RESCEU Study, Defining the Burden of Disease of RSV in Older Adults

In total, 1000 participants are recruited in three European countries (the Netherlands, Belgium and the United Kingdom). Participants, older adults above the age of 60 years, are recruited from general practitioners offices. Individual participants will be followed for one year (at least one winter season). For the individual participant the study procedures are described below: Baseline visit: Baseline visits are performed either at home or at the participating site before the start of the RSV season. The beginning of the season is to be determined per site in accordance to the local virologic surveillance reports. In general, baseline visits are performed between August and the beginning of October. A questionnaire on demographic, social and clinical status is completed during this visit. Additionally, vital signs are recorded such as oxygen saturation, heart frequency and breathing frequency. During the baseline visit a blood sample (60 ml, serum, paxgene, whole blood) and nasopharyngeal swab (microbiome) will be collected. Weekly follow-up during the RSV season: From October until May participants are contacted weekly to check whether there are signs of a respiratory tract infection. If respiratory symptoms are present, the study team will perform a home visit or ask the participant to visit the site to perform a rapid Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)-based point of care test (POCT) for RSV using a nasopharyngeal swab. Additionally both an oro- and nasopharyngeal swab are collected for standard PCR, vital signs are recorded. Participants are asked to complete a daily dairy on respiratory symptoms, health care use and quality of life during 28 days from the moment of infection. If symptoms are not present anymore for two consecutive days, the participant can stop completing the diary. In case of a positive RSV infection, additional sampling is performed by the study team. This consists of a nasopharyngeal swab (microbiome) and blood (Serum/PaxGene/whole blood). The same materials (minus serum and PaxGene sample) are collected again in convalescence (1-2 weeks after infection). End of season visit: At the end of the RSV season (May-June), again sampling is performed combined with recording vital signs. Samples collected are; blood (serum/PaxGene) and a nasopharyngeal swab (microbiome). In addition, a questionnaire will completed on respiratory symptoms, health care use, social status and quality of life.