Bronchiolitis

An acute viral infection of the lungs, mainly affecting babies and young children, in which the bronchioles (the smaller airways branching off from the bronchi in the lungs) become inflamed. The most common cause is the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Symptoms include rapid breathing, a cough, and fever. Sometimes no treatment is necessary but, in more severe cases, hospital admission is needed so that oxygen therapy and physiotherapy (to clear the mucus) can be given. With prompt treatment, sufferers usually recover within a few days. Antibiotic drugs may be prescribed to prevent any secondary bacterial infection.