RSV: an overview of infection in adults

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection was originally considered to be simply a disease of childhood. However, it has increasingly been recognized that the virus may also cause infection in adults. Furthermore, great strides have been made in understanding the clinical manifestations, as well as aspects of its management and prevention, requiring the need for greater awareness of the various aspects of this infection in adults.

There are several potential reasons that RSV may have been overlooked in adults. Firstly, it was due to a lack of knowledge that this infection could occur in this age group. Secondly, there was infrequent testing for RSV infection in adults, both for this reason and because RSV antigen testing in adults is less sensitive than in children. Thirdly, RSV diagnosis, therefore, required the performance of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing, which is both expensive and underutilized. Finally, there was also the belief at that time that if the infection was due to RSV, there was little one could do to about it in terms of treatment and/or prevention. More recently, however, enormous advances have been made particularly in the management and prevention of this infection. This manuscript, which is an extensive literature review, describes the modern understanding of the burden of infection, the clinical presentation, risk factors, immunopathogenesis, management, and prevention of RSV infections in adults.

RSV virus is a common cause of respiratory tract infections in adults and advances in recent research have not only enhanced our knowledge of this infection but have led to the development of effective treatment and prevention of the infection.