Photo Credit: Chan2545
In a recent study, researchers assessed the prevalence and impact of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) among ambulatory patients with medically attended acute respiratory illnesses (MAARI). The study was conducted across three seasons from fall 2017 to spring 2020. Through the Michigan Ford Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness study, researchers tested 4,442 participants aged 6 months and older for RSV and influenza regardless of clinical suspicion. According to the findings published online in Clinical Infectious Diseases, the study team detected RSV in 9.9% (n=441) of cases. Adults with RSV-associated MAARI exhibited higher Multimorbidity-Weighted Index scores than those with influenza or neither virus, underscoring RSV’s impact, particularly in multimorbid populations. Based on the findings, RSV is a significant contributor to outpatient MAARI across all age groups, highlighting the relevance of multimorbidity in clinical decision-making, particularly regarding vaccination strategies aimed at older adults.
