Author: Jane Tuckerman, Senior Research Officer, Murdoch Children's Research Institute

As winter rolls on in Australia, respiratory viruses are everywhere. One of the main culprits is respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, which has caused more than 145,000 infections around the country so far this year. Most are in children under five. RSV is the leading cause of bronchiolitis and pneumonia (both chest infections) in young children. Each year, at least one in 200 children under five are hospitalised with RSV in Australia. Babies under six months, and especially under three months, are at highest risk. RSV infects the airways and lungs, making airway mucus very sticky. Young babies may develop…