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Here’s a summary of the BMC Infectious Diseases article from January 28, 2026 on estimating the burden of RSV‑ and influenza‑associated emergency department (ED) visits, hospitalizations, ICU admissions, and deaths across age and socioeconomic groups in New York State (2005–2019): (Springer Nature Link)

📊 Study Overview

• Goal: To quantify the health care burden (ED visits, hospitalizations, ICU admissions, and deaths) attributable to Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and influenza before widespread RSV intervention programs, and to compare these burdens by age and socioeconomic status (SES). (Springer Nature Link)

• Data: Monthly counts (2005–2019) from New York State, stratified by age group and ZIP‑code SES. (Springer Nature Link)

• Method: Hierarchical Bayesian regression to estimate virus‑associated incidence (i.e., the proportion of outcomes attributable specifically to RSV or influenza). (Springer Nature Link)

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🔍 Key Findings

🧒 Infants (<1 year)

• RSV burden very high:

  • ~8,100 ED visits per 100,000 person‑years (95% CrI: 7,900–8,200)

  • ~2,240 hospitalizations per 100,000

  • ~330 ICU admissions per 100,000

  • Most pronounced in low‑SES areas. (Springer Nature Link)

👵 Older Adults (≥85 years)

• Highest RSV‑associated death rates:

  • ~61 deaths per 100,000 person‑years (95% CrI: 49–74).

  • Influenza burden was more dominant than RSV in adults aged 65+. (Springer Nature Link)

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📈 Severity and Outcomes

• Severity (ICU and mortality) increases with age for both viruses:

  • ICU admission risk and mortality risk rose steeply from infancy to oldest age groups.

  • For the ≥85 years group, mortality risk was ≈ 12–14% for RSV and influenza among those hospitalized. (Springer Nature Link)

• Recording fraction:

  • The proportion of virus‑associated outcomes officially recorded as RSV increased over time, especially in younger age groups, but remained lower for adults overall—meaning many RSV cases are likely under‑recorded in adults compared with infants. (Springer Nature Link)

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🧠 Interpretation

• RSV contributes substantially to acute care burden, particularly in infants (high ED visits and hospitalizations) and older adults (higher mortality risk), even before major prophylaxis programs. (Springer Nature Link)

• Influenza, while also significant, has a relatively higher burden in older age groups compared to RSV. (Springer Nature Link)

• Socioeconomic disparities:

  • Infants in low‑SES areas bore a heavier RSV acute‑care burden than those in higher SES groups. (Springer Nature Link)

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🧩 Why It Matters

This work provides baseline estimates of healthcare burden for RSV and influenza before widespread RSV prevention (like vaccines or monoclonals), helping public health authorities understand disease impact, prepare healthcare resources, and evaluate future intervention benefits. (Springer Nature Link)

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If you’d like, I can also pull specific figures (e.g., burden by age group and virus in tabular form) or discuss how these results compare with national respiratory virus burden estimates.