Bronchiolitis: the infant immunization campaign is a success
The winter of 2022-2023 was marked by a particularly intense outbreak of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) bronchiolitis, resulting in numerous emergency room visits and hospitalizations of newborns. As a reminder, RSV is a major cause of hospitalization and death among infants worldwide. Faced with this situation, the French health authorities have launched a preventive immunization campaign for all infants starting on September 15, 2023 and throughout the winter. France was thus one of the first countries to administer nirsevimab, a treatment based on a long-acting monoclonal antibody administered in a single dose (Beyfortus®), with the aim of preventing lower respiratory tract infections caused by RSV. However, the real-life efficacy of nirsevimab (ie, excluding experimental studies), as well as the number of hospitalizations avoided, remained unknown.
Out of stock quickly.France ordered only 200,000 doses for 700,000 annual births. All parents of babies then found themselves in the same situation, going from pharmacy to pharmacy to get a dose that would protect their child (often in vain).
Eligibility criteria
This year, Sanofi, the laboratory that develops Beyfortus, produced 600,000 doses to avoid shortages. In mainland France, all children born after January 1, 2024 are entitled to it. The rule is identical in Guyana, Martinique, Saint-Martin and Saint-Barthélémy. This date is set for February 1 for Reunion and Guadeloupe and March 15 for Mayotte.
According to Vidal, a reference book for health products, Beyfortus “is indicated for infants at high risk of RSV infection born at gestational age of 35 weeks or less and less than 6 months at the beginning of the seasonal RSV epidemic; under 2 years who required treatment for bronchopulmonary dysplasia in the last 6 months; under 2 years of age suffering from congenital heart diseases with hemodynamic impact.