Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is a widespread respiratory illness that affects the lungs and airways. Most individuals will contract RSV by age two, and adults can also be infected multiple times throughout their lives. Typical symptoms include a cough, runny nose, congestion, sneezing, and fever, often resembling a common cold. Symptoms usually appear within four to six days after exposure to the virus.
RSV and Sensory Changes
RSV typically does not cause a direct loss of taste or smell. However, it can indirectly lead to temporary changes in these senses. Severe nasal congestion, inflammation of the nasal passages, and sinus pressure are common RSV symptoms that can obstruct the olfactory receptors responsible for detecting smells. When the sense of smell is diminished due to these blockages, the perception of taste is often affected as well, making foods seem bland.
This temporary reduction in taste and smell results from physical obstruction and inflammation within the nasal cavity, not direct damage to sensory nerves. As congestion and inflammation improve, taste and smell typically return to normal. These changes are mild and resolve as other respiratory symptoms subside, usually within a week or two.
Comparing RSV to Other Viruses
Loss of taste and smell is a symptom that can distinguish RSV from other common respiratory viruses like COVID-19 and influenza. While RSV rarely causes a significant or prolonged loss of these senses, COVID-19 frequently presents with a new loss of taste or smell. This symptom is a more prominent and direct effect of the COVID-19 virus itself, often appearing gradually and lasting from seven to twenty-eight days.
Influenza can also cause temporary changes in taste and smell, primarily due to nasal congestion and inflammation, similar to how RSV might indirectly affect these senses. Taste and smell disorders are more common and pronounced with COVID-19 compared to influenza.
When to Consult a Doctor
While most RSV cases are mild and resolve with home care, certain symptoms warrant medical attention. Individuals experiencing difficulty breathing, rapid or labored breathing, or wheezing should seek immediate medical advice. Signs of severe infection in infants, such as short, shallow, or rapid breathing, struggling to breathe with chest muscles pulling inward, poor feeding, unusual tiredness, or irritability, require prompt evaluation.
Adults over 65, those with compromised immune systems, or individuals with underlying heart or lung conditions should contact a healthcare provider if they develop RSV symptoms. Persistent and severe sensory loss that causes concern, especially when accompanied by worsening respiratory symptoms or signs of dehydration, also indicates a need for medical consultation.