The findings of the study, published in the journal The Lancet, stated that severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection in the first year of life was linked with a high risk of asthma later in childhood.

Almost all children by the age of two are infected by RSV, which is a seasonal respiratory virus and causes long-term damage. It causes bronchiolitis among babies, toddlers and adolescents which is characterized by coughing and wheezing. Mild infections go away within a week but severe cases can lead to death, specifically in preterm babies or among those babies with severe lung and heart disease.

RSV affects approximately 8% of children in the United States .The INSPIRE (Infant Susceptibility to Pulmonary Infections and Asthma Following RSV Exposure) study evaluated 1,946 healthy infants aged 6 months or younger at the commencement of the RSV season.  54% of the participating neonates had RSV in the first year of life, whereas 46% did not. Results suggested that infants who were not infected with RSV during their first year of life had a 26% lower risk of asthma at the age of five.

Experts anticipate that the findings of this study may encourage long-term follow-up of common respiratory outcomes in children in ongoing clinical studies of RSV preventative technologies, such as vaccinations and monoclonal antibodies that can reduce the severity of the virus. Demonstrating the RSV vaccines efficacy against childhood asthma would increase public health awareness and immunization uptake.

(Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/lifestyle/health/early-rsv-infection-associated-to-increased-risk-of-asthma-in-children-study-101682397979308.html)