— A multiseason analysis reveals an unexpectedly increased risk of death after hospital discharge
October 24, 2026 • 3 min read
WASHINGTON -- Nearly one in 10 adults hospitalized with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection died in the hospital or within 30 days of discharge, according to a CDC analysis of eight RSV seasons.
Among 18,301 adults hospitalized with RSV at some point from 2014 to 2024, 8.6% (n=1,565) died during hospitalization or within the 30 days after they were discharged. More than half of those deaths (n=812) happened in the hospital, with 753 coming within 30 days post-discharge.
Among those who died after hospital discharge, 286 were discharged to hospice. But 467 people died after being discharged to somewhere other than hospice -- 2.6% of all adults who'd been hospitalized with RSV, reported Michael Melgar, MD, of the CDC in Atlanta, at the IDWeekopens in a new tab or window annual meeting.
"We think this latter category is the most concerning, as these patients were likely discharged home or to some higher level of care -- but they were probably not expected to die within a month of the hospitalization with RSV infection," Melgar said.
"These preliminary results speak to an increased mortality risk in the immediate post-hospitalization period and support overarching prevention messaging about prioritizing recommended RSV vaccination for eligible adults," he added. The findings also support stronger discharge planning and early post-discharge follow-up for hospitalized patients, Melgar said.
Seasonal RSV infection can cause illness ranging from mild cold-like symptoms to severe lower respiratory tract disease that leads to hospitalization. Adults hospitalized with RSV also may face a sharp risk of cardiorespiratory eventsopens in a new tab or window post-discharge such as heart attack or stroke.
RSV vaccination in adults began in the 2023-2024 season, delivering 75% vaccine effectivenessopens in a new tab or window against RSV hospitalization. The CDC recommendsopens in a new tab or window a one-time, single dose of any of three FDA-licensed vaccines for all adults ages 75 or older, or those age 50-74 who are at greater risk of severe RSV.
The CDC investigators analyzed RSV hospitalization data from the CDC's Respiratory Virus Hospitalization Surveillance Networkopens in a new tab or window (RESP-NET). RESP-NET tracks hospitalizations with laboratory-confirmed influenza, COVID-19, or RSV infection in 14 states. RSV was defined using ICD-10 codes for RSV pneumonia, acute bronchitis due to RSV, or acute bronchiolitis due to RSV.
The percentage of adults hospitalized with RSV who died remained steady over the eight RSV seasons, ranging from a low of 7.4% in 2018-2019, 9.1% in 2014-2015 and 2023-2024, to a high of 9.7% in 2015-2016. That steady trend was mirrored in the percentage who died within 30 days post-discharge to somewhere other than hospice, from a low of 1.8% in 2022-2023 to a high of 3.2% in 2019-2020.
Most of those who died during hospitalization or within 30 days were ages 65 or older (81.3%), female (53.9%), white, non-Hispanic (69.7%), and had at least one underlying medical conditions (89.0%). Nearly half were admitted to the ICU during their hospital stay (48.9%), and 29.1% underwent invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV).
Post-discharge death was significantly linked with older age and inhospital outcomes. Those who died post-discharge were more likely than those who died in the hospital to be ages 65 or older at 85.8% versus 77.1%, respectively (P<0.0001). ICU admissions were less likely among those who died post-discharge (29.9%) than those who died in the hospital (66.5%), as was IMV (10.5% vs 46.3%, P<0.0001 for both).
While both groups had high prevalence of at least one underlying medical condition, 82.6% versus 94.8%, those who died in the hospital were significantly more likely to have such a condition (P<0.0001).
Adult RSV vaccines' debut in the 2023-2024 RSV season may have had an impact on the study numbers, Melgar acknowledged. But the investigators didn't examine RSV vaccination status among hospitalized patients during that season, he added.
Study limitations include potential underdetection of hospitalizations, given reliance on clinician-driven testing. In addition, deaths may not be attributable to RSV, and the results from the RESP-Net participants may not be generalizable to the entire U.S.