Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a significant cause of respiratory tract infections in adults, especially older people and those with chronic diseases. RSV is very contagious and spreads very easily. Therefore, knowing more about RSV in adults is crucial to identifying those people with a high risk of infection and being able to implement effective preventive measures, such as vaccination.
- RSV infection causes cold-like symptoms
The most common symptoms of RSV infection include a cough, runny nose, sore throat, headache, nasal congestion, loss of appetite and fever. These symptoms resemble those of other respiratory infections caused by other viruses, so a diagnostic test is necessary to confirm it.
While RSV infections can be self-limiting and resolve without complications, they can also progress to more serious respiratory illnesses, including pneumonia, which may require hospitalisation.
- There are groups of people at greater risk of having a severe RSV infection.
These groups of people are:
- Older people, especially those 65 years old or older.
- People over 60 years of age with chronic diseases of the lung, heart, kidney or liver, as well as those with neurological diseases or diabetes.
- People who live in nursing homes or long-term care facilities.
- Adults with a weakened immune system.
- Autumn and winter are the periods with a higher incidence of RSV infections
RSV infections typically begin in autumn and peak during the winter. RSV is transmitted from person to person through the air when someone coughs or sneezes or by direct contact through the nose, mouth or eyes after a person touches a surface infected with RSV.
Infected people can transmit the virus for up to two days before noticing symptoms and can be contagious 3-8 days after developing symptoms of infection.
- A large percentage of RSV-associated hospitalisations occur in people over 65 years of age.
A study published in November 2023 estimated the number of RSV-associated hospitalisations in 28 countries in the European Union (EU). Each year there are 158,229 hospitalisations associated with RSV in Europe. 92% of these are in people over 65 years of age.
- Simple preventive measures can limit the spread of RSV
You should wash your hands with soap and water, cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, avoid touching your face with dirty hands, keep clear of people who are sick, clean surfaces frequently and stay home when you are sick so as not to infect others.
Stopping smoking is also very important, as it is a known risk factor for respiratory infections.
- Two vaccines against RSV were approved in 2023
In 2023, two RSV vaccines were approved for people over 60 years of age: Arexvy, manufactured by GSK, and Abrysvo, manufactured by Pfizer. Clinical trials with both vaccines have demonstrated their effectiveness and safety. A single dose of either vaccine can significantly reduce the risk of severe RSV disease in people over 60 years of age.
The vaccines work by introducing an inactivated virus protein. It fuses with cells and stimulates the immune system to recognize the RSV virus when in contact with it and helps prevent serious illness.
To summarise, RSV infections in adults represent a significant public health risk and have a considerable impact on morbidity and mortality in the population.
Information documented by:
Dr. Catia Cillóniz, Pneumonia researcher in the Applied Research Group for respiratory infections and the critically ill and associate professor at the University of Barcelona.
