Impact of Respiratory Syncytial Virus and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Coinfection on Clinical Severity and Outcomes Among Children Hospitalized With Lower Respiratory Tract Infections in Soweto, South Africa

Abstract

Although both RSV and SARS-CoV-2 LRTI occurred commonly, coinfection did not. Children with RSV/SARS-CoV-2 coinfection had a higher prevalence of severe LRTI than those with RSV or SARS-CoV-2-only. These findings reinforce the urgent need for safe and effective RSV and SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, especially in children in low- and middle-income countries, where the burden of disease is the highest and the access to medical resources the lowest.