High incidence of RSV illness in Malian infants, primarily caused by RSV-B

Andrea G. Buchwald, Boubou Tamboura, Sharon M. Tennant, Fadima C. Haidara, Flanon Coulibaly, Moussa Doumbia, Fatoumata Diallo, Adama M. Keita, Samba O. Sow, Karen L. Kotloff, Myron M. Levine, Milagritos D. Tapia.

Summary

Buchwald and colleagues conducted an active community-based surveillance for RSV infection in Mali. 1871 infants were followed from birth to six months of age and visited weekly to detect pneumonia and influenza-like influenza. 494 of them had samples tested for RSV. The study showed that RSV-B (131/153) was the dominant subtype and it was not associated with severity of RSV illness. Incidence rate of RSV-illness was high (536.8 per 1,000 person-years). Older mothers with lower parity were also associated with higher incidence rate. The hospital admission rate was 45.6 per 1,000 person-years. Males were more likely to be hospitalised. Mali is the first country where RSV-B was identified as the dominant subtype, indicating that the dominant subtype of RSV could vary across populations. There were few severe RSV infections, thus studies with a larger sample size could strengthen the findings.

 

Full article in CID.