Infectious diseases

CDC: RSV Vaccines Cut Infant Hospitalizations by Up to 71%

MAY 19 2025·Updated MAY 20 2025

Story

Above: A machine adds RSV adjuvant to glass vials moving along a production line conveyor filled with vaccine at the GSK Plc research and development center in Wavre, Belgium. Image credit: Ksenia Kuleshova/Contributor/Bloomberg via Getty Images

The Facts

The first widespread deployment of RSV preventive measures in winter 2024-25, including maternal vaccines and monoclonal antibody treatments, has led to a significant decrease in infant hospitalizations. Rates have dropped by up to 71% in newborns under two months compared to pre-pandemic levels.
CDC
National immunization survey data show the proportion of U.S. infants aged 0-7 months protected by either maternal vaccination or nirsevimab, a long-acting monoclonal antibody, reached 66% by February 2025. This marks a substantial increase from 30% in October 2024, demonstrating the rapid adoption of these preventive measures.
CDC
RSV remains a significant global health threat, causing 33 million cases of lower respiratory tract infections and 3.6 million hospitalizations annually in children under 5 years old. The virus is the second-leading cause of infant mortality after malaria.
GAVI
Global Citizen
The CDC study utilized two surveillance networks (RSV-NET and NVSN) to compare hospitalization rates, revealing that RSV hospitalizations in newborns decreased by 52% in RSV-NET and 45% in NVSN, with even greater reductions when excluding early outbreak data from Houston.
guardian
Medscape
While the vaccines showed promising results for infants under 8 months, children aged 1-4 and 5-17 experienced higher rates of hospitalization this winter compared to previous seasons, suggesting the season may have been more severe overall.
guardian
Science News
Meanwhile, a recent meta-analysis of six randomized controlled trials involving over 12,600 pregnant women and their infants demonstrated varying effectiveness among vaccine candidates. Wyeth-Lederle's RSV-PFP-2 vaccine showed a 50% reduction in medically attended RSV infections, while GSK's RSVPreF3-mat vaccine was linked to a 37% increase in preterm birth rates, prompting a pause in its development.
ContagionLive
MedPage Today

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The Spin

Narrative A

The dramatic reduction in infant RSV hospitalizations is a groundbreaking public health achievement. The new preventive measures have decreased hospitalization rates and reduced the severity of cases requiring emergency care. The successful implementation of these vaccines could lead to even greater reductions in future seasons, potentially saving thousands of infants from serious illness and complications.

GAVI

guardian

Narrative B

Safety concerns remain a significant consideration in maternal RSV vaccination programs. One vaccine candidate showed a 37% increase in preterm birth rates, highlighting the need for enhanced monitoring and careful risk-benefit analysis. The challenge of developing new vaccines while maintaining competitive advantage and managing public perception creates additional barriers to advancing RSV prevention options.

ContagionLive