Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is one of the most common respiratory viruses in infants and young children, infecting almost all children by two years of age. RSV accounts for a significant burden of disease in infants and young children, causing serious complications for infants, including hospitalization, as well as significant impact on caregivers and families. Although the risk of severe RSV disease is higher in infants with certain medical conditions including prematurity, full-term infants account for the highest proportion of infants with severe RSV disease. In order to address this substantial disease burden, NACI has recently issued new guidance for RSV immunoprophylaxis for all infants with a focus on the use of nirsevimab to prevent severe RSV disease. In 2023, Health Canada authorized two new RSV immunoprophylaxis: nirsevimab, a long-acting monoclonal antibody, and RSVpreF, a maternal vaccine. NACI guidelines state that nirsevimab is currently preferred over RSVpreF due to its higher efficacy and possible longer duration of protection.
This program has received an unrestricted educational grant or in-kind support from Sanofi.