FEATURED - Bronchiolitis

Bronchiolitis is a viral illness affecting young children, primarily those under the age of 2. In more than 7 out of 10 cases, bronchiolitis in children is caused by the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Bronchiolitis, which is easily diagnosed by a doctor, is treated in the community in the vast majority of cases (95%). This care primarily involves respiratory physical therapy to help clear the child’s secretions. In France, it is estimated that bronchiolitis affects nearly 30% of infants each winter, amounting to approximately 460,000 cases per year. Bronchiolitis most frequently occurs as a seasonal epidemic. The outbreak generally begins in mid-October, peaks in December, and ends by the end of winter. This year, as of November 2, data collected from hospital emergency departments showed that the number of cases of bronchiolitis among infants under 2 years of age was already rising sharply in France. The bronchiolitis outbreak appears to have started earlier than in previous years in the Île-de-France region and in the northern* part of the country, where there is a lag of about 4 weeks compared to what was observed during the past two seasons. The current level is higher than that observed last year during the same period. However, the trend is similar to that observed in 2008 (Note: the epidemics of 2009 and 2010 developed more gradually). The trend of the epidemic in the southern* region (including Poitou-Charentes) of France is similar to previous seasons.

* Division based on area codes.