Having This Common Respiratory Condition Triples The Risk of Dying, Scientists Warn
In recent winters, doctors have warned of a potential 'tripledemic'—a surge of three major respiratory illnesses at once. One of them is respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which typically causes mild, cold-like symptoms in healthy adults.
While RSV is most often associated with infants—it's the leading cause of hospitalization in babies under six months—it also poses a serious risk to older adults. In fact, RSV can lead to severe complications like pneumonia and chronic respiratory disease in adults over 60, resulting in an estimated 100,000 and 150,000 hospitalizations annually.
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However, doctors may have actually underestimated just how dangerous RSV can be for older adults. New research presented at the 2025 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Global conference shows adults with RSV are 2.7 times more likely to die within a year than people without an RSV infection.
Related: Signs of RSV in Older Adults According to Immunologists
Between 2011 and 2022, researchers examined medical data from 5,289 adults diagnosed with RSV. After comparing their health outcomes to 15,867 people of similar age and stature who were not infected with RSV after one year, they concluded the following.
The most significant difference between the two groups was a much higher risk of death. Based on the findings, adults of any age older than 18 faced a 2.7 higher risk of dying within one year of infection compared to the general population.
People with RSV infection had to deal with more severe health problems over all, with hospitalization rates being more than double those without RSV infection (58% vs 28%). They also demonstrated four times higher admission to the intensive care unit (5.3% vs 1.4%).
The repeated RSV-related hospital visits and complications also resulted in hefty medical bills. Over the year, people with RSV infections spent nearly $23,000 in healthcare costs compared to the estimated $10,000 adults without RSV spent.
Related: Who Actually Needs To Worry About RSV in the Coming Weeks
In one year, people with RSV infection were 3.1 times more likely to experience complications from COPD, and 4.6 times more likely to have complications from asthma.
'Exacerbations of COPD and asthma were the most common adverse clinical outcomes. These pre-existing conditions are already challenging in themselves, and RSV-ARI exacerbates their severity," said Maria João Fonseca, Ph.D., an associate director of Global Real World Evidence and Health Outcomes, Vaccines for the pharmaceutical company GSK and the study's lead author. "Because of this, it's crucial that we pay closer attention to patients with these underlying conditions to prevent further, potentially life-threatening complications.'
'One of the most striking findings from this study was the prolonged and significant impact of RSV-ARI,' Fonseca explains. 'Even after the acute phase, patients continued to experience worse outcomes compared to the general population. This underscores just how serious and enduring the effects of RSV-ARI can be.'
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As for how to protect yourself from RSV? Experts recommend getting vaccinated. (There are currently three FDA-approved RSV vaccines, including GSK's AREXY vaccine.)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention currently recommends the RSV vaccine for anyone 75 and older. That said, anyone 60 or older who is considered high risk for complications is advised to get immunized as well. If you're unsure where you fall in terms of risk factors, ask your doctor or general practitioner.
'Vaccination has proven highly effective in preventing severe outcomes from RSV," said Stanislava Bratković, a medical advisor for Vaccines at GSK and one of the study's authors. "Given the significant burden of RSV-ARI highlighted by our study, prioritizing vaccination for vulnerable populations is essential to reduce both health complications and associated costs.'
Up Next:About RSV. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
RSV in Older Adults. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Clinical and economic burden of respiratory syncytial virus in adults with acute respiratory infections – a Danish nationwide cohort study. European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Global 2025.
Maria João Fonseca, Ph.D., is an associate director of Global Real World Evidence and Health Outcomes, Vaccines for the pharmaceutical company GSK.
Stanislava Bratković is a medical advisor for Vaccines at GSK.
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