TY - JOUR

T1 - Incidence and seasonality of respiratory syncytial virus hospitalisations in young children in Denmark, 2010 to 2015

AU - Jepsen, Martin T.

AU - Trebbien, Ramona

AU - Emborg, Hanne Dorthe

AU - Krause, Tyra G.

AU - Schønning, Kristian

AU - Voldstedlund, Marianne

AU - Nielsen, Jens

AU - Fischer, Thea Kølsen

PY - 2018

Y1 - 2018

N2 - For future decisions on respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)-vaccination strategies and implementation into national immunisation-programmes, we used national registry data (hospitalisation, microbiology and vital statistics) to determine the age-specific incidence and direct medical costs of annual RSV-associated admissions in children < 5 years-old for the period of 2010–2015. We identified ca 2,500 RSV-associated hospitalisations annually amounting to total direct medi-cal-costs of ca EUR 4.1 million per year. The incidence of RSV-associated hospitalisations peaked in infants 1–2 months of age followed by infants 2–3 months of age, and infants < 1 month of age, respectively. Infant boys were at higher risk of severe RSV infection as compared to infant girls: male-to-female ratio peaked with 1.4 at four months of age and gradually levelled out with increasing age to 1.0 at 4 years of age. Five RSV-associated deaths were identified. Our findings demonstrate that in a western country as Denmark, RSV constitutes a considerable burden on childhood health. Furthermore, the best approach to reduce the high incidence of RSV-associated hospitalisations in young infants < 3 months of age may be maternal vaccination due to general challenges in achieving sufficient and protective immune responses in young infants.

AB - For future decisions on respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)-vaccination strategies and implementation into national immunisation-programmes, we used national registry data (hospitalisation, microbiology and vital statistics) to determine the age-specific incidence and direct medical costs of annual RSV-associated admissions in children < 5 years-old for the period of 2010–2015. We identified ca 2,500 RSV-associated hospitalisations annually amounting to total direct medi-cal-costs of ca EUR 4.1 million per year. The incidence of RSV-associated hospitalisations peaked in infants 1–2 months of age followed by infants 2–3 months of age, and infants < 1 month of age, respectively. Infant boys were at higher risk of severe RSV infection as compared to infant girls: male-to-female ratio peaked with 1.4 at four months of age and gradually levelled out with increasing age to 1.0 at 4 years of age. Five RSV-associated deaths were identified. Our findings demonstrate that in a western country as Denmark, RSV constitutes a considerable burden on childhood health. Furthermore, the best approach to reduce the high incidence of RSV-associated hospitalisations in young infants < 3 months of age may be maternal vaccination due to general challenges in achieving sufficient and protective immune responses in young infants.

U2 - 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2018.23.3.17-00163

DO - 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2018.23.3.17-00163

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 29386093

AN - SCOPUS:85041923526

VL - 23

JO - Eurosurveillance

JF - Eurosurveillance

SN - 1025-496X

IS - 3

M1 - 17-00163

ER -