Respiratory syncytial virus is the main cause of severe respiratory infections in children under one year of age. Spain became the first country in the world to use the new antibody so widely. In the first season of use, it prevented almost 10,000 hospitalizations in children.
TO: Agency SINK
He respiratory syncytial virusknown as VRS, is a The leading cause of lower respiratory tract infections in children under one year of age, especially those associated with bronchiolitis And pneumonia.
In Spain, conditions caused by this pathogen cause significant care overloadboth in primary care and in emergency departments and hospitals.
For the first time, a new preventive measure appeared in the 2023-2024 season. It’s about monoclonal antibody nirsevimabwhich is systematically used in Spain in children under 6 months of age and in persons at high risk of serious illness.
The uptake of immunization was very good and they achieved coverage more than 90%. He Ministry of Health care, together with Autonomous Communities and the National Epidemiological Center of the Carlos III Institute of Health, assessed the effectiveness and impact of this intervention in preventing severe RSV infection, defined as an infection requiring hospitalization for treatment.
The results show that this campaign reduced the risk of RSV-related hospitalization by 83% in immunized children under 6 months of age, confirming the effectiveness observed in previous clinical studies.
Significant reduction in disease burden
At the population level, there was a 75% reduction in the number of hospitalizations in children under 1 year of age compared to the estimated number of hospitalizations in this group.
This translates to Almost 10,000 hospitalizations were avoided. The data was published by the scientific journal of the International Society of Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses.
Spain was the first country in the world to use nirsevimab so widely. The high coverage and effectiveness achieved have led to a significant reduction in the disease burden caused by the virus in the country and the associated strain on the health system.
Fountain: Ministry of Health
TO: Agency SINK