Respiratory Syncytial Virus

1. RespiratorySyncytialVirus ARIAtlas.org

2. Global Impact • In 2005, 33 million new cases of RSV infection occurred in children under five, and 3.4 million of them were severe enough to require hospitalization. RSV is the most frequent reason that children in the developed world are hospitalized during the winter months.

3. Global Impact • RSV infection is estimated to kill between 66,000 and 199,000 children annually. Virtually all of these deaths occur in developing countries, where the population is more vulnerable and supportive care less available. • An estimated 10,000 RSV-associated deaths occur every year among the over-65 population in the United States. (There is no comparable estimate of RSV in the elderly population worldwide.)

4. Seven times more children in the developing world die from RSV than in the developed world. Percent of Fatalities among RSV Cases Source: ARIAtlas.org, World Lung Foundation 2010

5. RSV, while far less familiar than pneumonia or influenza, is the most common source of severe respiratory illness in infants and children worldwide. Source: ARIAtlas.org, World Lung Foundation 2010

6. Actions That Make a Difference • More data about RSV is vital. Strategies for prevention and treatment cannot move forward without more information about the epidemiology of the disease. • Vaccines offer the best opportunity to prevent RSV. Once an effective vaccine becomes available, strategies to immunize vulnerable populations will be essential.