RSV Cases in Tennessee Rise, Vaccine Needed

RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) is traditionally considered a childhood infection, and it certainly infects and hospitalizes many children and infants each year in Tennessee. But, like many other viruses we get in childhood, it can return with a vengeance when we get older. The estimated average is for 177,000 hospitalizations and 14,000 deaths each year for adults. People who are aged 65 and older, who have chronic lung or heart diseases, and who have impaired immunity are particularly at risk.

Read More: With no Vaccine Available, RSV Cases on the Rise in Tennessee Adults

This summer, we saw an increase in RSV cases in Tennessee and many areas of the country with the expectation it would accelerate in the fall. The trend has played out as expected, and even more adults in Tennessee are coming down with RSV this year according to the news. As with other respiratory infections the spread is mostly from aerosolized spread when infected people cough or sneeze. Touching an infected surface and transferring the virus to your face can happen as well, but the close contact with children who have the virus is a bigger risk for many grandparents. So to protect yourself the triad of masking, social distancing, and hand-washing remains the standard recommendation.

You’re probably thinking, “What we need is a vaccine for RSV”. That’s what many other people have thought, too, so you probably know where this is leading. We have a study for a new RSV vaccine. The study runs 2 years with one dose of vaccine or placebo each year with at least 4 clinic visits and at least 2 phone calls (the schedule varies by group assignment).

We’re looking for volunteers who are aged 60 or older and in stable health. If you are interested in participating or would like more information, you can sign up at clinicalresearchassociates.com/participate or call us at 615-329-2222. If you want to learn more about RSV first, visit our web page here.

Sign up for any clinical trial here.