Determining the true incidence of seasonal respiratory syncytial virus-confirmed hospitalizations in preterm and term infants in Western Australia

Mohinder Sarna; Amanuel Gebremedhin; Peter Richmond; Avram Levy; Kathryn Glass; Hannah C Moore

doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2023.07.014

Determining the true incidence of seasonal respiratory syncytial virus-confirmed hospitalizations in preterm and term infants in Western Australia

Vaccine. 2023 Aug 14;41(36):5216-5220. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2023.07.014. Epub 2023 Jul 18.

Authors

Mohinder Sarna¹, Amanuel Gebremedhin², Peter Richmond³, Avram Levy⁴, Kathryn Glass⁵, Hannah C Moore⁶

Affiliations

¹ Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia; Curtin School of Population Health, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, Australia. Electronic address: minda.sarna@telethonkids.org.au.
² Curtin School of Population Health, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, Australia.
³ Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia; School of Medicine, University of Western Australia and Perth Children's Hospital, Nedlands, WA, Australia.
⁴ PathWest Laboratory Medicine, QEII Medical Centre, Nedlands, Perth, WA, Australia; School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Perth, WA, Australia.
⁵ Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia; National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, ANU College of Health and Medicine, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
⁶ Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia; Curtin School of Population Health, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, Australia.

PMID: 37474407
DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2023.07.014

Abstract

Respiratory syncytial virus contributes to significant global infant morbidity and mortality. We applied a previously developed statistical prediction model incorporating pre-pandemic RSV testing data and hospital admission data to estimate infant RSV-hospitalizations by birth month and prematurity, focused on infants aged <1 year. The overall predicted RSV-hospitalization incidence rates in infants <6 months were 32.7/1,000 child-years (95 % CI: 31.8, 33.5) and 3.1/1,000 child-years (95 % CI: 3.0, 3.1) in infants aged 6-<12 months. Predicted RSV-hospitalization rates for infants aged <6 months were highest for infants born in April/May. Predicted rates for preterm infants born 29-32 weeks gestation were highest in March-May, whereas infants born >33 weeks had peak RSV-hospitalization rates from May-June, similar to late preterm or term births. RSV-hospitalization rates in the pre-pandemic era were highly seasonal, and seasonality varied with degree of prematurity. Accurate estimates of RSV-hospitalization in high-risk sub-groups are essential to understand preventable burden of RSV especially given the current prevention landscape.

Keywords: Hospitalization; Infants; Nirsevimab; Palivizumab; Prematurity; Respiratory syncytial virus; Seasonal trends.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use
Hospitalization
Humans
Incidence
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Infant, Premature
Palivizumab / therapeutic use
Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections* / epidemiology
Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Human*
Seasons
Western Australia / epidemiology

Substances

Palivizumab
Antiviral Agents