embryos to demonstrate that RSV can infect nerve cells.
This infection triggers inflammation and the release of proteins that fight infections.
Nerves infected with RSV became overly sensitive to stimulation and showed gradual deterioration and increased toxicity due to inflammation.
The results suggest that RSV infection in childhood may contribute to asthma symptoms later in life.
RSV enters the spinal cord through peripheral nerves, which might allow it to bypass the protective blood-brain barrier and infect the brain.
We need more studies
More info is needed to discover this mechanism and its connection to other neurological and developmental disorders.
These facts show how important RSV vaccines actually are for both the elderly and protecting babies through vaccination.
Previously, we talked about traumatic stress.
