Understanding the Under-Recognised Burden and Unmet Needs in Infants and Children with Respiratory Syncytial Virus

Abstract

For this article, an interview was conducted by EMJ in June 2023 with key opinion leader, Lindsay Broadbent, Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in Virology in the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences at the University of Surrey, Guildford, UK. Broadbent specialises in respiratory virus–host interactions and subsequent innate immune responses, and the role of respiratory viruses in longer-term lung damage and the development of chronic lung disease. In this interview, Broadbent discussed the global burden of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a virus spread by micro-droplets. Broadbent highlighted RSV as a major cause of hospitalisations, particularly in children under the age of 1 year, which can impose a significant burden on health, particularly in infants, and healthcare systems globally. Broadbent provided insights into the leading risk factors of RSV, and emphasised the need for preventative measures to mitigate severe infections. Additionally, Broadbent highlighted the importance of improving the diagnosis and treatment options to address the unmet medical needs related with RSV. They called for increased awareness of RSV, and understanding of why certain infants are more susceptible to severe disease.