Lung and Heart Problems Lingered for Months After Flu and RSV Infections in a Review of 631,863 People
A systematic review of over 630,000 people indicates that influenza and RSV can cause long-term health problems, similar to Long COVID. Lung dysfunction after flu and heart events after RSV were consistently reported, with some individuals experiencing symptoms and reduced function for over a year.
Why it matters
This research reframes the public health calculation around the long-term costs of respiratory infections, highlighting the importance of vaccination and informing clinical care and policy, especially as respiratory virus season begins.
Long COVID made the idea familiar, but new evidence indicates that influenza and respiratory syncytial virus can also leave people unwell for months, with lung problems after flu and heart events after RSV showing up most consistently.A systematic review published in the journal Respirology pulled together 13 observational studies covering 631,863 people and spanning January 2004 through August 2025. The work was led by a team from Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore.The timing lands just as the United States moves into respiratory virus season.
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