Respiratory syncytial virus laboratory surveillance and hospitalization trends in South Texas.

Surveillance of seasonal variations in respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) outbreaks is an important component in clinical decision-making. A retrospective analysis of 11 years of laboratory-based RSV surveillance and 7 years of hospitalization data was carried out to better define the onset and duration of the RSV season in South Texas, as well as to evaluate the clinical impact and timing of RSV outbreaks on the number of infants hospitalized with RSV infection. All but one of the seasons examined lasted longer than the national and southern seasons reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In addition, most seasons started earlier and ended later than the national and regional seasons. Considerable parallels were noted between RSV hospital admission frequency and number of RSV-positive tests, as determined by rapid antigen detection or viral culture. Taken together, these results reflect the clinical utility of RSV surveillance data and highlight the impact of RSV on infant hospitalization.