TY - JOUR T1 - The Burden of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection in Adults and Reproductive-Aged Women JF - Global Health: Science and Practice JO - GLOB HEALTH SCI PRACT SP - 515 LP - 520 DO - 10.9745/GHSP-D-19-00121 VL - 7 IS - 4 AU - Bernard Gonik Y1 - 2019/12/23 UR - http://www.ghspjournal.org/content/7/4/515.abstract N2 - Currently available data on respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) disease burden in adults and reproductive-aged women are limited. These data are critically needed to assist in the advancement of strategies related to maternal RSV vaccination for the passive protection of their newborn children.In 2015, it was estimated that respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection resulted in 33.1 million episodes of acute lower respiratory infection worldwide, with 3.2 million hospitalizations and approximately 59,600 in-hospital related deaths.1 These numbers likely underestimate the burden of disease because the overwhelming majority of cases are thought to occur in developing countries where surveillance data are even more limited.1 Globally, RSV-associated acute lower respiratory infection is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in children younger than 5 years.1 Recently, this pathogen has also been recognized to cause significant disease in the elderly.2 Despite 60 years of RSV research and vaccine exploration (Figure), there is only 1 approved intervention to prevent RSV infections. Palivizumab, a monoclonal antibody against the RSV fusion protein, is only indicated for preterm infants and children at high risk for RSV infections. No licensed vaccine currently exists. However, currently, 14 candidate vaccines are being tested in clinical trials.4 Active vaccination of pregnant women in the third trimester is a particularly attractive approach because the most severe disease occurs within the first 6 months of life in their progeny. With current ongoing activities, approval of the first RSV vaccine for the prevention of RSV in all infants or perhaps the elderly is likely to occur in the next 6 years.FIGURE. History of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccine and Monoclonal Antibody Research3Abbreviations: BN, Bavarian Nordic; ChAd, chimpanzee-derived adenovirus; F, respiratory syncytial virus fusion protein; FDA, United States Food and Drug Administration; GSK, Glaxo Smith Kline; mAb, monoclonal … ER -