RSV Vaccine Cuts Infant Cases by 77% Amid Rising Elderly Cases

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A sharp rise in cases of respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, is straining hospitals, but new vaccines offer hope for both the very young and the old

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RSV is still the number one cause of hospitalization among United States infants.

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The virus is particularly threatening to two critical groups: those under 8 months of age and those older than 75.

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A new vaccine called nirsevimab has had successful trials in the prevention of hospitalization of the two populations, reducing it by 77% of healthy full-term and near-full-term infants.

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Admission rates for adults aged 65 to 74 years have increased from 0.3 to 2.92 per 100,000 patients between October and November 2024.

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Over 85, however, things are much grimmer, and the rates jump from 1.27 to 14.05 per 100,000-an elevenfold increase.

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Just over half of U.S. infants now possess RSV immunity, either via direct nirsevimab injections or maternal vaccination, according to the CDC.

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Dutch hospitals have temporarily postponed some pediatric interventions, such as heart surgery, as RSV cases filled pediatric ICU wards.

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The new vaccine options offer an important advance in public health protection against RSV.

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