Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) causes upper and lower respiratory tract infections, and is generally recognized as the most frequent agent for lower respiratory tract infections¹ including bronchiolitis, and a major cause of infant mortality.² Approximately 90% of children have had one, and 50% of children have had two RSV infections by the age of two.³ RSV was the leading cause of infant hospitalization from 1997 to 2000 with charges totaling more than 2.6 billion dollars for those three years. The high risk groups include infants born prematurely, children with chronic lung or congenital heart disease, and those with compromised immune systems.⁴

For more information about respiratory syncytial virus, please follow links indicated below:

• CDC Respiratory and Enteric Viruses Branch
  
• RSV Prevention Information Center
  
• RSVMD.com
  
• MedImmune, Inc. RSV FAQs
  
• eMedicine: Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection
  

¹ Fete TJ, Noyes B. Common (but not always considered) Viral Infections of the Lower Respiratory Tract. Pediatr Ann. 1996. 25(10): 577-584.
² Leader S, Kohlhase K. Recent Trends in Severe Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) among US infants, 1997 to 2000. 2003. J Pediatr. 143(5 Suppl):S127-32.
³ Samuelsson S., ed. Respiratory Syncytial Virus. EPI News. No. 24. June 12, 2002.
⁴ Meissner HC, Welliver RC, Chartrand SA, Law BJ, Weisman LE, Dorkin HL, Rodriguez WJ. Immunoprophylaxis with palivizumab, a humanized respiratory syncytial virus monoclonal antibody, for prevention of respiratory syncytial virus infection in high risk infants: a consensus opinion. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 1999;18(3):223-231.