New Delhi : Even healthy, full-term babies face a significant risk of severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections, according to a recent study. The research highlights that infants under three months of age may require intensive care or prolonged hospitalisation, even if they have no underlying health issues.
RSV is a common cause of respiratory infections in young children. Globally, RSV leads to an estimated 3.6 million hospitalisations and around 100,000 deaths annually in children under five.
While premature babies and children with chronic conditions are known to be at higher risk, the study analysed data from over 2.3 million children born in Sweden between 2001 and 2022 to assess risks in otherwise healthy infants. Findings published in The Lancet Regional Health-Europe revealed that the largest group needing intensive care or long-term hospitalisation were full-term, healthy babies under three months of age.
“When shaping treatment strategies, it is important to take into account that even healthy infants can be severely affected by RSV,” said Giulia Dallagiacoma, physician and doctoral student at Karolinska Institutet.
In the study, 1.7% of children were diagnosed with RSV, and nearly 12% of these cases (4,621 children) experienced severe illness. Risk factors for intensive care or mortality included being born in winter, having siblings aged 0–3 years, being a twin, or having a low birth weight. Children with underlying medical conditions faced more than a fourfold increased risk.
Dallagiacoma added, “The good news is that preventive treatment is now available for newborns, and vaccines can be administered to pregnant women to protect infants.”
This research underscores the need for awareness and early intervention, even among healthy infants, to reduce RSV-related hospitalisations and fatalities.
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