Reduced Emergency Department Visits and Hospitalizations in Infants after Universal Respiratory Syncytial Virus Immunization, Italy, 2024–25
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: During the 2024-25 winter season, a universal immunization campaign with nirsevimab was implemented in a region of Italy to prevent respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection among infants <12 months of age. We assessed its effects using regional syndromic surveillance data on emergency department visits (EDVs) and hospitalizations for lower respiratory tract infections and RSV infections. We estimated expected burden using an interrupted time series analysis, based on historical trends, and observed values with predictions. Children 1-5 years of age, not eligible for immunization, served as a comparison group. Among infants, EDVs for acute lower respiratory tract infections decreased by 42.7% and hospitalizations decreased by 46.5%, whereas EDVs for RSV infection decreased by 49.3% and hospitalizations decreased by 55.0%. No reductions were observed in children 1-5 years of age, confirming ongoing RSV circulation. Our findings support the effectiveness of universal nirsevimab immunization in reducing severe RSV-related outcomes among infants.
Source: Emerging infectious diseases
Authors: Simone Villa, Simona Scarioni, Enrico Pigozzi, Manuel Maffeo, Mauro Maistrello, Giorgio Bagarella, Francesco Scovenna, Federica Morani, Marlen Romano, Gianvincenzo Zuccotti, Massimo Agosti, Catia Borriello, Elena Pariani, Guido Bertolaso, Luigi Vezzosi, Fausto Baldanti, Mario Melazzini, Elena Azzolini, Gabriele del Castillo, Danilo Cereda
Institutions: University of Milan, Regione Lombardia
Language: English
Subfield: Epidemiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7119514721