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What factors increase the risk of RSV?

Page last updated 10 December 2024

All children and adults are at risk of RSV. Up to 79% of children admitted to hospital with the infection are healthy and have no underlying medical conditions.10-12

    Despite everyone being at risk, there are some factors which may increase the likelihood of infection and developing severe illness from RSV:

    1. Age.

    • Babies aged under 12 months, especially those under 6 months, have underdeveloped immune systems and smaller, more fragile airways.13,14
    • Older adults are more susceptible to severe infection. This is because the immune system becomes less effective with age.4,13

    2. Underlying health conditions.

    • Children aged 2 years and under with conditions such as chronic lung disease or congenital heart disease are more at risk.1 
    • Older adults with conditions such as chronic heart or lung disease or weakened immune systems are more at risk.1 

    3. Pre-term delivery or low birth weight.

    • Children 2 years and under born pre-term or with a low birth weight have an increased risk of infection.1

    4. Month of birth.

    • Babies born before or at the start of the RSV season are exposed to RSV for the entire season, which may increase their risk of RSV infection.1

    Sources & Citations

    1. NSW Government. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). 2024. Available at: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/factsheets/Pages/respiratory-syncytial-virus.aspx (accessed November 2024).
    4. Lung Foundation Australia. Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). 2024. Available at: https://lungfoundation.com.au/patients-carers/living-with-a-lung-disease/other-lung-conditions/respiratory-syncytial-virus-rsv/ (accessed November 2024). 
    10. Hall CB, et al. Respiratory syncytial virus-associated hospitalizations among children less than 24 months of age. Pediatrics. 2013;132(2):e341–8.
    11. Arriola CS, et al. Estimated Burden of Community-Onset Respiratory Syncytial Virus-Associated Hospitalizations Among Children Aged <2 Years in the United States, 2014-15. J Pediatric Infect Dis Soc. 2020;9(5):587–95.
    12. Rha B, et al. Respiratory Syncytial Virus-Associated Hospitalizations Among Young Children: 2015-2016. Pediatrics. 2020;146(1):e20193611.
    13. Simon AK et al. Evolution of the immune system in humans from infancy to old age. Proc Biol Sci. 2015;282(1821):20143085.
    14. Di Cicco M et al. Structural and functional development in airways throughout childhood: Children are not small adults. Pediatr Pulmonol 2021;56(1):240–251.
    15. Mira‐Iglesias A, et al. Role of age and birth month in infants hospitalized with RSV-confirmed disease in the Valencia Region, Spain. Influenza Other Respir Viruses. 2022;16(2):328–39.

    MAT-AU-2402202-1.0 – 12/2024