It’s one of the most common seasonal viruses threatening children, and one for which we are low on ammunition.

But pharmaceutical companies are well aware of the gap in protection against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) — and it’s destined to be the name on every parent’s lips when a vaccine comes to market.

The race is now on for an RSV vaccine to combat the annual estimated 3.4 million hospitalisations globally for children aged five and under.1

While most cases present as an upper respiratory tract infection, the virus is a common precursor to more serious sequelae such as bronchiolitis  and pneumonia — as GPs are only too aware.