Tag: ALRI

RESCEU scientists publish latest global disease burden estimates of RSV in The Lancet revealing substantial RSV community morbidity and mortality burden in young children in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Some of the most relevant findings are:

• • Globally, 33 million episodes of RSV acute lower respiratory infection (including pneumonia and bronchiolitis) occur annually, with 95% of episodes occurring in LMICs.
  • Annually, for every 1,000 young children, 52 episodes of RSV acute lower respiratory infection can be found in LMICs compared to 24 episodes in high-income countries. However, a smaller proportion of young children could reach hospitals for RSV illnesses in LMICs than in high-income countries.
  • Globally, RSV is responsible for 101,000 deaths in young children, with more than 99% from LMICs.
  • For every one RSV death in hospitals, there are three more RSV deaths in the community.
  • Children younger than six months are most prone to RSV related morbidity and mortality, accounting for 20% of RSV acute lower respiratory infection episodes and 46% of RSV deaths in children under five years.

“RSV immunisation programmes targeting protection in infants younger than six months are likely to be impactful, especially in LMICs that have substantial RSV disease burden in the community. Children in LMICs who had limited access to care could only be protected from RSV severe outcomes through the implementation of RSV immunisation programmes.”, says Prof. You Li from Nanjing Medical University, the leading author of paper.

Acces the full publication here.

Read BBC World’s report here