The World Health Organization (WHO) has endorsed two new immunisation tools to protect infants from Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), a leading cause of acute lower respiratory infections among young children worldwide.
The first tool is a maternal vaccine, administered to women during their third trimester of pregnancy to safeguard their newborns. The second is a long-acting antibody injection given directly to infants, offering protection within a week and lasting for at least five months.
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RSV accounts for approximately 100,000 deaths and 3.6 million hospitalisations annually among children under five, with infants under six months particularly vulnerable. According to WHO, 97 per cent of RSV-related deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries.
“RSV affects all age groups but poses the greatest risk to infants, especially those born prematurely,” said Dr Kate O’Brien, WHO Director of Immunisation, Vaccines and Biologicals. She noted that nearly half of RSV-related deaths occur in babies younger than six months.
Given the scale of the threat, WHO is urging all countries to incorporate either the maternal vaccine or the antibody injection into their national immunisation programmes.
“These RSV immunisation products offer a game-changing opportunity to reduce hospitalisations, prevent deaths, and save the lives of countless infants across the globe,” O’Brien added.
