The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted Wednesday to recommend lowering the age at which adults can get a vaccine against respiratory syncytial virus.

A key group of government advisers voted to expand the use of vaccines for a common respiratory illness, providing a boost to manufacturers whose sales fell sharply last year.The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended that adults age 50 to 59 who are at high risk of severe respiratory syncytial virus get a single dose of the vaccine.

A panel of federal health experts on Wednesday recommended expanded vaccine options for several diseases, including respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), meningitis and a mosquito-borne illness called chikungunya.