Viral respiratory tract infections are a significant public health concern, particularly in children. RSV is a prominent cause of lower respiratory tract infections among infants, whereas SARS-CoV-2 has caused a global pandemic with lower overall severity in children than in adults. In this review, we aimed to compare the innate and adaptive immune responses induced by RSV and SARS-CoV-2 to better understand differences in the pathogenesis of infection. Some studies have demonstrated that children present a more robust immune response against SARS-CoV-2 than adults; however, this response is dissimilar to that of RSV. Each virus has a distinctive mechanism to escape the immune response. Understanding the mechanisms underlying these differences is crucial for developing effective treatments and improving the management of pediatric respiratory infections.
Keywords: RSV; SARS-CoV-2; child; immune response; infants; lung.