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Published on: December 10, 2013
Implementation of the first respiratory syncytial (RSV) immunization campaign with nirsevimab in an autonomous
Jaime Jesús Pérez Martín1, Matilde Zornoza Moreno1
1Prevention and Health Protection Service, Ministry of Health, Murcia, Spain.
Insights
Nirsevimab effectively protected infants from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in Spain's first campaign, achieving high coverage. The study highlights rapid immunization and successful implementation for future RSV prevention strategies.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Infectious Diseases
- Public Health
Background:
- Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a primary cause of lower respiratory tract infections in infants.
- Nirsevimab, a monoclonal antibody, was introduced for infant RSV protection in the 2023/2024 season.
- Spain was among the first nations to implement this RSV immunization strategy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the outcomes of the initial nirsevimab immunization campaign in Spain.
- To analyze the characteristics of the immunized infant population.
- To inform future RSV prevention strategies in Spain and other countries.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of nirsevimab immunization data from the 2023/2024 season.
- Calculation of immunization coverage rates for infants born during and before the campaign.
- Analysis of time to immunization and age at immunization based on health status and origin.
Main Results:
- High immunization coverage achieved: 91.5% for infants born during the season and 88.3% overall.
- Low refusal rate (4.9%) at maternity hospitals for infants born during the season, with an average delay of 27.45 days.
- Lower coverage observed in the immigrant population; rapid immunization pace noted for catch-up infants (15.63 days).
- Healthy infants were immunized at a younger age than those with risk conditions, both for those born during and before the campaign.
Conclusions:
- The first nirsevimab immunization campaign in the Region of Murcia, Spain, was highly successful.
- The strategy demonstrated effective RSV prevention in infants with high coverage and rapid uptake.
- Findings provide valuable insights for planning and optimizing future national RSV immunization programs.
Abstract:
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the main cause of low respiratory tract infections in infants under one year of age. In the 2023/2024 season, the monoclonal antibody nirsevimab was available to protect children from RSV, and Spain has become one of the first countries worldwide to implement this strategy. It is essential to evaluate the results of this first campaign and different characteristics of the immunized population in order to plan next campaigns, especially for countries that are going to include this immunization. Our coverage was high (91.5% for those born during the season and 88.3% globally). For those born during the season, only 4.9% preferred not to immunize at the maternity hospital, which meant an average delay of 27.45 days. We observed a lower coverage in the population of immigrant origin. There was a rapid pace of immunization, since for those born before the beginning of the campaign the mean to be immunized was 15.63 days, without differences between healthy and at-risk children. This allows immunization before the RSV season (90% of the catch-up children had been immunized on November 3). The average age at which all the immunized children have received nirsevimab was lower in healthy children compared to those with risk conditions (49.65 versus 232.85 days). For those born during the campaign, the average age was also lower in healthy children (3.14 versus 14.58 days). In conclusion, we consider that the implementation of the immunization strategy with nirsevimab in the Region of Murcia, Spain, has been a success.
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