Adults hospitalized with respiratory syncytial virus experience prolonged symptoms extending months beyond acute infection, with nearly 40% reporting persistent fatigue, breathing difficulties, and cognitive impairment at six-month follow-up. The study tracked 120 hospitalized patients and found that severe RSV creates a post-viral syndrome resembling long COVID patterns.
This finding challenges the prevailing view of RSV as primarily a pediatric concern with brief adult illness. The persistence of neurological symptoms—including memory problems and concentration difficulties—suggests RSV may trigger inflammatory cascades affecting multiple organ systems, similar to mechanisms observed in other post-viral conditions. For health-conscious adults, particularly those over 65 or with underlying conditions, these results underscore RSV's potential for lasting health impacts. The research fills a critical gap in understanding adult RSV outcomes, as most previous studies focused on immediate hospitalization metrics rather than long-term recovery. While RSV vaccines are now available for older adults, this data strengthens the case for broader prevention strategies and highlights the need for post-RSV rehabilitation protocols similar to those developed for COVID recovery.
