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Children’s hospitals across Canada are reporting an increase in cases of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a common respiratory virus and major cause of respiratory illness in young children. Although serious infections most commonly occur in infants and toddlers, RSV infections contribute to morbidity caused by acute upper and lower respiratory tract infections among older children and adults.
The Ask a Librarian team is committed to curating evidence-based resources on emerging health topics. Here are some librarian-selected resources from a variety of tools offered with CMA memberships or freely available online.
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Clinical summaries
ClinicalKey – Clinical Overview: Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection (login required - CMA members only – search “RSV” and the clinical overview is the first result)
DynaMed - Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Infection in Infants and Children and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Infection in Adults (login required – CMA members only – search “RSV”)
Family Practice Notebook – Respiratory Syncytial Virus
Merck Manual Professional Edition – Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and Human Metapneumovirus Infections - Pediatrics
Guidelines and other information
National
Canadian Clinical Practice Guidelines on Respiratory Syncytial Virus – CPG Infobase
Canadian Paedatric Society – Respiratory Syncytial Virus: Preparing for the 2022-23 season in the wake of COVID-19 - Jesse Papenburg MD MSc FRCPC. Grand rounds. 2022 Sept 15.
Health Canada – Pathogen Safety Data Sheets: Infectious Substances – Respiratory syncytial virus
Public Health Agency of Canada – Respiratory Virus Detections in Canada – Respiratory Virus Detection Surveillance System collects data from select laboratories across Canada on the number of tests performed and the number of tests positive for influenza and other respiratory viruses.
Public Health Agency of Canada – Overview of the respiratory syncytial virus vaccine candidate pipeline in Canada
National Collaborating Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCCID) – Disease Debrief: Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)
International
Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) (University of Minnesota) – Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) | CIDRAP (umn.edu)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) | CDC
UK Health Security Agency – Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV): symptoms, transmission, prevention, treatment
World Health Organization – Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) disease
Book chapters
ClinicalKey (login required - CMA members only - includes 1,000+ textbooks, 600 full-text journals, images, videos and customizable patient handouts across 30+ medical specialties)
- Respiratory Syncytial Virus by H. Keipp Talbot and Edward E. Walsh Goldman-Cecil Medicine, Chapter 338, 2152-2153.e2
- Respiratory Syncytial Virus by Edward E. Walsh and Janet A. Englund in Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases, Chapter 158, 2093-2103.e6
- Respiratory Syncytial Virus by James E. Crowe in Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics, Chapter 287, 1734-1737.e1
- Respiratory Syncytial Virus by Robert C. Welliver and Caroline B. Hall in Feigin and Cherry's Textbook of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Chapter 182, 1780-1797.e6
- Respiratory Syncytial Virus by H. Cody Meissner in Principles and Practice of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Chapter 225, 1185-1188.e1
Open access:
Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf (nih.gov) By Hanish Jain; John W. Schweitzer; Nathaniel A. Justice. 2022 June 21. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan–.PMID: 34662033
Evidence reviews
CADTH – Rapid Response – In Brief: Palivizumab for Infection Prevention in Inuit Infants: A Review
CADTH – Health Technology Review - Palivizumab For Infection Prevention in Inuit Infants: A Review of the Clinical Effectiveness and Cost-Effectiveness
Articles and article collections:
- Phase 1/2a Safety and Immunogenicity of an Adenovirus 26 Vector Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Vaccine Encoding Prefusion F in Adults 18–50 Years and RSV-Seropositive Children 12–24 Months. Stuart A, Virta M, Williams K, Seppa I, Hartvickson R, Greenland M, Omoruyi E, Bastian AR, Haazen W, Salisch N, Gymnopoulou E, Callendret B, Faust SN, Snape MD, Heijnen E. Phase 1/2a Safety and Immunogenicity of an Adenovirus 26 Vector RSV Vaccine Encoding Prefusion F in Adults 18-50 Years and RSV Seropositive Children 12-24 Months. J Infect Dis. 2022 Oct 19:jiac407. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiac407. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36259542.
- Diagnostic accuracy of multiplex respiratory pathogen panels for influenza or respiratory syncytial virus infections: systematic review and meta-analysis. Jullien S, Fitzgerald F, Keddie S, Baerenbold O, Bassat Q, Bradley J, Falconer J, Fink C, Keogh R, Hopkins H, Voice M. BMC Infect Dis. 2022 Oct 13;22(1):785. doi: 10.1186/s12879-022-07766-9. PMID: 36229786
- The role of respiratory co-infection with influenza or respiratory syncytial virus in the clinical severity of COVID-19 patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Cong B, Deng S, Wang X, Li Y. J Glob Health. 2022 Sep 17;12:05040. doi: 10.7189/jogh.12.05040. PMID: 36112521
- A Systematic Literature Review of the Burden of Respiratory Syncytial Virus and Health Care Utilization Among United States Infants Younger Than 1 Year. Suh M, Movva N, Bylsma LC, Fryzek JP, Nelson CB. J Infect Dis. 2022 Aug 15;226(Suppl 2):S195-S212. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiac201. PMID: 35968876
- Cost of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections in US Infants: Systematic Literature Review and Analysis. Bowser DM, Rowlands KR, Hariharan D, Gervasio RM, Buckley L, Halasa-Rappel Y, Glaser EL, Nelson CB, Shepard DS. J Infect Dis. 2022 Aug 15;226(Suppl 2):S225-S235. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiac172. PMID: 35968875
- Systematic Literature Review of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Laboratory Testing Practices and Incidence in United States Infants and Children <5 Years of Age. Movva N, Suh M, Bylsma LC, Fryzek JP, Nelson CB. J Infect Dis. 2022 Aug 15;226(Suppl 2):S213-S224. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiac203. PMID: 35968874
- Mortality Among US Infants and Children Under 5 Years of Age with Respiratory Syncytial Virus and Bronchiolitis: A Systematic Literature Review. Bylsma LC, Suh M, Movva N, Fryzek JP, Nelson CB. J Infect Dis. 2022 Aug 15;226(Suppl 2):S267-S281. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiac226. PMID: 35968871
- Impact of COVID-19 on the Changing Patterns of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections. Garg I, Shekhar R, Sheikh AB, Pal S. Infect Dis Rep. 2022 Jul 24;14(4):558-568. doi: 10.3390/idr14040059. PMID: 35893478
- Challenges in Maximizing Impacts of Preventive Strategies against Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Disease in Young Children. Zheng Z. Yale J Biol Med. 2022 Jun 30;95(2):293-300. eCollection 2022 Jun. PMID: 35782467
- Respiratory syncytial virus-associated hospitalisation in children aged ≤5 years: a scoping review of literature from 2009 to 2021. Noble M, Khan RA, Walker B, Bennett E, Gent N. ERJ Open Res. 2022 May 30;8(2):00593-2021. doi: 10.1183/23120541.00593-2021. eCollection 2022 Apr. PMID: 35651366
- Global, regional, and national disease burden estimates of acute lower respiratory infections due to respiratory syncytial virus in children younger than 5 years in 2019: a systematic analysis. Li Y, Wang X, Blau DM, Caballero MT, Feikin DR, Gill CJ, Madhi SA, Omer SB, Simões EAF, Campbell H, Pariente AB, Bardach D, Bassat Q, Casalegno JS, Chakhunashvili G, Crawford N, Danilenko D, Do LAH, Echavarria M, Gentile A, Gordon A, Heikkinen T, Huang QS, Jullien S, Krishnan A, Lopez EL, Markić J, Mira-Iglesias A, Moore HC, Moyes J, Mwananyanda L, Nokes DJ, Noordeen F, Obodai E, Palani N, Romero C, Salimi V, Satav A, Seo E, Shchomak Z, Singleton R, Stolyarov K, Stoszek SK, von Gottberg A, Wurzel D, Yoshida LM, Yung CF, Zar HJ; Respiratory Virus Global Epidemiology Network, Nair H; RESCEU investigators. Lancet. 2022 May 28;399(10340):2047-2064. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(22)00478-0. Epub 2022 May 19. PMID: 35598608
- Collateral Impact of Public Health and Social Measures on Respiratory Virus Activity during the COVID-19 Pandemic 2020-2021. Achangwa C, Park H, Ryu S, Lee MS. Viruses. 2022 May 17;14(5):1071. doi: 10.3390/v14051071. PMID: 35632810
- RSV Prevention in All Infants: Which Is the Most Preferable Strategy? Esposito S, Abu Raya B, Baraldi E, Flanagan K, Martinon Torres F, Tsolia M, Zielen S. Front Immunol. 2022 Apr 28;13:880368. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.880368. eCollection 2022. PMID: 35572550
Patient information
Breathe – the Lung Association – Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)
Canadian Paediatric Society – Caring for kids - RSV (Respiratory syncytial virus)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – RSV in Infants and Young Children
Familydoctor.org – Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) - RSV Symptoms
HealthLink BC – Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Infection
MedlinePlus – Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections | RSV
National Foundation for Infectious Diseases – Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)
UpToDate – Patient education: Bronchiolitis and RSV in infants and children (Beyond the Basics)
Social media, news and other sources
- CBC News – What to know about RSV, a virus surging among young children in Canada, 2022 Oct 27
- New York Times – US Children’s Hospitals Are Overwhelmed by RSV, 2022 Nov 1
- Twitter Search - #RSV
Searching for respiratory syncytial virus information:
- Google search (limit to Canadian websites/.ca domain) - Search for Respiratory Syncytial Virus
- Google Scholar - Search for Respiratory Syncytial Virus
- PubMed – US National Library of Medicine – Search for Respiratory Syncytial Virus
Need more information on RSV or any other clinical topic of interest? Contact the Ask a Librarian team to request a literature search.
This material is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice and should not be relied on as health or personal advice. The opinions stated by the authors are made in a personal capacity and do not necessarily reflect those of the Canadian Medical Association and its subsidiaries including Joule.
About the author(s)
CMA Joule’s medical librarians are the professionals behind “Ask a Librarian”, a service for all CMA members looking for clinical search expertise. This experienced team of librarians can support you by searching on your behalf, teaching you effective search strategies or training you to use our clinical resources.