Pregnant woman receiving vaccine

Maternal immunization against the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) could lower antimicrobial prescribing among infants.

RSV is a leading cause of severe acute lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) among infants globally, and a prominent contributor to common non-severe infections that account for high volumes of antibiotic consumption. Using data from a blinded, multi-country trial, researchers from OHT, Novavax, and the University of California, Berkeley found that infants of mothers assigned the RSV fusion (F) vaccine experienced fewer antimicrobial prescription courses over the first 90 days of life than infants of mothers assigned a placebo. The estimated efficacy of the RSV F vaccine used in the trial analyzed against RSV-associated, medically significant LRTI did not meet the pre-specified criterion for success, but future RSV vaccine candidates with higher efficacy may achieve greater reductions in antimicrobial consumption.

Find the article from PNAS, here.