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Updated: Sep 9, 2025
An Improved and High Throughput Respiratory Syncytial Virus RSV Micro-neutralization Assay
Published on: January 26, 2019
[RSV versus SARS-CoV-2 in children : Comparison of hospitalised cases]
Alexandra Victoria Brey1, Florian Pengg2, Thomas Frischer2
1Faculty for Medicine, Sigmund Freud Private University, Freudplatz 3, 1020, Vienna, Austria. Alexandra.brey@gmx.at.
Insights
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) infections in children are more severe than SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) infections, requiring longer oxygen therapy and hospital stays. This finding highlights key differences in pediatric viral respiratory illness severity.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases
- Virology
- Respiratory Medicine
Abstract:
SARS-CoV‑2 and RSV are common viral pathogens causing acute respiratory infections. While RSV often leads to severe cases in children under two years, severe Covid-19 cases in children are rare. This study analysed 264 hospitalised children (0-12 years) with SARS-CoV‑2 or RSV infections between September 2021 and March 2022. RSV infections were more severe than SARS-CoV‑2 infections: 55% of RSV patients required oxygen therapy compared to 9.5% of SARS-CoV-2 cases (p < 0.001). The duration of oxygen therapy was 2 ± 2.6 days for RSV and 0.3 ± 1.07 days for SARS-CoV‑2. RSV patients required significantly longer O2 therapy (p < 0.001) and had longer hospital stays (p < 0.001) than SARS-CoV‑2 Omicron cases. Compared to Delta, only the O2 therapy duration was significantly longer in RSV cases (p < 0.001). Delta patients had longer hospital stays than Omicron patients (p < 0.001).
