Prognosis

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection is generally self-limiting and resolves in 10-14 days.

Previously healthy infants who develop RSV bronchiolitis do not typically require hospitalisation, and most who are hospitalised improve with supportive care and are discharged after 2 or 3 days. However, approximately 1% to 3% of all children in the first 12 months of life will be hospitalised because of severe RSV lower respiratory tract disease, with the highest rate of RSV hospitalisations occurring in the first 6 months of life.[8] Worldwide, 1 out of every 200 infants is admitted to the hospital for RSV each year.[22]​​[145]

In the US, 2% to 5% of infants admitted to hospital with bronchiolitis require mechanical ventilation but mortality is low (estimated to be <0.1%).[146] In developing countries, with limited access to advanced respiratory support, in-hospital case fatality rates are estimated to be approximately 1% with the total number of infant deaths exceeding 20,000 infants per year.

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