Respiratory Syncytial Virus

Breastfeeding promotion and elimination of cigarette smoke exposure reduce both incidence and severity of RSV-associated ALRI. RSV-related morbidity in older adults in Europe may be comparable in magnitude to that of influenza. RSV burden in older adults is severely underestimated due to atypical symptoms, comorbidities, and inconsistent viral testing. In older adults, 10–31% of hospitalised RSV cases require intensive care and 3–17% require mechanical ventilation. Established risk factors for RSV-associated ALRI include premature birth and congenital heart disease.