Agniveer Vayu or IAF Group Y 26 Sep 2025 Paper

Question Numbers: 18-20Read the following passage and answer the questions given below.Respiratory syncytial virus that typically produces a mild cold like illness but in susceptible individuals, particularly infants under six months of age, is a major cause of severe and potentially fatal lower respiratory diseases. Severe bronchiolitis and pneumonia caused by (RSV) occurs most commonly in the elderly and in young children. An estimated 60 to 70 percent of children have been infected with RSV by age one, and nearly all children have been infected by age two. Because RSV effectively evades immunity, repeat infections are common. RSV infection is seasonal, occurring as an annual epidemic during the winter in most countries in temperate regions.Direct person-to-person contact is thought to be the most common route of RSV transmission. The virus also can be transmitted through the air, such as by coughing or sneezing, and through direct contact with a contaminated surface followed by touching of the face. Symptoms generally appear within four to six days of infection and include runny nose, cough, headache, fever, and wheezing. In instances of severe illness, affected individuals may have a high fever, severe wheezing, rapid or laboured breathing, and bluish lips or fingers. Infants may only show signs of irritability, fatigue, and breathing difficulties, even in severe cases. The only pharmacological therapy available for treatment of RSV is the nucleoside analogue ribavirin, which can be administered orally, parenterally (by injection or infusion), or by inhalation.