Down Syndrome: A Novel Risk Factor for Respiratory Syncytial Virus Bronchiolitis— A Prospective Birth-Cohort Study

Abstract

This is the first study, to our knowledge, to demonstrate that Down syndrome is a novel independent risk factor for severe respiratory syncytial virus lower respiratory tract infections. These findings should prompt studies to investigate possible mechanisms that underlie severe respiratory syncytial virus lower respiratory tract infections in children with Down syndrome. The effect of respiratory syncytial virus prophylaxis in this specific population needs to be established.