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RSV Burden Remains High in Young Children in the United States

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Dec 11, 2024.

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 11, 2024 -- The burden of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in young children continues to be high in the United States, according to a study published online Dec. 9 in JAMA Pediatrics.

Heidi L. Moline, M.D., M.P.H., from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, and colleagues compared the epidemiology and disease burden of medically attended RSV-associated acute respiratory illness (ARI) among children younger than 5 years during the 2023 to 2024 RSV season with three prepandemic seasons (2017 to 2020). A total of 28,689 children younger than 5 years with medically attended ARI were enrolled: 9,536 during Sept. 1, 2023, through April 30, 2024, and 19,153 during the same calendar period of 2017 to 2020.

The researchers found that among all medically attended episodes, the proportion of children with RSV was 23 percent during 2023 to 2024, which was similar to that seen in 2017 to 2020. RSV-associated hospitalization rates were similar in 2023 to 2024 and 2017 to 2020 -- 5.0 per 1,000 among children younger than 5 years; children aged 0 to 2 months had the highest rates. Assessment of effectiveness of the maternal RSV vaccine was precluded by low uptake. Nirsevimab effectiveness was 89 and 93 percent against medically attended RSV-associated ARI and RSV-associated hospitalization, respectively.

"Results from this analysis document the continued high burden of RSV disease among infants and young children in the U.S. and suggest the potential for substantial public health impact with increased and equitable prevention product coverage in future seasons," the authors write.

Several authors disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical industry.

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Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

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Posted December 2024

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