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Semin Respir Crit Care Med 2025; 46(01): 031-040
DOI: 10.1055/a-2531-0968
Review Article

Early Experience on Universal Prophylaxis in Infants against Respiratory Syncytial Virus: Facts and Expectations

Antoni Soriano-Arandes   *
1   Pediatric Infectious Diseases and Immunodeficiencies Unit, Children's Hospital, Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
2   Infection and Immunity in Pediatric Patients, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute, Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
,
Anna Creus-Costa   *
2   Infection and Immunity in Pediatric Patients, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute, Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
3   Pediatric Hospitalization Unit, Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
,
Aida Perramon-Malavez
4   Department of Physics, Computational Biology and Complex Systems (BIOCOM-SC) Group, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
,
Cristina Andrés
5   Respiratory Viruses Unit, Microbiology Department, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Vall d'Hebron Institut of Research (VHIR), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
6   Centro de Investigación Biomédica en red de Enfermedades Infecciosas CIBERINFEC, Instituto Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
,
Jorgina Vila
2   Infection and Immunity in Pediatric Patients, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute, Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
3   Pediatric Hospitalization Unit, Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
,
Anna Gatell
7   Equip Territorial d'Atenció Primària del Garraf, Institut Català de la Salut, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
,
Maria Piñana
5   Respiratory Viruses Unit, Microbiology Department, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Vall d'Hebron Institut of Research (VHIR), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
6   Centro de Investigación Biomédica en red de Enfermedades Infecciosas CIBERINFEC, Instituto Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
,
Pepe Serrano
8   Societat Catalana de Pediatria, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
,
Alejandra González-Sánchez
5   Respiratory Viruses Unit, Microbiology Department, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Vall d'Hebron Institut of Research (VHIR), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
6   Centro de Investigación Biomédica en red de Enfermedades Infecciosas CIBERINFEC, Instituto Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
,
Ramon Capdevila
9   ABS Les Borges Blanques, Institut Català de la Salut, Lleida, Catalonia, Spain
,
Clara Prats
4   Department of Physics, Computational Biology and Complex Systems (BIOCOM-SC) Group, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
,
Pere Soler-Palacin
1   Pediatric Infectious Diseases and Immunodeficiencies Unit, Children's Hospital, Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
2   Infection and Immunity in Pediatric Patients, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute, Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
,
Andrés Antón
5   Respiratory Viruses Unit, Microbiology Department, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Vall d'Hebron Institut of Research (VHIR), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
6   Centro de Investigación Biomédica en red de Enfermedades Infecciosas CIBERINFEC, Instituto Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
› Author Affiliations
Funding All the authors of this manuscript belong to the research network group COPEDICAT that have received funding from Fundació La Marató de TV3 (grant agreement number: 202134-30-31).
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Abstract

During the 2023/24 season, nirsevimab significantly reduced the risk of bronchiolitis and confirmed respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections in primary care, hospital, and pediatric intensive care unit admissions among infants aged 0 to 11 months, even in a season with a high community RSV burden, particularly for older infants. These findings are very useful for public health authorities to continue to implement immunization campaigns against RSV in the coming seasons. Moreover, universal immunization against RSV represents a transformative step toward reducing the burden of RSV in infants. With promising evidence from recently published studies, the expectations for a reduction of RSV-associated hospitalizations, alongside the improvement of public health outcomes and equitable access to these measures, are high. However, achieving these goals will require addressing challenges related to vaccine uptake, funding, and RSV surveillance to prompt detect resistances due to mutations of the virus. These interventions need to be integrated into public health strategies because they hold the potential to make a significant impact on infant's health worldwide.

Keywords

respiratory syncytial virus - nirsevimab - pediatric intensive care unit - lower respiratory tract infections

* Both authors contributed equally as the first author.




Publication History

Accepted Manuscript online:
03 February 2025

Article published online:
18 March 2025

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