Safety Data on Maternal RSV Vaccine ‘Favorable,’ FDA Staff Says
A maternal respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine candidate prevents infections in infants and comes with “generally favorable” safety data, said FDA staff in briefing documents released ahead of an advisory committee meeting this week, but the reviewers “noted potential uncertainty based on the numerical imbalance in premature deliveries.” On Thursday, members of the Vaccines and […]
Early LRTIs Tied to Risk of Premature Adult Death From Respiratory Diseases
A lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) in early childhood nearly doubles the risk of premature death from respiratory diseases in adulthood, according to a prospective cohort study that spanned eight decades. The study of over 3,500 individuals born in the U.K. found that participants diagnosed with an LRTI by age 2 years were 93% more […]
Second RSV Vaccine for Older Adults Gets Thumbs Up From FDA Advisors
A panel of FDA’s outside advisors recommended the agency approve GSK’s respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine for older adults, a day after backing Pfizer’s RSV vaccine candidate for that same population. By votes of 12-0 on efficacy and 10-2 on safety, the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) said the available data support […]
ICI-Related Myocarditis Deaths Down With Tailored Non-Corticosteroid Strategy
For immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-associated myocarditis, increased vigilance of respiratory muscle failure and initiation of JAK‐STAT pathway inhibition led to a jump in patient survival at a Paris hospital. Based on 40 consecutive cancer patients admitted to Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris with confirmed ICI-associated myocarditis, the incidence of related death dropped from 60% during the […]
Monoclonal Antibodies Linked to Reduced RSV Burden in Young Kids
Prophylactic use of three monoclonal antibodies was associated with substantial reductions in respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)-related infections and hospitalizations in children under 5, a systematic review and meta-analysis showed. Across 14 randomized controlled trials involving over 18,000 high-risk children, moderate- to high-certainty evidence showed that nirsevimab, palivizumab, and motavizumab were associated with significant reductions in […]
Lingering Effects Seen With Non-COVID Respiratory Illness Too
People with acute respiratory illness during the pandemic suffered similar levels of poor well-being in the months afterward whether they tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 or not, a registry study showed. In a cohort of people who all had initial symptoms suggestive of COVID-19, those who had moderate to severe scores at 3 months on the […]
Opinion | Should We Bring Masks Back Into the Classroom?
Influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections have skyrocketed this year relative to previous years, with infections from both viruses occurring earlier and increasing faster than any cold and flu season in recent history. Over the past couple of months, many pediatric hospitals have reported running out of beds necessary to treat severe influenza, RSV, […]
Is It COVID, The Flu Or RSV? Here’s How To Tell.
Three respiratory viruses are circling at a high rate right now — the flu, COVID-19 and RSV (or respiratory syncytial virus). These viruses have similar symptoms in most healthy adults but can impact certain populations (children, older adults or immunocompromised people) more severely. Also, it can be helpful, in general, to know what virus you’re […]
CDC Warns on Early Wave of Respiratory Illnesses
The CDC is warning of elevated levels of non-COVID respiratory illnesses in recent weeks — including rising cases of influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and rhinovirus. The surge stands in contrast to the lower activity of these viruses seen during the past couple of pandemic years, as a result of the various mitigation measures for […]
Vaccine Candidates for RSV Ward Off Severe Illness in Older Adults
WASHINGTON — Prefusion F protein vaccine candidates for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) proved safe in adults 60 and up while demonstrating an ability to thwart lower respiratory tract illness, including severe cases, a pair of large phase III trials showed. A single dose of an RSV prefusion F protein vaccine (RSVPreF3 OA) yielded a vaccine […]