The burden of respiratory syncytial virus in adults in the UK
14 Aug 2024
The Burden of Respiratory Syncytial Virus in Adults in the UK
Photo by nimito/Adobe Stock
What is the issue?
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is a virus that causes acute lower respiratory tract infections such as pneumonia and bronchiolitis. It is known to be a frequent cause of respiratory tract infections in children under the age of five, particularly infants. A previous report estimated that in the UK, RSV in children aged up to five has an annual burden in terms of healthcare costs and lost productivity (among the children's parents/carers) of approximately £80m (in 2020/21 price terms).
RSV infections, however, also occur frequently during adulthood. In adults, RSV infection is often treatable using over-the-counter medications to help alleviate symptoms. For some adults, however, especially those who are elderly or in high-risk groups (e.g. those who have respiratory or cardiovascular conditions, or who are immunocompromised), RSV can lead to more serious outcomes: these cases are associated with higher rates of morbidity and mortality.
There are a limited number of studies that investigate elements of the burden of RSV in adults in the UK. No previous study has attempted to estimate the total UK burden of RSV in adults from a societal perspective.
How did we help?
Our study:
- Brings together insights from the academic literature, stakeholder consultations and economic modelling to elucidate the burden of RSV in the UK on adults.
- Considers diverse areas of burden, including on patients, the health and social care systems, and the wider economy.
The study comprised three main elements: a Rapid Evidence Assessment of the literature, consultations with key stakeholders and economic modelling.
What did we find?
The burden of RSV in adults in the UK is large with around 3.6 million cases annually. Many people do not seek NHS care, but nevertheless approximately 600,000 GP visits, 460,000 NHS 111 calls and 24,000 hospital admissions in the UK every year are attributable to adult cases of RSV.
The consequences of RSV for some adults, especially the elderly or those with comorbidities or compromised immune systems, can be severe. We estimate that 11,800 adult deaths per year in the UK are due to RSV, and further deaths may have RSV as a contributory factor.
Finally, while the incidence of severe, even fatal, illness and of high NHS costs is seen disproportionately in the 65+ population, there is also a large cost to the UK economy in terms of lost productivity of adults in the working age population who are affected by RSV.
Overall, RSV in adults in the UK imposes an economic cost burden each year of approximately £319m, of which £140m are direct costs to the NHS and £179m are indirect costs to the UK economy through lost productivity from time off work. This is in addition to 11,800 deaths and a loss of 87,000 quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) annually.
