Study finds infants' immune systems respond very differently to the two viruses, with important treatment implications.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. and FARMINGTON, Conn., Feb. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Young infants hospitalized with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) often become much sicker compared to those infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. In a study published today in Science Translational Medicine, scientists from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and The Jackson Laboratory (JAX) report that the two respiratory viruses trigger different immune responses. Those differences might explain why these two diseases have different clinical outcomes and require different treatment strategies.

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