Respiratory Syncytial Virus in Neonates and Infants: New Frontiers for Its Prevention

.Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a primary cause of lower respiratory tract infections in infants, with severe cases potentially leading to long-term respiratory issues like asthma. Globally, RSV affects 33.1 million children annually, resulting in 3.2 million hospitalizations. Despite its signifi-cant burden, treatment remains supportive, emphasizing the importance of prevention. This re-view explores current RSV prevention strategies, focusing on advancements in maternal immun-ization and monoclonal antibodies. Maternal vaccination during pregnancy has emerged as a promising approach, with the FDA-approved RSVpreF vaccine demonstrating 81.8% efficacy in reducing severe RSV infections during the first 90 days of life. Additionally, new monoclonal an-tibodies such as Nirsevimab represent key innovations. Nirsevimab offers single-dose protection, showing significant reductions in RSV hospitalizations across various studies and gaining ap-proval for universal use in regions like USA and Europe. Successful immunization programs, as seen in several countries, highlight the potential of broad implementation. While these develop-ments mark progress, further research is essential to optimize protocols, assess long-term out-comes, and expand access, aiming to alleviate RSV’s global health impact on infants and young children.