Katarína Maťašová1, Lenka Kočvarová1, Jaroslava Orosová2, Marián Hrebík3
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the most common cause of the lower respiratory tract infections in small children, especially under 2 years of age. In a high-risk population of infants RSV infection is connected with high mortality and morbidity rates. The most important risk factors are prematurity, chronic lung disease (CLD) and hemodynamically significant congenital heart disease (CHD). The additional risk factors in preterm babies are low gestational age, low chronological age during RSV season and presence of pre-school or school-aged sibling. The most effective method of prevention in high-risk infants is immunoprophylaxis by using the monoclonal antibody – palivizumab. In Slovakia, immunoprophylaxis is recommended in preterm infants born before 35 gestational week who are younger than 6 months at the beginning of RSV season, risk factors with, in infants with CLD up to 2 years and in infants with hemodynamically significant CHD up to 2 years of age.