Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection in Elderly Adults

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Abstract
Falsey et al. (April 28 issue), in their report on respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection in elderly and high-risk adults,1 claim that “the symptoms and signs of RSV infection and those of influenza were not substantially different” and also that the demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients with influenza and of those with RSV infection were similar. If the clinical manifestations of the two diseases were the same, and if the populations that were affected could not be distinguished, how do the authors explain the striking differences between the patients with influenza and those with RSV infection in the rate of office visits (42 percent vs. 17 percent, respectively) and use of antibiotics (33 percent vs. 9 percent)?