A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal

The burden of respiratory syncytial virus in healthy term-born infants in Europe: a prospective birth cohort study




AuthorsWildenbeest Joanne G, Billard Marie-Noëlle, Zuurbier Roy P, Korsten Koos, Langedijk Annefleur C, van de Ven Peter M, Snape Matthew D, Drysdale Simon B, Pollard Andrew J, Robinson Hannah, Heikkinen Terho, Cunningham Steve, O'Neill Thomas, Rizkalla Bishoy, Dacosta-Urbieta Ana, Martinón-Torres Federico, van Houten Marlies A, Bont Louis J, RESCEU Investigators

PublisherElsevier

Publication year2023

JournalThe Lancet Respiratory Medicine

Journal name in sourceThe Lancet. Respiratory medicine

Journal acronymLancet Respir Med

Volume11

Issue4

First page 341

Last page353

ISSN2213-2600

eISSN2213-2619

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1016/S2213-2600(22)00414-3(external)

Web address https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213260022004143?via%3Dihub(external)

Self-archived copy’s web addresshttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9764871/(external)


Abstract

Background

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major cause of hospitalisation in infants. The burden of RSV infection in healthy term infants has not yet been established. Accurate health-care burden data in healthy infants are necessary to determine RSV immunisation policy when RSV immunisation becomes available.

Methods

We performed a multicentre, prospective, observational birth cohort study in healthy term-born infants (≥37 weeks of gestation) in five sites located in different European countries to determine the health-care burden of RSV. The incidence of RSV-associated hospitalisations in the first year of life was determined by parental questionnaires and hospital chart reviews. We performed active RSV surveillance in a nested cohort to determine the incidence of medically attended RSV infections. The study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03627572.

Findings

In total, 9154 infants born between July 1, 2017, and April 1, 2020, were followed up during the first year of life and 993 participated in the nested active surveillance cohort. The incidence of RSV-associated hospitalisations in the total cohort was 1·8% (95% CI 1·6–2·1). There were eight paediatric intensive care unit admissions, corresponding to 5·5% of 145 RSV-associated hospitalisations and 0·09% of the total cohort. Incidence of RSV infection in the active surveillance cohort confirmed by any diagnostic assay was 26·2% (24·0–28·6) and that of medically attended RSV infection was 14·1% (12·3–16·0).

Interpretation

RSV-associated acute respiratory infection causes substantial morbidity, leading to the hospitalisation of one in every 56 healthy term-born infants in high-income settings. Immunisation of pregnant women or healthy term-born infants during their first winter season could have a major effect on the health-care burden caused by RSV infections.



Last updated on 2025-27-03 at 21:47