Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a common respiratory infection in children, has increasingly been identified as a leading cause of respiratory disease in the elderly. Continuing rates of aging and increased access to community living in long-term care facilities may increase the spread of RSV among the elderly across the Asia-Pacific (*APAC) region, according to GlobalData, a leading data analytics company.

The company’s latest report, ‘Respiratory Syncytial Virus: Epidemiology Forecast in Asia-Pacific Markets to 2028’, reveals that by 2028 more than 9.3 million adults will live in long-term care institutions in the APAC, up from 5.8 million in 2018.

Topias Lemetyinen, Managing Epidemiologist at GlobalData, states: “Although historically underused in the APAC, the number of long-term care institutions is rapidly on the rise as the number of elderly in the APAC continues to grow. Changes in cultural practice and increased development of new long-term care facilities, in conjunction with a rapidly growing elderly population, is the predominant force behind this growth.

“RSV is a major concern for the elderly population. Untreated RSV, a leading cause of pneumonia in the elderly, can lead to serious complications which can lead to hospitalization and death. Ensuring the elderly are treated with adequate prophylaxis will be a major concern for long-term care institutions in the future.”

*APAC: Japan, Australia, Urban China, India and South Korea