Parents across Greater Manchester, East Lancashire and East Cheshire are being urged to support a new respiratory virus study looking into the UK’s leading cause of infant hospitalisation.
RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) is one of the leading causes of hospitalisation in all infants worldwide and affects 90% of children before the age of two.
It is estimated that amongst children in the UK, RSV accounts for about 450,000 GP consultations, 29,000 hospitalisations and around 80 deaths per year, the majority occurring in babies.
RSV often causes only mild illnesses, like a cold. However, for some babies, it leads to more severe lung problems such as bronchiolitis and pneumonia.
In recent months, there has been a resurgence of RSV following the easing of COVID-19 public health measures.
The ground-breaking HARMONIE study is taking place at several sites across the region, including the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital (RMCH), part of Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT).