Prevalence of antibodies to respiratory syncytial virus in various populations in Israel.

A preliminary study on the prevalence of antibodies to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in individuals of various age-groups was carried out. In healthy infants aged 6 to 12 months, the prevalence was 27%. It increased to 37 and 54% in children aged 1 to 2 and 2 to 4 years, respectively. The prevalence reached 78% in healthy individuals who were more than 20 years old, including pregnant women. Significant levels of specific antibodies were detected in 59% of children aged 6 to 12 months who were hospitalized with respiratory tract illnesses. It appears that acquisition of antibodies to RSV in our population occurs relatively later in life than in other Western countries.