Your active lifestyle could be brought to a halt by RSV

RSV = Respiratory Syncytial Virus

Being an older adult can put you at increased risk for severe infections from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)1,2

If you’re an older adult, RSV could cut your plans short.1,2

While you may be doing everything you can to stay healthy, the immune system typically weakens with older age, and has a harder time fighting off infections, such as those from RSV.3

While RSV infections are typically mild, there is still a possibility it could pose a severe threat, especially in older adults.1

Part of that severe threat is that RSV infection can cause serious complications, such as exacerbation of congestive heart failure (CHF), asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in older adults.4

In older adults, RSV is a significant cause of pneumonia and other severe lower respiratory tract complications. RSV can cause severe infections that may lead to hospitalization in adults aged 60 and older and adults living with certain underlying conditions like CHF, asthma, and COPD.2,4-5

DO YOU KNOW RSV?

True or false: Only babies can contract RSV.

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False. People of all ages can get RSV. 1

1 in 20 people aged ≥ 65 years test positive for RSV in Singapore.6

Some older adults (aged ≥60) hospitalized with RSV may require certain aid upon being discharged, such as: 5
  • Taking on a home health service
  • Moving to a skilled nursing facility
  • Moving to a residential facility or nursing home

Certain people hospitalized with RSV may even have to be readmitted to the hospital 6 months after discharge.5

Did you know?

Among older adults 60 years of age and older in industrialized countries,* RSV causes approximately 470,000 hospitalizations. Of those hospitalizations, ~7% result in death.7

*High-income countries include the United States, Canada, Europe, Japan, and South Korea. No incidence data were available for South Korea

Remember, there is no specific treatment for RSV in adults, but learning who is at risk of severe infections from RSV can help protect you and your loved ones.3

Reference

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1. CDC. Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection (RSV) About RSV. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/rsv/about/index.html. Last Accessed: May 2025

2. Branche AR;Clin Infect Dis;2022;74;1004-1011

3. Kaler J;Cureus;2023;15;1-17

4. American Lung Association. RSV in Adults. Available at: https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/rsv/rsv-in-adults. Last Accessed: May 2025

5. Tseng HF;The Journal of Infectious Diseases;2020;222;1298-1310

6. Ang LW;Influenza Other Respi Viruses;2020;14;412–419

7. Savic M;Influenza Other Respi Viruses;2022;1–10