City research sheds light on killer virus

A COMMON virus that causes wheezing and pneumonia claims the lives of up to 200,000 children worldwide each year, a study has found.

The research, carried out by Edinburgh University scientists, also showed that about 3.4 million children require hospital treatment for a severe lung infection caused by the bug – respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

RSV – which infects most children before the age of two – usually causes mild cold-like symptoms, but can lead to serious illness in babies who are born prematurely or who have congenital heart disease.

The study confirms that RSV is the single largest cause of lung infection in children.

The scientists hope that by identifying the numbers affected by the virus, they may contribute to the development of a vaccine against the infection.

Dr Harish Nair, of the university's department of population health studies, said:

"This is the first time we have gathered information on such a global scale and is the best estimate we have for the number of children dying."