By Ivy Tejano
Health experts urged parents and caregivers to recognize the warning signs of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), citing the risk of severe respiratory illness among infants and young children in the Philippines.
The call was raised during a media discussion at EDSA Shangri-La in Mandaluyong City on Thursday, Oct. 15, where medical specialists talked about the burden of RSV and the need for early recognition of symptoms through the public health campaign “Bawat Hinga ay Mahalaga.”
Dr. Anna Ong-Lim, adviser and past president of the Pediatric Infectious Disease Society of the Philippines (PIDSP), said RSV circulates throughout the year in the country, with activity commonly peaking from May to November.
Data from the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine’s Department of Virology 2024 Annual Report showed that RSV-related severe respiratory infections primarily affected children below two years old. About one in four reported cases involved infants aged five months and younger.
A nine-year case-series study also identified RSV as the most frequently detected virus among Filipino children below five years old hospitalized with severe pneumonia.
RSV causes an estimated 33 million lower respiratory tract infections, 3.6 million hospital admissions, and about 100,000 deaths among children under five worldwide each year.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that its estimates for 2019 included 33 million RSV-associated lower respiratory infections, 3.6 million hospital admissions, and 101,400 deaths among children under five.
According to WHO, nearly half of the estimated deaths occurred among infants younger than six months, while 97% of pediatric RSV deaths were in low- and middle-income countries.
Lim said identifying RSV through symptoms alone can be difficult because its manifestations resemble those of other respiratory infections.
The medical expert said RSV commonly begins with cold-like symptoms but can progress to bronchiolitis, an inflammation of the small airways, or pneumonia.
“Infants younger than six months are particularly vulnerable because of their developing immune systems and narrow airways,” Lim said.
Dr. Martha Aquino, president of the Philippine Infectious Diseases Society for Obstetrics and Gynecology (PIDSOG), said most children experience at least one RSV infection by their second birthday.
Aquino said an initial infection can occur during the first months of life, when babies remain vulnerable to respiratory complications.
She said antibodies transferred from mother to child during pregnancy provide some early protection, but these antibodies naturally decline during infancy, leaving young babies susceptible to infections.
Dr. Anna Belen Alensuela, chairperson of the Reproductive Health Committee and board trustee of the Philippine Obstetrical and Gynecological Society (POGS), warned that RSV can cause serious respiratory illness, including pneumonia, among infants.
Alensuela urged parents to seek medical advice when babies develop unusual breathing patterns or show changes in feeding and activity.
Possible warning signs of RSV include wheezing, rapid or labored breathing, poor feeding, low-grade fever, unusual irritability, reduced activity, and excessive sleepiness.
“Difficulty breathing or rapidly worsening symptoms warrant urgent medical attention,” Alensuela said.
RSV spreads through respiratory droplets, direct contact with an infected person, and contact with contaminated surfaces.
Medical experts advised families to practice regular hand washing, cover coughs and sneezes, and limit infants’ exposure to people who are sick.
“There is no specific antiviral treatment routinely used for RSV in otherwise typical cases,” Lim said.
She added that treatment generally focuses on supportive care, which may include hydration, supplemental oxygen, or respiratory support depending on the severity of the illness.
The “Bawat Hinga ay Mahalaga” campaign seeks to help Filipino families understand RSV transmission, identify possible symptoms, and seek timely medical assessment.
Health experts stressed that greater awareness can help caregivers respond appropriately when an infant shows signs of respiratory distress.
