Experts in Ho Chi Minh City emphasise the importance of early RSV prevention in infants amidst rising hospital admissions and recent government classification of the virus as a dangerous infectious disease.
Experts in Ho Chi Minh City are urging parents to take respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, seriously in the first year of a child’s life, saying that earlier prevention can lower the risk of severe illness and hospital admission. At a workshop on 22 August, specialists said the virus is a major cause of respiratory infection in infants and young children, and that protecting babies before they become ill is far more effective than waiting for symptoms to worsen.
The scale of the problem is substantial. Studies discussed at the event suggested RSV is linked to more than 2 million hospital admissions in children each year and tens of thousands of infant deaths worldwide. In Việt Nam, the Health Ministry’s decision on 1 July to classify RSV as a Group B infectious disease placed it alongside illnesses considered dangerous because they can spread quickly and cause death. That change underlines how seriously health officials now view the virus.
Doctors said RSV affects people of all ages, but babies under one year are at particular risk because their immune systems are still developing. The virus spreads through respiratory droplets, close contact and contaminated surfaces, and most children will catch it by age 2. It can start with what looks like a common cold, including a runny nose, cough, fever and reduced appetite, before progressing to bronchiolitis or pneumonia, with signs such as wheezing, rapid breathing and difficulty breathing.
Specialists at the workshop said there is no specific cure for RSV, which makes prevention especially important. Options include vaccination during pregnancy and monoclonal antibodies given after birth, which can provide immediate protection to infants. Public health experts said reducing severe cases would help ease pressure on hospitals during the respiratory virus season, when demand for care tends to rise.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
