Still no vaccine to protect children against RSV

2023-11-30 20:59:37

Cases of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection have numbered in the hundreds in Quebec since the beginning of November. It particularly affects older people and young children. Although a vaccine is available for seniors, this is not yet the case for toddlers.

Last September, a preventative RSV vaccine was approved in Canada. We can also see advertisements featuring hockey legend Wayne Gretzky promoting the Arexvy vaccine to protect seniors against severe complications.

However, the vast majority of cases of infections concern children under four years old. According to data transmitted by the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MSSS), the number of cases per 10,000 people amounts to 181.90 among those aged 0-5 months and 74.23 among those aged 6- 23 months. In comparison, there are 0.71 cases among those aged 60-69 and 2.73 cases among those aged 70 and over.

The MSSS mentions that the number of positive screening tests has been increasing since September. In November alone, we went from 292 cases in the week ending November 4, to 585 cases in the week ending November 25.

This virus causes respiratory infections that can lead to complications in people at risk, including young children. “Children’s bronchi and their respiratory system are very small. The slightest obstruction very quickly becomes problematic for their breathing,” explains professor in the department of biochemistry and molecular medicine of the CHUM Research Center (CRCHUM), Nathalie Grandvaux.

American authorities have approved a vaccine for pregnant women to protect children at birth, but it is still not available in Canada. There is also preventative antibody treatment offered to premature infants or children under two years of age who are considered to be at greatest risk of complications. However, this requires treatments every 28 days for five months.

Work is underway to produce a safe vaccine for children, says M^me Grandvaux. She adds that specific clinical trials are needed before approving a vaccine for children.

According to experts consulted by The Canadian Press, it is considered that virtually all children will have contracted RSV at least once before the age of three. It is a highly contagious virus that spreads at high speed in childcare settings.

“It’s an illness for which we don’t yet have the right protection. In the coming years, we are confident of having a vaccine accessible to all children,” predicts the expert who directs the Research Laboratory on the Host Response to Viral Infections at the CRCHUM.

Unfortunately, this year again, many children will have to fight an RSV infection “with all the consequences that it can have,” she warns. If the vast majority will come out of it without too many problems, others will suffer from complications, or even maintain long-term conditions.

According to the researcher, there would be serious “presumptions of association with long-term development of asthma in children who were infected with RSV” at a very young age.

Hygiene and precautions

If this evil seems inevitable, we can still adopt preventive behaviors in order to delay this first encounter between a baby and the virus as long as possible.

Epidemiologist Benoit Mâsse emphasizes that it is very difficult to distinguish an RSV infection from a simple cold. “To try to prevent, we wash our hands, if we have a cold, we stay away, we avoid contact,” he summarizes.

“There are no real means other than the usual rules of hygiene,” adds the man who is a professor in the department of social and preventive medicine at the School of Public Health at the University of Montreal.

Nathalie Grandvaux strongly recommends “not exposing young children” to people who show symptoms of respiratory infection during gatherings. She adds that people experiencing symptoms should wear a mask.

“It’s a tool that we didn’t have before, but that we can use wisely to avoid spreading these viruses,” she insists.

The MSSS specifies that RSV can be spread during close contact with an infected person, but also through contact with a contaminated surface. People who have a fever are asked to stay home. Those who notice a new or worsening cough, sore throat or nasal congestion are advised to wear a mask in public. It is recommended to keep your distance from others for a period of 10 days following the appearance of symptoms.

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