A new study recently published in Open Forum Infectious Diseases found that adults are more likely to experience severe infections from RSV if they have certain high-risk conditions (HRC). CIDRAP has the news.

Asthma, congenital immunodeficiency, chronic kidney diseases, having received an organ transplant, and being on immunosuppressive medications all raised the likelihood of experiencing a severe infection. People with an HRC were "62% more likely to get lower respiratory tract disease."

Researchers at Mayo Clinic found that the "rate of this type of RSV-associated illness increased to a 117% higher risk among HRC adults who are under 50." The risk of acute respiratory illness from RSV was not different in a statistically significant way between those with an HRC and those without.

The authors of the study note that it is the "largest U.S. prospective, community-based RSV surveillance study to include people younger than 60 years with HRCs published since 2005." They added that the findings "may be justified to expand the [CDC's] recommendation of the RSV vaccine to adults under 50."