Madhi SA, Cutland CL, Downs S, Jones S, van Niekerk N, Simoes EAF, Nunes MC.Burden of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection in South African Human Immunodeficiency Virus(HIV)-Infected and HIV Uninfected Pregnant and Postpartum Women: A Longitudinal Cohort Study. Clin InfectDis. 2018 May 17;66(11):1658-1665. Available from: doi: 10.1093/cid/cix1088.
Summary
A longitudinal cohort study from South Africa investigated the RSV burden in HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected women (from mid-pregnancy until 24 weeks of postpartum). The incidence of RSV illness in 2011 among HIV-infected women was slightly higher than the rate in HIV-uninfected women (3.4 (95% CI 1.4-8.1) vs. 1.2 (95% CI 0.6-2.2) per 1000 person-months). RSV infection during pregnancy was not associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. Postpartum RSV infection in mothers was commonly associated with concurrent RSV infection in their infants. However, this study was based on a limited sample size. Also, geographic and temporal differences with different intensity and virulence of the circulating RSV virus, significant year-to-year variability in RSV incidence, case definition under research, and healthcare seeking behaviour in local study sites might result in further uncertainty of the true estimates. More research is required to determine the potential benefit from maternal RSV vaccination in this high-risk population.
Abstract on Pubmed.