RSV cases in infants halved: New antibodies protect

Berlin. The number of RSV cases in infants has more than halved since the introduction of an antibody drug. In the winter of 2024/25, 1,045 cases per 100,000 babies were reported to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), according to an analysis by RKI experts. In the 2023/24 season, the number was around 2,290 cases per 100,000. The results were published in the German Medical Journal.

Infants were also hospitalized significantly less frequently for RSV last winter than in the previous season. According to RKI researchers, hospital admissions have more than halved – from around 6,480 in the 2023/24 season to just under 2,900 in the 2024/25 season. Of these, 121 required intensive care in 2023/24, compared to just 55 in 2024/25. Nationwide, information on hospital admissions was available for two-thirds of RSV cases in infants.

RSV stands for respiratory syncytial virus. Since June 2024, the German Standing Committee on Vaccination (Stiko) has recommended an antibody drug for protection against RSV for all newborns and infants. This is a so-called passive immunization: antibodies are administered that have already been formed, meaning they are not actively produced by the body's own immune system.

The RSV incidence can vary significantly from season to season, the experts explain. However, it is unlikely that such a sharp decline in infants is related to seasonal fluctuations. The RKI researchers therefore assume that RSV protection has a significant effect.

Every year, numerous children contract RSV. The disease causes respiratory infections in both children and adults. In principle, it can be contracted and repeatedly infected at any age. Especially in infants, the pathogen can cause bronchitis and pneumonia. According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), in severe cases, ventilation may be necessary. Fatal outcomes are possible, but very rare in Germany.

RND/dpa