It is often most serious for infants and children under 5, older adults, pregnant women and immunocompromised people, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It can range from very mild to very severe, and is the leading cause of hospitalization for infants in the U.S. Respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, is an upper respiratory illness that can infect the lungs and cause difficulties in breathing, as well as fever and a cough. “This is the first time ever we have protections in the form of immunizations against RSV,” said Sarah Aho, program manager with the state’s immunization program. Liz Ohlsen, a staff physician with the Alaska Department of Health. “We have the opportunity to have about 80% less infant RSV in our hospitals and clinics this year,” said Dr. Two new RSV vaccines for older adults, and a new monoclonal antibody treatment that protects infants and young children from the illness, will be available in the state as soon as October, health officials said. State health officials said this month they’re hopeful newly approved RSV protections could mean significantly fewer hospitalizations in Alaska from an upper respiratory illness that crowded pediatric units last winter. (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH via AP, File) The first vaccines to guard against RSV are rolling out in 2023 for older adults and pregnant women. This electron microscope image shows human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) virions, colorized blue, and anti-RSV F protein/gold antibodies, colorized yellow, shedding from the surface of human lung cells. Updated: SeptemPublished: September 17, 2023
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