Respiratory Syncytial Virus News and Research

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Personalized risk prediction tool helps prioritize high-risk infants for RSV prevention

A new tool to identify infants most at risk for severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) illness could aid pediatricians in prioritizing children under 1 to receive a preventive medication before RSV season (October-April), according to Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) research published in Open Forum Infectious Diseases and to be presented at the American Thoracic Society 2024 International Conference.

25 Apr 2024

154 million lives saved: Landmark study highlights power of vaccination

A major landmark study to be published by The Lancet reveals that global immunization efforts have saved an estimated 154 million lives – or the equivalent of 6 lives every minute of every year – over the past 50 years.

25 Apr 2024

Breast milk's secret weapon against RSV revealed in new study

Researchers explored how human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) protect infants from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), suggesting that these components in breast milk may prevent or reduce the severity of RSV infections through multiple mechanisms including gut microbiome modulation and direct antiviral actions.

15 Apr 2024

More patients are losing their doctors — and trust in the primary care system

First, her favorite doctor in Providence, Rhode Island, retired. Then her other doctor at a health center a few miles away left the practice.

2 Apr 2024

A mom’s $97,000 question: How was her baby’s air-ambulance ride not medically necessary?

Sara England was putting together Ghostbusters costumes for Halloween when she noticed her baby wasn't doing well.

25 Mar 2024

Measles outbreak in Illinois underscores critical need for vaccination

Study reports a measles outbreak among five unvaccinated children in Illinois, highlighting the disease's high transmissibility even among those not in direct contact, underscoring the critical importance of vaccination.

17 Mar 2024

Viral infections contribute to more cases of intussusception in kids

Viral infections trigger more cases of intussusception, the common cause of bowel blockages in young children, than previously thought, according to a new study.

14 Mar 2024

Nirsevimab shows 90% success in shielding infants from RSV hospitalizations

Study demonstrated a 90% effectiveness of nirsevimab in preventing RSV-associated hospitalizations in infants, with a significant finding being the timely vaccination's role in offering protection.

10 Mar 2024

COVID-19 booster enhances virus neutralizing antibodies in breast milk, new study reveals

The potential of COVID-19 booster vaccine products (antibodies) passed from mother to offspring through breastmilk.

7 Mar 2024

Only 9% of older Americans vaccinated against RSV, study finds

A new study from the Texas A&M University School of Public Health found that only 9 percent of older Americans had been vaccinated against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) prior to this fall and winter, despite the threat of increased rates of hospitalization and deaths nationwide from the virus.

1 Mar 2024

Virginia Tech receives grant for improving rural wastewater pathogen detection

Testing wastewater to assess the spread of the COVID-19 virus became common and well-publicized during the pandemic, but it has been focused mostly on urban areas.

16 Feb 2024

Drug repurposing study finds lonafarnib effective against RSV

A study in Nature Communications identifies lonafarnib from the ReFRAME drug-repurposing library as a potent inhibitor of the RSV fusion protein, showing promise in reducing RSV infection in vitro and in vivo.

11 Feb 2024

New study finds 4’-fluorouridine effective against avian influenza in vitro and in vivo

A PLOS Pathogens study reveals 4’-fluorouridine effectively combats avian influenza in vitro and in animal models, showing promise as a treatment that overcomes resistance and reduces disease severity without significant adverse effects.

11 Feb 2024

Do we simply not care about old people?

The covid-19 pandemic would be a wake-up call for America, advocates for the elderly predicted: incontrovertible proof that the nation wasn't doing enough to care for vulnerable older adults.

9 Feb 2024

Gut microbiome may hold key to fighting common respiratory viruses

The composition of microbiota found in the gut influences how susceptible mice are to respiratory virus infections and the severity of these infections, according to researchers from the Center for Translational Antiviral Research in the Institute for Biomedical Sciences at Georgia State University.

30 Jan 2024

Impact of nirsevimab immunization on pediatric RSV-related hospitalizations in Luxembourg

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is one of the main reasons leading to hospitalization among young children worldwide and each year, an estimated 101,000 children below the age of 5 years die due to RSV infections.

30 Jan 2024

‘Emergency’ or not, covid is still killing people. Here’s what doctors advise to stay safe.

With around 20,000 people dying of covid in the United States since the start of October, and tens of thousands more abroad, the covid pandemic clearly isn't over.

18 Jan 2024

Pandemic shifts: Ontario children's hospital visits and admissions down during COVID-19

Despite major disruptions to health care systems during the COVID-19 pandemic, there was no significant increase in preventable conditions or deaths in children according to a large study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.221726.

16 Jan 2024

Study: Respiratory syncytial virus directly infects nerve cells and causes inflammation

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a common infection in children and senior adults, can also infect nerve cells and trigger inflammation leading to nerve damage, according to a new Tulane University study.

10 Jan 2024

New study finds maternal vaccine and monoclonal antibody effective against RSV in infants

The impact and cost-effectiveness of maternal vaccination (MV) to long-acting monoclonal antibody (la-mAB) therapy.