RSV has caused more deaths of young children than covid-19 in Brazil

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The respiratory syncytial virus (known by the acronym RSV) has caused more deaths from severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in children under two years of age than covid-19 in the last eight weeks. This is what the InfoGripe bulletin, from the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), which analyzes cases of death and hospitalizations caused by SARS across the country, published on Thursday, 25, indicates.

In general, the document, based on data from the 16th epidemiological week, which was from April 14th to 20th, points to the growth in the number of hospitalizations caused by SARS in most of the country, with emphasis on those caused by RSV, influenza A (flu) and rhinovirus. The more intense circulation of RSV is what has led to a significant increase in the incidence and mortality of SARS in children up to 2 years of age, according to Fiocruz.

According to the bulletin, even if Covid-19 shows an apparent drop or stability at low levels, it is still the main cause of mortality from SARS among the elderly. Despite this, with the increase in circulation of the influenza A virus, which causes the flu, the number of deaths caused by this condition is approaching that of Covid-19, especially in the last month, according to the report.

According to the bulletin, 23 states show a long-term growth trend in SARS cases. They are: Acre, Alagoas, Amazonas, Bahia, Ceará, Federal District, Goiás, Maranhão, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Pará, Paraíba, Paraná, Pernambuco, Rio Grande do Norte, Rio Grande do Sul, Rio de Janeiro, Rondônia, Santa Catarina, Sergipe, São Paulo and Tocantins.

The RSV

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the main cause of acute respiratory infections in children up to 2 years of age. It is responsible for most cases of bronchiolitis (75%) and almost half of pneumonia (40%) in this age group, according to the Brazilian Society of Pediatrics (SBP).

This is a very common virus in young children. It is estimated that, out of every ten children, four to six are infected with RSV in the first year of life, and almost 100% by the age of two.

Another characteristic of RSV is its seasonality: it circulates mainly in autumn and winter, especially in the months of May and April. In recent years, however, this cycle has been atypical. During the pandemic, due to social isolation, he circulated less. But now, it appears to have resumed its pace, which helps explain the increase in infections.