Do we know about respiratory syncytial virus in Türkiye?

Abstract

Background: Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is a major cause of severe respiratory illness in infants, older adults, and immunocompromised individuals. However, data on physicians' knowledge and attitudes toward RSV and its prevention in Türkiye are limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the knowledge and attitudes of physicians in Türkiye about RSV.

Research design and methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among physicians in Türkiye between October and November 2024.

Results: A total of 1270 physicians (median age: 35; 62.44% female) participated, 30.5% of whom specialized in Infectious Diseases (ID). While 43.54% correctly identified RSV symptoms, only 15.9% recognized high-risk groups, and 49.7% were familiar with associated clinical conditions. ID specialists had significantly greater knowledge of symptoms (p = 0.015) and complications (p < 0.001) compared to other physicians. Overall, 51.57% perceived the national RSV burden as high. However, only 40.31% were aware of prevention tools. Although 51.88% knew about FDA-approved RSV vaccines, just 21.54% knew they were not yet available in Türkiye. Among vaccine-aware participants, most would recommend it to elderly (85.28%), while fewer supported maternal vaccination (58.87%).

Conclusions: These findings reveal that despite higher knowledge among ID physicians, overall awareness of RSV and its prevention is inadequate.