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Asthma and Respiratory Medicine

Respiratory syncytial virus: Understanding the patient journey and healthcare burden

02 October 2024
Clinical
02 October 2024
Volume 1 · Issue 2

Abstract

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the most common cause of bronchiolitis in infants in the United Kingdom (UK), contributing to a significant burden of disease for the healthcare system and healthcare professionals (HCPs). To understand how an infant with RSV can impact the various levels of the healthcare system, we explore the patients' and caregivers' experiences through the system using available literature, which was supplemented through interviews with two separate caregivers of infants with a previous diagnosis of RSV disease.

In the UK, most infants (~60%) will have experienced an RSV infection by their first birthday. Of these, some will require multiple healthcare encounters, including hospitalisations and admission to paediatric intensive care units. The burden of RSV disease extends beyond the healthcare system, with a substantial impact on the caregivers of affected infants.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common virus affecting people of all ages (Jain et al, 2017). It often presents as a mild, self-limiting upper respiratory tract infection, with individuals remaining contagious for 3 to 8 days (Jain et al, 2017). However, in certain populations, including infants, infection can lead to severe disease requiring hospitalisation (Jain et al, 2017).

Every year, around 12 children for every 100 under the age of 5 years in England have a GP consultation due to RSV infection (Cromer et al, 2017). Many more will be seen by the wider primary care team, including health visitors, who will direct parents to the appropriate services. Those with severe signs and symptoms are often referred to secondary care services resulting in more than 16 000 hospitalisations in this age group annually (Reeves et al, 2017). Severe disease can manifest as bronchiolitis and pneumonia, and even lead to death (Jain et al, 2017). RSV incidence is generally seasonal, with a winter predominance in temperate climates. In the UK, seasons typically begin in October, peak in December, and last until February or March (Jain et al, 2017).

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Respiratory syncytial virus
Bronchiolitis
Incidence
Burden of disease