Respiratory Syncytial Virus News and Research

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RFK Jr. made promises in order to become health secretary. He’s broken many of them.

One year after taking charge of the nation’s health department, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. hasn’t held true to many of the promises he made while appealing to U.S. senators concerned about the longtime anti-vaccine activist’s plans for the nation’s care.

13 Feb 2026

Survey shows growing public familiarity with RSV vaccines and antibody injections

Amid a surprisingly severe flu season and a Covid-19 resurgence, those highly contagious respiratory illnesses are drawing the largest share of media coverage and public attention.

21 Jan 2026

Vaccines are helping older people more than we knew

Let's be clear: The primary reason to be vaccinated against shingles is that two shots provide at least 90% protection against a painful, blistering disease that a third of Americans will suffer in their lifetimes, one that can cause lingering nerve pain and other nasty long-term consequences.

14 Jan 2026

The CDC just sidelined these childhood vaccines. Here’s what they prevent.

The federal government has drastically scaled back the number of recommended childhood immunizations, sidelining six routine vaccines that have safeguarded millions from serious diseases, long-term disability, and death.

6 Jan 2026

RSV can have profound, long-lasting effects in hospitalized adults

Respiratory syncytial virus, commonly known as RSV, is often associated with cold-like symptoms in young children.

11 Dec 2025

Early RSV infection turns maternal allergy into a powerful driver of childhood asthma

Early-life RSV infection and parental allergy interact to substantially increase childhood asthma risk, supported by population data from more than 1.5 million children and mechanistic mouse experiments. The study shows that viral infection reprograms neonatal immune responses by altering how maternally transferred allergen-specific antibodies are handled, driving long-term allergic airway disease.

8 Dec 2025

Early-infancy infection with RSV increases the risk of developing childhood asthma

Belgian scientists from VIB and Ghent University (UGent), together with Danish collaborators, have uncovered compelling evidence that early-infancy infection with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) significantly increases the risk of developing childhood asthma-especially in children with a family history of allergy or asthma.

29 Nov 2025

Year-round access to RSV immunization may reduce major seasonal outbreaks

Providing year-round access to RSV immunization would minimize the risk of large seasonal outbreaks across the nation, including in both urban and rural areas.

26 Nov 2025

'Mental model' approach shown to reduce effects of misinformation about mRNA vaccines

Correcting misinformation after it has gone viral is a common way of informing the public that what they've encountered may be inaccurate, lack context, be unproven, or be demonstrably false.

24 Nov 2025

Waning immunity and falling vaccination rates fuel pertussis outbreaks

Rates of pertussis, also known as whooping cough, are surging in Texas, Florida, California, Oregon, and other states and localities across the country.

20 Nov 2025

Preparing for the respiratory virus season: A guide for families

As respiratory virus season begins, pediatric experts are preparing for an expected rise in cases of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), which can cause cold-like symptoms in most people but serious illness in infants and older adults.

17 Nov 2025

AI and protein language models can accelerate the design of antiviral antibodies

Artificial intelligence (AI) and "protein language" models can speed the design of monoclonal antibodies that prevent or reduce the severity of potentially life-threatening viral infections, according to a multi-institutional study led by researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

5 Nov 2025

COVID-19, RSV, and flu vaccines remain safe and effective

The systematic review provides crucial insights into the efficacy and safety of respiratory virus vaccines, supporting evidence-based immunization practices.

3 Nov 2025

Study reveals impact of viral combinations on infant respiratory illness severity

A new study led by researchers at National Jewish Health has revealed that, while a wide range of viruses can cause lower respiratory tract illnesses (LRIs) in infants, certain viruses and viral combinations dramatically increase the risk of severe disease.

24 Oct 2025

A parent's guide to manage pediatric respiratory illnesses during the virus season

As we head deeper into fall and toward the holiday season, your little one may start to exhibit symptoms like a runny nose, cough, or fever.

24 Oct 2025

Research opens new avenues for treating asthma and other inflammatory diseases

For decades, scientists have thought they understood the biochemical machinery that causes asthma-inflammation in the lungs that constricts airways and makes it hard to breathe.

23 Oct 2025

Despite the hoopla, vaccines should be in reach this cough-and-cold season

For people whose autumn agenda includes getting vaccinated against respiratory diseases — covid, flu, and, for some, RSV — this year may be surprisingly routine.

22 Oct 2025

HEPA purifiers do not fully reduce classroom viral exposure

In a secondary analysis of a study of 200 classrooms, Mass General Brigham researchers found respiratory viral exposures were still high in those with HEPA purifiers, suggesting additional interventions are needed.

10 Oct 2025

RSV vaccines protect two most-at-risk groups from severe illness

The review demonstrates that vaccines for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are both safe and effective in protecting groups who are most at risk for serious illness, including older adults and infants.

29 Sep 2025

Nirsevimab sharply cuts RSV hospitalizations in U.S. infants during the 2024–2025 season

In a nationwide EHR cohort of over 400,000 U.S. infants during the 2024–2025 RSV season, nirsevimab use was linked to a 77% lower risk of RSV-related hospitalization. The study also found reduced ICU admissions and intubations, supporting broad seasonal protection in routine care.

28 Sep 2025