Revised recommendations concerning palivizumab prophylaxis for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

Lina Bollani,Antonello Del Vecchio,Antonio Boldrini,Luigi Orfeo,Paolo Manzoni,Andrea Dotta,Eugenio Baraldi,Marcello Lanari,Sandra Di Fabio,Gaetano Chirico,Piermichele Paolillo,Mauro Stronati,Costantino Romagnoli

doi:10.1186/s13052-015-0203-x

Abstract

Respiratory Syncytial Virus infections are one of the leading causes of severe respiratory diseases that require hospitalization and, in some cases, intensive care. Once resolved, there may be respiratory sequelae of varying severity. The lack of effective treatments for bronchiolitis and the lack of vaccines for RSV accentuate the role of prevention in decreasing the impact of this disease.Prevention of bronchiolitis strongly relies on the adoption of environment and the hygienic behavior measures; an additional prophylactic effect may be offered, in selected cases, by Palivizumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody produced by recombinant DNA technology, able to prevent RSV infection by blocking viral replication.After many years the Italian Society of Neonatology, on the basis of the most recent scientific knowledge, has decided to revise recommendations for the use of palivizumab in the prevention of RSV infection.

Highlights

Respiratory Syncytial Virus infections are one of the leading causes of severe respiratory diseases that require hospitalization and, in some cases, intensive care
A recent randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study demonstrated that prophylaxis with palivizumab given to healthy preterm babies (33 – 35 weeks gestational age) is able to decrease by 61 % the number of days with bronchospasm throughout the first year of life, supporting the hypothesis of a direct damage caused by the virus
For infants of 29–35 weeks gestational age and age ≤6 months at the beginning of the epidemic season, prophylaxis with Palivizumab might be taken into consideration in presence of risk conditions predisposing to severe infections and/or need for hospitalization

Summary

Introduction

Respiratory Syncytial Virus infections are one of the leading causes of severe respiratory diseases that require hospitalization and, in some cases, intensive care. A recent randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study demonstrated that prophylaxis with palivizumab given to healthy preterm babies (33 – 35 weeks gestational age) is able to decrease by 61 % the number of days with bronchospasm throughout the first year of life, supporting the hypothesis of a direct damage caused by the virus.

Results

Conclusion