RSV infections linked to higher rates of air sample positivity in hospitalized patients
A study in the Journal of Medical Virology found that patients with RSV are more likely to shed viral RNA into the air compared to those with influenza. Additionally, a separate report links an outbreak of MRSA infections among children to the use of inflatable bouncy castles.
Why it matters
Provides new insights into airborne viral transmission patterns and highlights unexpected public health risks in recreational settings.
Share Copied to clipboard LightFieldStudios / iStock A recent study in the Journal of Medical Virology compared hospitalized patients with influenza A (IAV) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) to measure the presence of viral RNA in air samples collected near hospitalized patients.
Hospitalized patients in the Netherlands with positive nasopharyngeal swabs for RSV or IAV infection between December 18, 2024, and April 23, 2025, were included in the study. Thirty-nine of the patients had influenza, and 21 had RSV. Air samples taken 2 minutes apart, about 20 inches above and below the patients’ heads.
Overall, 18 of 60 (30%) patients had at least one positive air sample. “Air samples were significantly more frequently positive in patients infected with RSV compared to those infected with IAV: 57% versus 15%, respectively,” the authors wrote.
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