Respiratory Syncytial Virus Laboratory Data (NREVSS)

Approximately 600 public health and clinical laboratories located throughout the United States, participate in surveillance for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) through CDC's National Respiratory and Enteric Virus Surveillance System (NREVSS). The dataset contains a weekly summary of the total RSV tests and RSV detections reported to NREVSS. These data are reported on a voluntary basis. Clinical laboratories do not report demographic data through NREVSS. Testing practices and the number of participating laboratories may change from year to year. Results can be changed two years after the initial reporting week. However, discrepancies may be noted and updated at the discretion of the data stewards and key stakeholders.

Data are collected from collaborating university and community hospital laboratories, select states and county public health laboratories, and commercial laboratories. This information is submitted and updated on a weekly basis.

While NREVSS strives to present the most precise national, regional and state respiratory viral trends with the least amount of burden possible for participating laboratories, there are a number of inherent limitations to this surveillance system.

NREVSS does not collect patient-data or demographic information. Multiple samples may be collected from a single patient, so NREVSS results do not necessarily reflect the number of patients tested nor does it reflect hospitalizations or deaths related to a particular virus.

Participating laboratories vary in size, testing capabilities, and areas served. Some institutions may receive and test samples from sites across a given state or even from multiple states. Without direct knowledge of the population base, NREVSS cannot be used to determine the prevalence or incidence of infection.

For more information on RSV surveillance and research please visit: https://www.cdc.gov/surveillance/nrevss and https://www.cdc.gov/rsv/research/us-surveillance.html
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