Study uncovers staggering RSV impact on US adults, with ICU admissions and in-hospital deaths notably high—prompting calls for better testing and vaccine coverage to reduce the severe toll on those most vulnerable. Study: Burden of Respiratory Syncytial Virus–Associated Hospitalizations in US Adults, October 2016 to September 2023 . Image Credit: Jarun Ontakrai / Shutterstock A study was recently conducted to estimate the prevaccine burden of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)-related hospitalizations among US adults during the pre-RSV vaccination era.
The study is published in JAMA Network Open . Background RSV infects all age groups, but the elderly, infants, and immunocompromised individuals are at a significantly higher risk of severe disease, with the virus often leading to bronchiolitis in young children and pneumonia in older adults. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections are associated with significant morbidity and mortality among US adults, especially those aged 60 years or above.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended a single dose of an RSV vaccine for adults aged 60 years or above in June 2023. These recommendations are scheduled to be updated in June 2024 to provide a single vaccine dose to all adults aged 75 years or above and to adults aged 60 to 74 who are at higher risk of developing severe RSV infections. Testing for RSV does not come under routine examinations for hospitalized adults with respiratory disease.
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