Respiratory Syncytial Virus-A in Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2-Negative Pediatric Patients: Insights from Tertiary Healthcare Center in Pune

Summary The global impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has raised concerns regarding the potential risk of respiratory viruses in children. Although respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and SARS-CoV-2 exhibit similar clinical manifestations, the detection of RSV has decreased. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the role of RSV in pediatric cases that tested negative for SARS-CoV-2. A total of 106 cases, aged 4 days–18 years, from October 1, 2021, to March 31, 2022, were tested for RSV-A using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Samples were tested for RSV-A using conventional PCR. RSV-A was detected in 34% of cases with the highest prevalence (25.5%) in school-going children aged 6–12 years. This reinforces the significance of RSV-A as a prevalent viral pathogen among young children. These results highlight the importance of preventive measures and/or efficient antiviral medication to lower the illness load in young infants.