Experts Highlight Underreporting of RSV in Infant Respiratory Infections in India

BENGALURU: Pediatric experts in India are raising alarms over the underreporting of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), which is responsible for approximately two-thirds of respiratory infections in infants. Despite RSV being classified as a notifiable disease, routine testing remains alarmingly low, leading to significant underestimation of its impact on child health in the country.

Dr. Vasant M Khalatkar, National President of the Indian Academy of Pediatrics, emphasized this concern during a medical roundtable held on July 10, 2025. He noted that the number of reported child deaths attributed to RSV in 2024 stood at 2,360, primarily from urban areas such as Kolkata, Bengaluru, and Mumbai. "This figure is just the tip of the iceberg," he stated, indicating that many hospitals do not conduct RSV testing unless there is a major outbreak.

RSV is an airborne viral infection that spreads through respiratory droplets and can severely impact the lungs. According to Dr. Bhavesh Kotak, Head of Medical Affairs at Dr. Reddy’s, RSV typically begins with mild symptoms resembling a common cold but can escalate to severe respiratory issues, requiring hospitalization within three days. He pointed to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), which indicates that RSV causes 63% of acute respiratory infections in young children globally.

Dr. Cesar Mascarenas from Sanofi elaborated on the importance of natural immunity in infants, stating that maternal antibodies provide only temporary protection during the first month after birth. He advocated for the development and administration of vaccines as a crucial measure for safeguarding infants, particularly those under six months of age.

A comprehensive study published in The Lancet in 2023 highlighted the global burden of RSV, reporting that out of 12.9 million cases of RSV-related lower respiratory infections, 3.6 million infants required hospital care, and over 101,000 infants succumbed to the disease. Despite this alarming data, awareness and routine testing for RSV in India remain significantly lacking, as emphasized by several experts during the discussion.

This underreporting poses severe public health implications, with experts calling for increased vigilance and proactive measures to address the RSV crisis. The focus should not only be on enhancing surveillance and testing capacities but also on public education regarding the virus and its potential complications. The medical community is urged to advocate for vaccination strategies that could mitigate the burden of RSV among the most vulnerable populations, thereby reducing morbidity and mortality rates associated with this preventable illness.

As the medical community in India grapples with the challenges posed by RSV, the hope is that increased awareness and proactive health measures will lead to better outcomes for infants and young children in the future. The call to action is clear: it is time to prioritize the fight against RSV, ensuring that no child suffers unnecessarily due to lack of recognition and treatment of this common yet potentially deadly virus.