Virus Respiratorio Sincitial

VRS (from the Spanish Virus Respiratorio Sincitial) is a BOINC-based project which main aim is to simulate the behaviour of the human Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). Main facts:

• It is the major cause of lower respiratory tract infection and hospital visits during infancy and childhood.
• In Spain, it causes more than 15.000 padiatrician visits per year.
• It is responsible for more than 18% of the pneumonia elderly hospitalizations.
• In the United States, 60% of infants are infected during their first RSV season. Nearly all children will have been infected with the virus by 2-3 years of age. Of those infected with RSV, 23% will develop bronchiolitis necessitating hospitalization.

Our project simulations of the RSV contagion mechanisms will allow:

• Better understanding of the contagion evolution and its relevant parameters.
• Faster predictions of the virus population evolution.
• Designing more accurate vaccination campaigns.