WHO approves new vaccines to protect infants from deadly respiratory virus
In a statement, WHO recommended the maternal vaccine be administered to pregnant women in their third trimester, offering newborns passive immunity at birth.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has approved the use of two new immunisation tools, a maternal vaccine and a long-acting antibody injection, to protect infants from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a leading cause of severe respiratory illness and death in young children globally.
In a statement, the WHO recommended that the maternal vaccine be administered to pregnant women in their third trimester, offering newborns passive immunity at birth.
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The organisation also endorsed the use of a long-acting monoclonal antibody injection for infants, which begins to offer protection within a week of administration and remains effective for at least five months.
WHO noted that RSV is responsible for approximately 100,000 deaths each year among children under the age of five, with 97 per cent of these deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries. Half of all RSV-related deaths affect babies younger than six months, highlighting the urgent need for effective preventive measures.
“RSV can affect people of all ages, but it is especially harmful to infants, particularly those born prematurely,” WHO’s Director of Immunisation, Vaccines and Biologicals, Dr Kate O’Brien, said.
She emphasised the transformative impact of the newly approved tools in reducing the global burden of RSV.
“The WHO-recommended RSV immunisation products can transform the fight against severe RSV disease, dramatically reduce hospitalisations and deaths, and ultimately save many infant lives globally,” she said.
Given the scale of the problem, WHO has called on all countries to adopt either the maternal vaccine or the antibody injection as part of their national immunisation strategies.
“These RSV immunisation products can transform the fight against severe RSV disease, dramatically reduce hospitalisations and deaths, and ultimately save many infant lives worldwide,” O’Brien said.
RSV typically causes mild symptoms such as a runny nose, cough, and fever, similar to those of the common cold. However, in infants, young children, older adults, and individuals with compromised immune systems or underlying health conditions, the virus can lead to serious complications including pneumonia and bronchiolitis.
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