Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) might sound like a complicated medical term, but for millions of families across the globe, especially in India, it’s become a harsh and deadly reality. Though often mistaken for a seasonal cold, RSV is the leading cause of lower respiratory tract infections in children under five—and it’s killing thousands.

Each year, RSV is linked to approximately 3.6 million hospitalisations and nearly 100,000 deaths in children under five. India, with its annual birth cohort of over 25 million, contributes significantly to this global burden. In 2024 alone, 2,360 infant deaths in just three cities—Bengaluru, Kolkata, and Mumbai—were reported as RSV-related and experts believe this is only the tip of the iceberg.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is a highly contagious virus that infects the respiratory tract, particularly affecting the nose, throat, lungs, and breathing passages. It spreads through droplets from an infected person via coughing, sneezing, or even kissing. Contaminated surfaces like cribs, toys, or door handles can also carry the virus for hours.

RSV is so widespread that almost every child is infected by it at least once by the age of two. While it might look like a regular cold in some cases, in many infants, RSV progresses rapidly into bronchiolitis or pneumonia—both of which can be life-threatening.

Shockingly, around 80% of children under two who are hospitalised with RSV have no prior risk factors. Which means even full-term, healthy infants are at risk.

Why Is RSV So Underdiagnosed in India?

Despite being a notifiable disease in India for nearly five decades, RSV is severely under-tested. Dr. Vasant M. Khalatkar, National President of the IAP, pointed out that RSV testing in India often happens only when a full-blown outbreak occurs—like the one seen in Kolkata earlier this year.

“People still treat it as a bad cold,” Dr. Khalatkar said at a Bengaluru roundtable on RSV. “But for infants, RSV can escalate within three days from mild symptoms to severe respiratory complications that demand hospitalisation, oxygen support, or ventilation.”

A lack of awareness among caregivers and healthcare providers, combined with limited diagnostic access, has created a dangerous information gap—one that continues to cost young lives.

RSV Is the Leading Cause of Pediatric Respiratory Illness in India

Dr. Bhavesh Kotak, Head of Medical Affairs at Dr Reddy’s, underscored that RSV accounts for 63% of all acute respiratory infections in young children, citing WHO-backed data. In India, this means a significant share of childhood respiratory hospitalisations are linked to RSV, especially during monsoon and early winter months.

RSV doesn’t discriminate—children from all socio-economic backgrounds, including those born full-term, are frequently hospitalised. Unlike in high-income countries that have early preventive care and widespread immunisation, India still struggles with timely diagnosis and access to life-saving tools.

The most promising development in the fight against RSV is the introduction of long-acting monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and maternal vaccines—both backed by WHO and CDC guidelines.

Palivizumab, available for several years, has been used in high-risk infants but requires monthly doses throughout the RSV season.

Nirsevimab, a new and highly effective long-acting antibody, offers season-long protection with a single dose and is now being rolled out globally, including in India.

Additionally, the WHO recommends maternal vaccination with Abrysvo® during weeks 32–36 of pregnancy to protect babies after birth. This approach helps infants develop passive immunity and dramatically lowers their risk of severe RSV disease.

Dr. Khalatkar emphasised that immunisation—when paired with awareness and access—can significantly reduce RSV-related hospitalisations and deaths.

Is This Crisis Preventable?

Let’s break this down: India has 25 million newborns annually. Without preventive strategies, even a small percentage developing severe RSV means hundreds of thousands of hospitalisations and thousands of avoidable deaths. Unlike high-income countries, India faces several hurdles:

• Low RSV awareness among parents and healthcare providers
• Infrequent diagnostic testing
• Limited access to immunisation options
• Lack of inclusion of RSV immunisation in national programs

This gap is precisely where action is most needed.

Global Agencies Push for Immunisation

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), RSV is the leading cause of hospitalisation in U.S. children under one year. RSV also causes 100,000–160,000 hospitalisations annually in U.S. adults aged 60 and older. The CDC recommends:

• One-time RSV vaccination for adults 75+ and those aged 60–74 with chronic conditions
• Maternal RSV vaccine for pregnant women during the third trimester
• Nirsevimab injection for babies born during or just before RSV season (October to March)

If adopted effectively in India, similar immunisation protocols could transform RSV management—especially for the first 6 months of an infant’s life, when vulnerability is highest.

Simple precautions like handwashing, covering coughs, and disinfecting surfaces are useful but insufficient in high-burden, high-transmission environments—particularly for babies under 12 months. Experts unanimously agree that preventive immunisation is the game-changer.

WHO’s Dr. Kate O’Brien summed it up clearly: “The RSV immunisation products can transform the fight against severe RSV disease, dramatically reduce hospitalisations and deaths, and save many infant lives globally.”

RSV is no longer a vague acronym in pediatric medicine—it’s a clear and present danger to child health in India and worldwide. And while developed nations have made strides in RSV prevention, India remains at a critical crossroad.

The global public health community faces a growing crisis as antimicrobial resistance (AMR) continues to make common antibiotics useless, leading to more than one million deaths annually. To address this, scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have used artificial intelligence to create two new antibiotics, NG1 and DN1, which have been found to be very effective against extremely resistant bacterial pathogens, such as Neisseria gonorrhoeae (gonorrhoea) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

This breakthrough is a significant leap towards the battle against drug-resistant infections, giving hope to patients and clinicians worldwide.

Traditional methods of antibiotic development depend extensively on screening current chemical libraries for compounds capable of inhibiting bacterial growth. While this method has been successful in the past, it has its limitations in range and velocity, especially for emerging fast-evolving drug-resistant strains.

MIT researchers employed generative artificial intelligence (AI) to explore previously inaccessible chemical spaces. With two different generative AI methods—chemically reasonable mutations (CReM) and fragment-based variational autoencoder (F-VAE)—the scientists engineered more than 36 million theoretical compounds. The compounds were computationally tested for antimicrobial activity, structural originality, and synthesizability.

MIT's Termeer Professor of Medical Engineering and Science, Dr. James Collins, described: "Our research demonstrates the potential of AI from a drug design perspective. It allows us to tap into enormous chemical spaces that were inaccessible to us before, speeding up the discovery of antibiotics with completely new mechanisms of action."

The computer-aided design process screened the enormous number of molecules down to a handful of potential candidates for laboratory synthesis. In the case of N. gonorrhoeae, the researchers used a fragment-based strategy, discovering a lead chemical fragment, F1, and creating millions of derivative molecules. Following computational screening and synthesis, a top compound, NG1, was highly effective. Tests in the laboratory and mouse models verified its capability to suppress LptA, a protein required for bacterial membrane synthesis.

For S. aureus, an open-ended design strategy generated 29 million compounds, 22 of which were synthesized. Six candidates exhibited high antibacterial activity in vitro, with DN1 showing the ability to kill MRSA in a mouse skin infection model.

The import of these findings is not simply in their activity but also in their unique mechanisms. By acting on bacterial membranes in manners distinct from current antibiotics, NG1 and DN1 diminish the risk of accelerated resistance emergence, an important challenge of contemporary antimicrobial treatment.

How Does This Discovery Contribute to the Global AMR Crisis?

Antimicrobial resistance poses a mounting threat to public health. Bacteria adapt quickly, and traditional antibiotics struggle to keep up, with treatment-resistant infections becoming more difficult to treat. Gonorrhoea and MRSA are just two high-profile examples, with the former increasingly resistant to first-line treatments and the latter causing debilitating hospital-acquired infections.

By introducing AI-designed antibiotics, researchers hope to stay ahead of bacterial evolution. These drugs could form the foundation of a new generation of antimicrobials, effective even against strains that have outsmarted traditional therapies.

Implications Beyond Gonorrhoea and MRSA

While NG1 and DN1 are only at the outset of development and need to undergo major clinical testing before being available for humans, the methodology itself is a revolution in drug discovery. The same strategy using AI could be used to create antibiotics against other bacterial pathogens, and potentially solve many resistant infections.

The approach of the MIT team also points to the wider potential of computer-aided drug design, allowing researchers to explore chemical spaces too vast for regular lab screening. This would speed up the discovery of drugs not just for bacterial disease but also for viral and fungal pathogens.

What Are The Challenges?

Although promising, AI-generated antibiotics are not yet clinically deployable. NG1 and DN1 will need to be subjected to extensive testing to determine safety, effectiveness, and lack of side effects in humans. Additionally, regulatory approval procedures for new compounds can take years, with meticulous examination at each step.

Another aspect to consider is the constant war with bacteria. Although NG1 and DN1 use new mechanisms, bacteria can potentially learn countermeasures. Ongoing surveillance and repeated cycles of drug design will be necessary to keep the advantage.

What Is The Role of AI in Future Medicine?

This advance highlights the revolutionary promise of AI in medicine. Aside from antibiotics, AI is being used more and more to discover drug candidates for cancer, neurological diseases, and metabolic disease. Through molecular interactions simulated and biological activity predicted, AI can decrease by vast orders of magnitude the time and expense of taking new drugs from idea to clinical trials.

As Dr. Collins said, "AI enables us to push the boundaries of drug discovery, opening up possibilities that were unimaginable before. This is only the start of a new frontier in antimicrobial therapy and precision medicine."

Development of NG1 and DN1 is especially apt given the growing travel and globalization, which advance the speed at which drug-resistant bacteria can spread. Gonorrhoea, for example, has demonstrated escalating resistance across a number of countries, making standard treatment regimens difficult. MRSA continues to be a major cause of hospital infections, putting healthcare systems under pressure globally.

Breakthroughs such as AI-designed antibiotics may be central to preventing future crises, in addition to vaccination campaigns, hygiene practices, and judicious antibiotic use.

The MIT researchers' discovery of AI-designed antibiotics NG1 and DN1 is a fantastic milestone in the war on antimicrobial resistance. Through the use of computational strategies to scan large chemical spaces, scientists have created compounds with new mechanisms that can target drug-resistant gonorrhoea and MRSA.

A breakthrough discovery by scientists at India's CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) has revealed that human cells possess an intrinsic ability to revive from near-death states. This phenomenon, which has been termed Programmed Cell Revival (PCR), contradicts well-established tenets of cell biology that once a cell is initiated to die, it is incapable of altering course. The discovery not only revolutionizes our understanding of cell life and death but also promises exciting opportunities in tissue repair and regenerative medicine.

Traditionally, cell death was considered to be a unidirectional process. Apoptosis, or gene-programmed cell death, is essential for development, the elimination of abnormal or excess cells, and the health of the tissue. The CCMB group, however, showed that cells were capable of actively reversing the process of cell death via a strictly regulated, intrinsic program that restored cellular function.

"This is not random survival of cells," Chauhan stressed. "Cells throughout the body can re-activate developmental, metabolic, and immune processes to restore full function. This finding revolutionizes the way we think about healing and cellular life."

The research, which appeared in the EMBO Journal, found that PCR works on various species and tissue types, pointing to a conserved mechanism. By manipulating cell death signals in a controlled manner and observing cellular recovery, scientists saw that cells not only survived but actually played a role in tissue regeneration.

Experimental Evidence Across Species

The CCMB scientists experimentally tested PCR using a variety of model organisms, yielding strong evidence for its regenerative properties:

Mice: Resuscitation of cells near death hastened healing of skin wounds and healed corneal burns.

Frogs: Tadpoles had tail regeneration following stimulation of PCR pathways.

Worms: The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans demonstrated improved nerve repair.

Fruit flies: Production of blood stem cells was increased, implying systemic regenerative effects.

The process of revival starts with enhanced accessibility of the chromatin so that genes involved in embryonic development, stemness, inflammation, and regeneration are activated. Then metabolisms' regulatory pathways, organelle formation, membrane trafficking, and remodeling of the cytoskeleton are turned on, leading to whole cellular renewal.

Central to the process is NF-κB signaling, which scientists determined to be crucial for both revival of cells and regeneration of tissue. The discovery indicates that PCR is not only a survival process but a programmed, cell-autonomous pathway that can be therapeutically exploited.

Implications for Regenerative Medicine

The power of cells to recover from states of near-death provides unparalleled prospects for medicine. Wound healing, repair of corneal injury, nerve regeneration, and the stimulation of stem cell production are only a few examples. In humans, the utilization of PCR could provide new avenues for the repair of tissue following damage, the treatment of diseases of the nervous system, or the restoration following stroke.

Daniel Hoeppner and Michael Hengartner of the University of Zurich and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory contributed complementary findings with their research in C. elegans. By examining the development of the nervous system in transparent nematode embryos, they noticed that among the cells that were headed toward death, some could become normal again if the machinery for engulfment was blocked. In certain instances, close to 40% of the cells marked for death simply survived.

"These findings suggest that cell death is not necessarily terminal and that the process of engulfment actually plays an active role in cell elimination," the scientists wrote. Manipulating such pathways in humans might be therapeutically beneficial for neurodegenerative diseases and acute tissue damage.

Although the discovery of PCR holds promising therapeutic applications, scientists advise against potential hazards. In cancer therapy, numerous drugs target the death of tumor cells by triggering apoptosis. But if cancer cells can be reactivated using PCR, they might gain increased stem-like characteristics, rendering the tumor more aggressive and more resistant to treatment.

This duality is serious," said Chauhan. "Programmed Cell Revival can be a boon for regenerative medicine, but at the cost of diminishing the effectiveness of current treatments for cancer." Patent applications have already been made in India and abroad, highlighting the potential medical and business effect of this innovation.

Is it Time To Rethink Life and Death at the Cellular Level?

PCR defies the basic dogma of irreversibility of cell death. Aside from its utility, the discovery compels scientists to re-examine the very basics of biology: life and death in cells can be more dynamic than what has long been assumed.

Multicellular animals maintain a constant balance of cell survival and death. Historically, apoptosis has been held to be crucial for development and disease avoidance. With PCR, scientists are now starting to realize that the last few moments of a cell's life are not necessarily fatal. Cells seem able to reactivate pathways controlling development, metabolism, and immunity to fully restore themselves.

Discovery of Programmed Cell Revival is a new frontier in cell biology. More studies are required to know how to use this mechanism safely in regenerative therapeutics and avoid cancer risks. Insights into the molecular signals that induce PCR, and the factors that contain it, could provide breakthroughs in injury treatment, degenerative conditions, and potentially even tissue aging in elderly populations.

As the science advances, PCR could transform medicine's methods, ranging from wound healing and organ regeneration to the fight against neurodegeneration and the fine-tuning of stem cell therapy. The ability of cells to "come back from the brink" provides hope that what appeared irreparable might actually be a fresh start.

Health authorities in Australia have sounded the alarm after a traveller returning from Bali tested positive for measles, sparking concerns in communities south of Brisbane and reinforcing the urgent need for vaccination. The highly contagious viral illness, once considered largely under control in many developed countries, is making a troubling comeback in Australia with cases rising sharply in Queensland and Western Australia.

The alert follows an infected passenger’s arrival on Jetstar flight JQ60 into Brisbane on August 19, and subsequent visits to multiple public venues in Yamanto and Boonah while unknowingly infectious. While those locations are no longer considered a risk, people who were present during the identified times are being urged to monitor for symptoms for up to 18 days.

The infected individual landed at Brisbane Airport at 5:40 a.m. on August 19 before moving through the terminal until around 7:10 a.m. Later that day, they visited an Aldi supermarket in Yamanto, and in the following days, they attended a pharmacy and the Boonah Hospital emergency department.

Dr. Catherine Quagliotto, Public Health Physician at West Moreton Health, explained that while the virus does not remain in the environment long after an infected person has left, the exposure risk during the infectious window was significant. “Early signs can include fever, cough, runny nose and red or watery eyes, followed a few days later by a distinctive red, blotchy rash,” she said. Symptoms typically develop 7–10 days after exposure but can take as long as 18 days to appear.

Queensland Health has urged anyone who develops symptoms to stay home, seek testing, and contact their doctor or hospital ahead of arrival to avoid spreading the virus further.

Western Australia Also on Measles High Alert

The Brisbane case comes as Western Australia reports a worrying spike in measles. WA Health confirmed 13 cases in July and August 2025, including four linked to overseas travel and nine acquired locally. This represents a dramatic rise compared to just six cases across the entire state in 2024.

Dr. Paul Armstrong, Director of the Communicable Diseases Control Directorate, emphasized that vaccination remains the cornerstone of protection. “Measles is highly infectious and can cause serious illness, particularly in babies and young children, and often requires hospitalisation and, in rare cases, blindness or even death,” he said.

The outbreak is closely tied to international travel. Popular holiday destinations such as Indonesia, India, Vietnam, and other parts of South and Southeast Asia continue to report high numbers of measles cases, making travellers a key factor in reintroducing the virus to Australia.

Why Measles Is So Concerning?

Measles is far more than just a childhood illness. Caused by a virus that spreads through airborne droplets from coughing and sneezing, it is one of the most contagious diseases known. A single infected person can pass it on to up to 90% of unvaccinated people in close contact.

While most individuals recover within a week of developing the characteristic rash, measles can lead to severe complications. These include pneumonia, encephalitis (brain inflammation), hearing loss, and in rare but devastating cases, death. Pregnant women, infants, and people with weakened immune systems are especially vulnerable.

How Recognize Symptoms of Measles?

Measles progresses in stages. The first signs usually resemble a common cold: fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes. Within a few days, small white spots may appear inside the mouth, followed by the hallmark red, blotchy rash that typically spreads from the face downward across the body.

Crucially, people are contagious even before the rash develops—about five to six days before symptoms appear and up to four days after. This makes containing outbreaks extremely challenging, particularly in busy international hubs like airports.

Vaccination Is The Best Defense And Prevention

Australia maintains one of the world’s strongest vaccination programs, with more than 93% of children over age five fully immunised against measles. The standard schedule includes two doses of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, given at 12 months and 18 months of age.

However, gaps remain. Adults born after 1965 who missed doses, migrants from countries with weaker immunisation programs, and people who are immunocompromised represent at-risk groups. The Australian government continues to offer free catch-up vaccines for adults under 20 and for people arriving for humanitarian reasons.

“Adults aged between 30 to 60 years should get vaccinated if they do not have evidence of two doses of a measles vaccine,” Dr. Armstrong advised. He also noted that infants as young as six months can receive the vaccine early if traveling to high-risk areas.

Importantly, there is no booster requirement for those who have already had two doses, and people who have previously contracted measles are considered immune for life.

The resurgence of measles in Australia mirrors trends worldwide. After years of steady progress toward elimination, the World Health Organization has reported rising cases across Asia, Africa, and parts of Europe. Pandemic-related disruptions to immunisation programs have left millions of children unprotected, fueling outbreaks in countries that had previously made strides against the disease.

Travel plays a key role in this resurgence. With international tourism rebounding strongly after COVID-19, Australians returning from popular destinations like Bali are now at increased risk of both contracting and importing measles.

Authorities in Queensland and WA are working swiftly to contain the spread. Public alerts about exposure sites, targeted communication campaigns, and free vaccine programs are all part of a coordinated response. Health professionals emphasize that personal responsibility—staying home when sick, seeking timely medical advice, and checking vaccination status—is equally critical.

Dr. Quagliotto put it simply: “Vaccination offers the best protection for both individuals and the community.”

What Should Travelers Be Cautious About?

If you’re planning travel to measles affected regions or even in general, consult your doctor about vaccination well in advance. Parents with young children should be aware that infants may need an accelerated vaccination schedule.

On return, any flu-like symptoms coupled with rash development should prompt immediate medical attention. Always call ahead before visiting a healthcare facility, and wear a mask to prevent spreading the virus.

The measles alert south of Brisbane is a reminder that even in countries with high vaccination rates, the virus can re-emerge through international travel. With Australia now reporting more cases in 2025 than in recent years combined, vigilance is essential.