A common respiratory virus that is mild for most but serious for infants and older adults. Explore its illustrative 3D model, human context, and sources.
WHO describes RSV as an RNA virus that infects cells along the human respiratory tract from the nose to the lungs, causing anything from a mild cold to life-threatening lower respiratory infection. Infants, especially those under six months, are at highest risk of severe disease and death, and RSV also causes severe illness in older adults and people with underlying conditions.
WHO states that RSV causes over 3.6 million hospitalisations and about 100,000 deaths a year in children under 5, and that 97% of paediatric RSV deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries with limited access to supportive care. CDC notes RSV can worsen COPD or asthma. Most infections resolve in a week or two; this tag names documented complications rather than an individual risk.
Respiratory syncytial virus · filamentous enveloped particle. The filamentous form is shown; rounded RSV particles also occur. The colours, proportions, protein shapes and visible counts are illustrative, not measured or an atomic reconstruction. Independent scientific review remains pending.
Source check: 2026-09-19. Educational content; independent scientific review remains pending.