Addressing the burden of respiratory syncytial virus Introduction

摘要

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of upper and lower respiratory tract infections in infants and young children. Over half of all children are infected with RSV by one year of age, and virtually all children experience at least one RSV infection by age 2. RSV has the potential to produce significant morbidity, as well as substantial economic burden in infants and children at risk for severe RSV disease. The morbidity associated with RSV has decreased over the last two decades. However, RSV is still the leading cause of viral deaths in infants.