Prevention of Respiratory Syncytial Virus RSV

What You Need To Know

• In June 2023, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended that adults aged >60 years may receive a single dose of RSV vaccine, using shared clinical decision-making.
• Healthcare professionals should consider RSV in patients with respiratory illness, particularly during the RSV season which typically begins in the fall and peaks in the winter, and those aged 60 and older.

Clinical symptoms of RSV are nonspecific and can overlap with other viral respiratory infections, as well as some bacterial infections. Several types of laboratory tests are available for confirming RSV infection. These tests may be performed on upper and lower respiratory specimens. The following are the most used types of RSV clinical laboratory tests:

• Real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR), which is more sensitive than culture and antigen testing.
• Antigen testing, which is highly sensitive in children but not sensitive in adults.

For both vaccine products, (Arexvy, GSK and Abrysvo, Pfizer), vaccination with a single dose demonstrated moderate to high efficacy in preventing symptomatic RSV-associated lower respiratory tract disease.

For More Information

Please contact the Communicable Disease Service at 609-826-5964 with any questions.