New RSV vaccine protects veterans aged 60 and older

A new vaccine for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) has shown strong protection for veterans aged 60 and older. A study conducted during the 2023-24 season found that a single dose of the vaccine significantly reduced RSV infections and hospitalizations among this group. Researchers studied over 146,000 vaccinated veterans and compared them with nearly 583,000 unvaccinated veterans. The study followed participants for about four months. The main goal was to see how effective the vaccine was in preventing positive RSV test results two weeks after vaccination. The results showed that the vaccine was 78.1% effective in preventing RSV infections. In the vaccinated group, the infection rate was much lower than in those not vaccinated. It was 1.7 infections per 1,000 person-years for the vaccinated group, compared to 7.3 for the unvaccinated. The vaccine also reduced emergency room visits and hospitalizations related to RSV. Immunocompromised veterans saw a slightly lower vaccine effectiveness of 71.6%. However, even in this group, infection rates were still lower than in those who did not get vaccinated. The findings suggest that the RSV vaccine can be a valuable option for older adults, providing protection at least for the first season after vaccination. However, the study had some limitations, including not tracking veterans who received care outside the Veterans Health Administration. The study was led by Dr. Kristina L. Bajema and was published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases. It received support from various U.S. health agencies.