Incidence of respiratory syncytial virus-associated lower respiratory tract illness in infants in low- and middle-income regions during the Coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic
Fry, Samantha; Chokephaibulkit, Kulkanya; Pallem, Sridevi; Henry, Ouzama; Pu, Yongjia; Akawung, Agnes; Kim, Joon Hyung; Yanni, Emad; Tullio, Antonella Nadia; Aurpibul, Linda; Lee, Christine Mui Fong; Ceballos, Ana; Zaman, Khalequ; Abadia de Regalado, Ivonne; Ahmed, Khatija; Arias Fernandez, Diana Andrea; Taher, Sri Wahyu; Caccavo, Juliana; Coutinho, Conrado Milani; D'Andrea Nores, Ulises; De Leon, Tirza; D'Silva, Emily Christine; De Bernardi, Mara; Dieser, Pablo; Falaschi, Andrea; Flores Acosta, Clara del Carmen; Gentile, Angela; Teo, Ik Hui; Kotze, Sheena; Lopez-Medina, Eduardo; Luca, Ruben; Lucion, Maria Florencia; Mantaring, Jacinto Blas V., III; Marin, Bladimir; Moelo, Malahleha; Mussi-Pinhata, Marisa Marcia; Pinto, Jorge; Puthanakit, Thanyawee; Reyes, Osvaldo; Roa, Maria Fernanda; Rodriguez Brieschke, Maria Teresa; Rodriguez, Camilo Enrique; Rodriguez Nino, Juan Nicolas; Schwarzbold, Alexandre Vargas; Sierra Garcia, Alexandra; Sivapatham, Lavitha; Soon, Ruey; Tinoco, Juan Carlos; Velasquez Penagos, Jesus Arnulfo; Dos Santos, Gael
Date:
2023-12
Abstract:
BACKGROUND : Incidence data of respiratory syncytial virus–associated lower respiratory tract illness (RSV-LRTI) are sparse in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). We estimated RSV-LRTI incidence rates (IRs) in infants in LMICs using World Health Organization case definitions.
METHODS : This prospective cohort study, conducted in 10 LMICs from May 2019 to October 2021 (largely overlapping with the coronavirus disease 2019 [COVID-19] pandemic), followed infants born to women with low-risk pregnancies for 1 year from birth using active and passive surveillance to detect potential LRTIs, and quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction on nasal swabs to detect RSV.
RESULTS : Among 2094 infants, 32 (1.5%) experienced an RSV-LRTI (8 during their first 6 months of life, 24 thereafter). Seventeen (0.8%) infants had severe RSV-LRTI and 168 (8.0%) had all-cause LRTI. IRs (95% confidence intervals [CIs]) of first RSV-LRTI episode were 1.0 (.3–2.3), 0.8 (.3–1.5), and 1.6 (1.1–2.2) per 100 person-years for infants aged 0–2, 0–5, and 0–11 months, respectively. IRs (95% CIs) of the first all-cause LRTI episode were 10.7 (8.1–14.0), 11.7 (9.6–14.0), and 8.7 (7.5–10.2) per 100 person-years, respectively. IRs varied by country (RSV-LRTI: 0.0–8.3, all-cause LRTI: 0.0–49.6 per 100 person-years for 0- to 11-month-olds).
CONCLUSIONS : RSV-LRTI IRs in infants in this study were relatively low, likely due to reduced viral circulation caused by COVID-19–related nonpharmaceutical interventions.
CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION : NCT03614676.
Description:
DATA AVAILABILITY : Study data and documents can be requested for further research from www.clinicalstudydatarequest.com.
