RESPIRATORY syncytial virus (RSV) remains a leading cause of pediatric respiratory infections, with a new study highlighting its widespread co-infections and severe clinical outcomes in hospitalized children. Conducted at the Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, researchers analyzed 5,021 pediatric patients admitted with respiratory infections between July 2021 and November 2023, using targeted next-generation sequencing (tNGS) to detect pathogens. The findings reveal that RSV was present in 21.5% of cases, with the vast majority (91.4%) of RSV-positive children experiencing co-infections with other pathogens.
Among these co-infections, RSV-viral-bacterial combinations were the most prevalent, detected in 48.5% of cases, followed by RSV-viral co-infections in 13.1%. The study identified 43 additional microorganisms among RSV-positive patients, with cytomegalovirus, Haemophilus influenzae, and Streptococcus pneumoniae being the most common. These co-infections often resulted in severe clinical courses, as 15.9% of RSV-infected children required ICU admission for closer monitoring and treatment.
The median hospital stay for RSV-positive children was eight days, and while 94.9% of patients recovered and were discharged, the study reported one fatality despite intensive care. Notably, 5.0% of cases resulted in voluntary discharge due to unsatisfactory outcomes or other reasons. These findings underscore RSV’s significant burden on pediatric healthcare and highlight the need for improved prevention and intervention strategies, including vaccine development.
With RSV’s high prevalence and the frequent occurrence of co-infections leading to severe complications, healthcare providers must remain vigilant in early diagnosis and management. This research provides critical insights that could shape future RSV treatment protocols and reinforce the urgency of advancing RSV vaccination efforts.
Reference: Fu C et al. Epidemiological and clinical profiles of respiratory syncytial virus infections in hospitalized children: a retrospective cohort study utilizing targeted next-generation sequencing. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. 2025. doi: 10.1007/s10096-025-05112-w. [Online ahead of print].
Anaya Malik | AMJ
