Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a respiratory virus causing infection in the lungs, nose, and throat.
RSV affects all ages — including young infants — and infects about 64 million peopleTrusted Source globally each year.
While RSV symptoms normally feel just like those of the common cold in adults and older children, it can be a much more serious disease in older adults, young children, and babies.
Researchers report that RSV is the most common causeTrusted Source of hospitalization of infants in high-income countries.
The respiratory infection is responsible for about 3.6 million lower respiratory tract hospitalizations in young children each year, with 1.4 million of those in children ages 0 to 6 monthsTrusted Source.