Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection Prophylaxis (RSVP) Guidelines

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common viral pathogen that causes annual epidemics of lower respiratory tract infection with significant morbidity and mortality in young children, particularly those with congenital heart disease (CHD). The RSV season typically runs from October through March; this may vary from year to year and cases may appears earlier or later in different geographic locations. Palivizumab (Synagis®) is a monoclonal antibody used for preventing serious lower respiratory tract disease caused by RSV in children at high risk of the disease. Palivizumab is not a vaccine and needs to be given as a course of monthly injections for as long as the risk of RSV infection remains.