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RSV can reach epidemic levels outside of traditional peak in disease
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Regular testing for respiratory syncytial virus should be conducted outside of the “winter” months, according to study findings published online.
Mary Allen Staat, MD, MPH, of the department of pediatric infectious disease at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, and colleagues examined data from 31 EDs across the country to examine whether lower respiratory infections caused by RSV in children aged younger than 1 year occurred outside of the traditional epidemic period from November to March.
Two consecutive seasons of RSV were examined between 2006 and 2008, and each year had three surveillance periods: Sept. 1 to Oct. 31; Jan. 15, to Feb. 15; and April 1 to May 31.
Mary Allen Staat
Staat and colleagues reported that RSV reached high levels in off-season months: “The high levels of RSV activity in September to October in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast (HHS regions 3[Philadelphia] and 4 [Atlanta]) suggest that RSV testing should be regularly conducted in these regions during this period.”
The researchers also said these results underscore the importance of testing for RSV in patients with lower respiratory infections or apnea, even during periods outside of the typical RSV season.
Disclosure: Staat reports financial ties to MedImmune, which funded the study. Other researchers reported ties to GlaxoSmithKline, MedImmune and Merck.