Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) leads to over 30 million severe respiratory infections, 3.5 million hospitalizations, and 100,000 deaths among children under five each year globally. Nearly half of these deaths occur in infants under six months old, the global health group PATH said.
The majority of RSV-related fatalities happen in low- and middle-income countries, where many children die without ever reaching a hospital. This highlights the critical need for early prevention of severe RSV disease, PATH added.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), RSV is a widespread cause of lower respiratory tract infections across all age groups. PATH noted that RSV is the leading cause of severe respiratory infections and hospitalizations among infants and young children worldwide.
RSV is a widespread respiratory infection that affects the nose, throat, and lungs. Its symptoms are similar to those of the common cold or other respiratory viruses, such as the flu or COVID-19, making it hard to tell them apart.
RSV typically doesn’t lead to serious illness in healthy adults and children, said the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). However, certain groups, particularly older adults and infants under six months old, may develop more severe symptoms and could require hospitalization. The CDC said that symptoms of RSV infection include a runny nose, congestion, decrease in appetite, coughing, sneezing, fever, and wheezing.
The CDC explained that in very young infants with RSV, their only symptoms may be irritability, decreased activity, and breathing difficulties.
The UK National Health Services (NHS) said that those who have higher risk are babies under six months old; young children who were born prematurely; adults over 75 years; babies, children, and adults with a weakened immune system, or long-term lung or heart conditions; and people who smoke tobacco and babies exposed to tobacco smoke.
In some cases, the CDC explained that RSV can lead to serious conditions like bronchiolitis (inflammation in the small airways of the lungs) or pneumonia (lung infection). It is the leading cause of both bronchiolitis and pneumonia in infants under one year old.
RSV can spread in several ways such as when someone with RSV coughs or sneezes near you or by inhaling virus droplets from a cough or sneeze that land in your eyes, nose, or mouth. It can also spread through direct contact, such as kissing the face of a child infected with RSV. One may also be infected by RSV by touching a surface contaminated with the virus and then touching your face before washing your hands.
The CDC said that anyone can catch RSV, but it is most common for infants and toddlers to experience their first infection. Nearly all children will have had RSV by their second birthday, though reinfections can happen at any age.
The CDC said that people with RSV are generally contagious for three to eight days, and may start spreading the virus a day or two before symptoms appear. However, some infants and individuals with weakened immune systems can continue to transmit the virus for up to four weeks or more, even after they no longer show symptoms.
Children are often exposed to RSV in places like schools or childcare centers, and can bring the virus home, spreading it to other family members. RSV can survive for several hours on hard surfaces such as tables and chairs, but it tends to last for a shorter time on softer surfaces such as tissues and hands.
There are ways by which one could help reduce the spread of RSV and other respiratory viruses as outlined by CDC. First, practice good hygiene by covering your coughs and sneezes, washing or sanitizing your hands often, and cleaning frequently touched surfaces. Another way is to take steps to bring in fresh outside air, purify indoor air, or gather outdoors. When sick, it will be best to stay home, isolate and stay away from others.
The US CDC recommends the RSV vaccine for all adults aged 75 and older, as well as for adults aged 60 to 74 who are at higher risk of severe RSV. The CDC added that an RSV antibody is recommended for all babies younger than eight months of age born to mothers who did not receive a maternal RSV vaccine during pregnancy.
Teodoro B. Padilla is the executive director of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines, which represents the biopharmaceutical medicines and vaccines industry in the country. Its members are in the forefront of research and development efforts for COVID-19 and other diseases that affect Filipinos.
