New Study Estimates 1 in 50 Child Deaths Due to RSV

A new study estimates that 1 in 50 deaths of healthy children under age 5 worldwide is due to respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, which is currently surging in the US. In high-income countries, researchers estimate that 1 in 56 babies who are born on time and are healthy will be hospitalized with RSV in the first year of life. While there are fewer RSV deaths, the virus still causes substantial morbidity, and even hospitalization can have serious effects, said Kristina Deeter, M.D., specialty medical officer for pediatric critical care at Pediatrix® Medical Group. “Whether that is just traumatic psychosocial, emotional issues after hospitalization or even having more vulnerable lungs – you can develop asthma later on, for instance, if you’ve had a really severe infection at a young age – it can damage your lungs permanently,” said Dr. Deeter, who was not involved in the new study. “It’s still an important virus in our world and something that we really focus on. It’s kind of the bread and butter of a pediatric ICU.”

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