Written by Kimiko Dunbar
Spoon Feed
Widespread availability of RSV vaccination in the 2024-2025 respiratory season decreased hospitalization rates due to RSV infection, especially for those 0-2 months of age.
Babies and bronchiolitis
Nirsevimab (brand name Beyfortus, a long-acting monoclonal antibody targeting RSV particles) and the maternal RSV vaccine became widely available for the 2024-2025 respiratory season. This ecological study assessed whether the introduction of maternal RSV vaccination and infant nirsevimab during the 2024-25 U.S. RSV season reduced hospitalization rates using data from RSV-NET (RSV hospitalization network) and NVSN (new vaccine surveillance network). Authors found that rates of RSV-associated hospitalization in infants 0-7 months were lower during 2024-2025 compared to 2018-2020. There was a 43% reduction in hospitalizations according to data in RSV-NET and 25% according to NVSN. The largest differences were in children 0-2 months: 52% reduction in RSV-NET and 45% in NVSN. Rates of hospitalization for children 8-59 months were higher in the 2024-2025 season, suggestive of a more severe season overall for those too old for vaccination. Importantly, this study was an “ecological analysis” that did not include individual data comparing those who were vaccinated to those who were not; therefore, causality cannot be assessed.
How does this change my practice?
I’m pretty sold on the benefits of vaccination for the highest-risk infants. This study underscores my experience on the wards this year; anecdotally, patients admitted with RSV seemed to be older than prior years and most of the young infants I cared for weren’t vaccinated. I’ll continue to recommend vaccination, especially in the newborn nursery born during the respiratory season.
Source
Interim Evaluation of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Hospitalization Rates Among Infants and Young Children After Introduction of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Prevention Products – United States, October 2024-February 2025. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2025 May 8;74(16):273-281. doi: 10.15585/mmwr.mm7416a1. PMID: 40338822
