Hospital burden of Respiratory Syncytial Virus in children in Spain (2016–2022): A retrospective study

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is a leading cause of acute lower respiratory tract infections, particularly in children under two years of age. This study aimed to estimate the population-based burden of RSV-related hospitalizations in individuals under 19 y in Spain from 2016 to 2022. A retrospective analysis was conducted using national hospital discharge data. Hospitalization rates, mortality, case fatality, and associated healthcare costs were analyzed by age group and year. A total of 166,046 RSV-related hospitalizations were recorded (57.36% male), with 94.60% in children under 5 y and 66.22% in infants under 1 y. The highest mean hospitalization rate was observed in infants