{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,23]],"date-time":"2026-10-23T22:35:46Z","timestamp":1792794946350,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":34,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,20]],"date-time":"2026-01-20T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1768867200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Investigator-Initiated Studies Program of MERCK SHARP & DOHME IDEA GmbH","award":["101057"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["101057"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Viruses"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Acute viral respiratory infections are a major cause of morbidity among young children, with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) being the leading pathogen. In Jordan and globally, most RSV research has focused on hospitalized patients, while data from emergency departments (EDs) and outpatient settings remain limited. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at two major Jordanian hospitals between November 2022 and March 2023. Children under five years of age presenting to EDs or outpatient clinics with symptoms of acute respiratory infection were enrolled. Nasopharyngeal specimens were tested for RSV, and subtypes (RSV-A and RSV-B) were identified using multiplex RT-PCR. Results: Of 229 enrolled children, 92 (40.2%) tested positive for RSV, with RSV-B accounting for 81.5% of positive cases. RSV positivity was higher in ED presentations than in outpatient clinics (46% vs. 35%). Wheezing (72.8% vs. 39.4%, p &lt; 0.001) and dyspnea (33.7% vs. 14.6%, p = 0.001) were significantly more frequent among RSV-positive patients. Independent predictors of RSV positivity included non-referred outpatient visits (OR = 15.26), non-referred ED visits (OR = 42.93), younger age, and prior systemic steroid use. Conclusions: RSV poses a substantial burden in outpatient and ED settings. Identified demographic and clinical predictors may help target high-risk groups for future preventive interventions.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/v18010133","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,20]],"date-time":"2026-01-20T17:20:42Z","timestamp":1768929642000},"page":"133","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Respiratory Syncytial Virus Positivity Rate and Clinical Characteristics Amongst Children Under 5 Years of Age at the Emergency and Outpatient Settings in Jordan: A Cross-Sectional Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"18","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2437-5547","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Munir","family":"Abu-Helalah","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Family and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Jordan, Amman 11942, Jordan"},{"name":"Public Health Institute, University of Jordan, Amman 11942, Jordan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8863-0258","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Samah F.","family":"Al-Shatnawi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid 22110, Jordan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3658-5675","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mohammad","family":"Abu Lubad","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Medicine, Mutah University, Karak 61710, Jordan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5059-560X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Enas","family":"Al-Zayadneh","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Jordan, Amman 11942, Jordan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0006-5683-1630","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mohammad","family":"Al-Hanaktah","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Medicine, University of Jordan, Amman 11942, Jordan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mea\u2019ad","family":"Harahsheh","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Pharmacy, University of Jordan, Amman 11942, Jordan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7554-7604","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Montaha","family":"Al-Iede","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Jordan, Amman 11942, Jordan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ruba","family":"Yousef","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Medical Department, MENA Center for Research and Development, Amman 11942, Jordan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mai","family":"Ababneh","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"MENA Center for Research and Development, Amman 11942, Jordan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Toqa","family":"AlZubi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"MENA Center for Research and Development, Amman 11942, Jordan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0005-8746-7651","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Suad","family":"Abu Khousa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Medicine, University of Jordan, Amman 11942, Jordan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0007-2997-2646","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mohammad","family":"Al Tamimi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Independent Researcher, Amman 11942, Jordan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6350-6557","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Simon B.","family":"Drysdale","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Oxford Vaccine Group, Department of Pediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7LE, UK"},{"name":"The NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,20]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"301","DOI":"10.1590\/S0074-02762006000300014","article-title":"Respiratory Viruses in Children Younger than Five Years Old with Acute Respiratory Disease from 2001 to 2004 in Uberl\u00e2ndia, MG, Brazil","volume":"101","author":"Costa","year":"2006","journal-title":"Mem. 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