In addition to the Flu Wave: RSV Season has Begun

How widespread the Respiratory Syncytial Virus will be is unpredictable, the Association of Vaccine Manufacturers (ÖVIH) informed on Monday in a press release and warned of severe disease courses in infants and older people. Seniors and pregnant women can get vaccinated, and there has recently been free passive immunization for newborns.

Start of RSV Season

The RSV network ÖRSN at the MedUni Vienna has already registered positive RSV detections. Similar is seen in the hospital. According to the SARI dashboard (Severe Acute Respiratory Infections), 142 people have so far had to be admitted to the hospital with the cold virus, the ÖVIH reported. It is not too late to get vaccinated or to have the offspring immunized. Almost every fifth hospital admission in children under five years of age is due to an RSV disease and the risk of a severe course increases again in old age, it was explained.

"In younger, healthy people, the virus usually only causes a kind of cold with cough and runny nose, but in older people - especially those with pre-existing conditions in the area of the lungs or the cardiovascular system - it can become dangerous. This is also shown by a current study that was carried out at our AKH and has now been submitted for publication," said Stefan Winkler, deputy head of the Clinical Department for Infections and Tropical Medicine at the MedUni Vienna. "We compared hospitalization rates and clinical courses of RSV and influenza infections. Even though there were fewer hospital admissions due to RSV than influenza, the mortality rate among RSV patients was even higher," Winkler emphasized.

Flu Wave and Pneumonia

The Austrian Health Insurance Fund (ÖGK) also warned of the still rising flu wave. "There is still a strong influenza virus activity throughout Austria," reported ÖGK chief physician Andreas Krauter. "The sick leave numbers have continued to rise in calendar week four due to the real flu and flu-like infections, especially due to the viruses Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09, Influenza A(H3N2) and Influenza B(Victoria). These three virus strains are included in the current flu vaccine, which significantly increases the vaccine effect. The flu vaccination usually takes about ten to 14 days to fully take effect," he still recommended vaccination.

Since the end of the Corona pandemic, an increase in respiratory infections has been observed in several countries, the Vienna Medical Association informed in a press release. In addition to known pathogens such as rhino, corona, influenza and RSV viruses, those that are less familiar outside of specialist circles are increasingly the cause. A clustering of pneumonia is currently being observed in Vienna's practices, it was explained.

To counteract this, diagnostics are needed: "Antibiotics are effective against bacterial, but not viral infections. The widespread use of so-called CRP rapid tests in practices could reliably identify bacterial diseases in advance and thus initiate effective antibiotic therapy specifically," emphasized Chamber Vice President Naghme Kamaleyan-Schmied. "At the same time, in the case of a viral infection, antibiotic treatment can be ruled out and immediate therapy can be started, which would shorten the course of the disease and sick leave."

(APA/Red)

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