Over 50% of Infants Infected with RSV

According to a Research Letter, Volume 30, Number 10—October 2024, published in Emerging Infectious Diseases, 53.4% of infants were infected with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) during infancy, and 2.8% were hospitalized.

The Risk factors for RSV infection during infancy, in order of contribution, were:

• Infant birth month (June vs. referent October, OR 2.42 [95% CI 1.78–3.29]),
• Presence of siblings (OR 1.50 [95% CI 1.22–1.84]),
• Daycare attendance (OR 1.54 [95% CI 1.24–1.93]),
• Increasing percentage below the poverty level in the residential neighborhood (21% vs. 8%; OR 1.19 [95% CI 1.05–1.36]), and
• Public insurance (OR 1.28, 95% CI 1.02–1.62).

The researchers determined secondhand smoke exposure, sex, ever being breastfed, maternal asthma, and study year were not significantly associated with the likelihood of infant RSV infection.

In conclusion, 'our data are important estimates of RSV disease's burden and infection risk factors in healthy-term infants. Our findings provide a benchmark to monitor the effects of recently available maternal vaccines in the United States and extended half-life monoclonal antibodies (Beyfortus™) for preventing severe RSV illness in early life.'

As of 2023, the U.S. CDC says that infants and children who are recommended to receive Beyfortus should be immunized as quickly as possible.