Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is a common and potentially dangerous respiratory virus. RSV is not a new virus, but it is often underdiagnosed in adults. RSV is a leading cause of some of the most common respiratory illnesses, like bronchiolitis and pneumonia. Not only that, RSV isn’t just a one-time thing: People can get RSV multiple times throughout their lives.
What’s Worse: RSV or Flu?
RSV can be just as dangerous as the flu. In one study of older adults in the US, the risk of hospitalization due to RSV was shown to be about twice that of the flu. In another study that looked at older adults who were hospitalized with RSV or flu, RSV led to more deaths in the first year after infection. When compared to the flu, RSV can also lead to longer hospital stays (7 or more days) with higher associated medical costs.
Signs & Symptoms
RSV can often begin with mild cold- or flu-like symptoms, but for some people, infection can lead to more serious and potentially life-threatening illnesses. Symptoms usually appear in stages—not all at once. Symptoms can include:
- Runny nose
- Coughing
- Sneezing
- Fever
- Wheezing
- Decrease in appetite
Risk factors:
Lung Disease
e.g. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Asthma
Heart Disease
e.g. Congestive Heart Failure and Coronary Artery Disease
Diabetes
Chronic Kidney or Liver Disease
Impact on your life
1National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). www.niaid.nih.gov. Updated July 7, 2022. https://www.niaid.nih.gov/diseases-conditions/respiratory-syncytial-virus-rsv
2Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection (RSV). Updated November 7, 2023. Accessed November 27, 2023. https://www.cdc.gov/rsv/index.html
3Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Older Adults Are at High Risk for Severe RSV Illness. Updated September 2023. https://www.cdc.gov/rsv/factsheet-older-adults.pdf
4Ackerson B, Tseng HF, Sy LS, et al. Severe morbidity and mortality associated with respiratory syncytial virus versus influenza infection in hospitalized older adults. Clinical Infectious Diseases. 2018;69(2):197-203. doi:10.1093/cid/ciy991
5Lin W-H, Chiu H-C, Chen K-F, et al. Molecular detection of respiratory pathogens in community-acquired pneumonia involving adults. Journal of Microbiology, Immunology and Infection. 2022;55(5):829-837. doi:10.1016/j.jmii.2021.11.009
6Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About RSV: Symptoms and Care. Updated September 6, 2023. https://www.cdc.gov/rsv/about/symptoms.html
7Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About RSV: Transmission. Published April 26, 2023. https://www.cdc.gov/rsv/about/transmission.html
8Widmer K, Zhu Y, Williams JV, Griffin MR, Edwards KM, Talbot HK. Rates of hospitalizations for respiratory syncytial virus, human metapneumovirus, and influenza virus in older adults. The Journal of Infectious Diseases. 2012;206(1):56-62. doi:10.1093/infdis/jis309
9American Lung Association. RSV in Adults. Published February 20, 2024. https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/rsv/rsv-in-adults
10National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). Published January 2024. https://www.nfid.org/infectious-disease/rsv/
11Matias G, Taylor R, Haguinet F, Schuck‐Paim C, Lustig R, Shinde V. Estimates of mortality attributable to influenza and RSV in the United States during 1997-2009 by influenza type or subtype, age, cause of death, and risk status. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses. 2014;8(5):507-515. doi:10.1111/irv.12258
12Thompson WW, Shay DK, Weintraub E, et al. Mortality associated with influenza and respiratory syncytial virus in the United States. JAMA. 2003;289(2):179. doi:10.1001/jama.289.2.179
13Savic M, Penders Y, Shi T, Branche A, Pirçon J. Respiratory syncytial virus disease burden in adults aged 60 years and older in high‐income countries: A systematic literature review and meta‐analysis. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses. 2022;17(1). doi:10.1111/irv.13031
14Branche AR, Saiman L, Walsh EE, et al. Change in functional status associated with respiratory syncytial virus infection in hospitalized older adults. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses. 2022;16(6):1151-1160. doi:10.1111/irv.13043
15Linder KA, Malani PN. RSV infection in older adults. JAMA. 2023;330(12):1200. doi:10.1001/jama.2023.16932
16Curran, D. et al. (2022) ‘Impact of respiratory syncytial virus disease on quality of life in adults aged ≥50 years: A qualitative patient experience cross‐sectional study’, Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses, 16(3), pp. 462–473. doi:10.1111/irv.12929
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