Disease burden caused by respiratory syncytial virus compared with influenza among adults: a retrospective cohort study from Eastern Finland in 2017-2018.

Among all the screened patients, those with RSV infection were older and had more underlying conditions than patients with influenza. They had increased likelihood of hospitalisation and mortality when compared with influenza. Solid malignancies and chronic kidney disease seemed to be independent risk factors for death among RSV-infected patients. During RSV and influenza epidemics, it is important to test patients with respiratory symptoms for RSV and influenza to prevent the spread of the infections among elderly and chronically ill patients.