Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Factsheet

Respiratory syncytial virus FAQ

What is RSV? 

Respiratory syncytial virus, commonly known as RSV, is a virus that infects cells along the human respiratory tract, from the nose to the lungs. It can cause respiratory disease ranging from mild to life-threatening.  

What are the symptoms of RSV? 

Symptoms may differ depending on if the virus causes an upper or lower respiratory tract illness. Upper respiratory illness symptoms include runny nose, sore throat, headache, fatigue, and fever. Lower respiratory tract infection symptoms include cough, shortness of breath, fast breathing, wheezing, and spasms of the muscles around airways. 

How does a person get infected? 

RSV is transmitted from person to person via respiratory particles in the air or potentially direct contact with an infected person.  

How quickly does a person experience symptoms after infection? 

Symptoms usually present 4-7 days after exposure to the virus. 

Who is at the highest risk of severe illness due to RSV? 

Infants and young children are particularly vulnerable. Each year, the disease causes more than 3.6 million hospitalizations and about 100,000 deaths globally in children under 5 years old. Most of these deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries where health care services are limited, and about half of the total pediatric RSV deaths are in children under 6 months old.  

Older adults are also especially vulnerable to severe disease. Though global statistics on adults are scarce, in the United States, RSV causes an estimated 160,000 hospitalizations and 10,000 deaths in adults over 65 years old. 

Is there a treatment for RSV? 

There is no specific treatment (e.g., antiviral medications) — management of severe disease involves supportive care such as supplemental oxygen, fluids, antibiotics for secondary bacterial pneumonias, and nasal suction. 

Is there a vaccine for RSV? 

For adults, there are currently 3 U.S. FDA-licensed RSV vaccines available. The CDC currently recommends RSV vaccination for all individuals ≥ 75 years of age and for adults ≥ 50 years of age with risk factors such as chronic lung, liver, or cardiac disease; diabetes; residence in a nursing home; or end stage kidney disease or dialysis dependency to protect against severe RSV disease. To prevent RSV-associated lower respiratory tract infection in infants, maternal RSV vaccination during pregnancy is recommended.  

The alternative to maternal vaccination for prevention of RSV-associated lower respiratory tract infections in infants is administration of anti-RSV monoclonal antibodies, for which there are currently two options, depending on the age of the infant.  

The World Health Organization recommends that people in the third trimester of pregnancy receive an RSV vaccine, which should protect both them and the baby for approximately six months after birth. There is another antibody injection that can be given to infants entering their first RSV season or any young children with health conditions that may mean they are higher risk. 

Unfortunately, these vaccines are currently not affordable for most low-and middle-income countries, meaning many children who need them most may not be able to receive these preventative shots.