New Delhi: For the first time in India, a working group under the country’s apex immunisation advisory body has been formed to consider the possibility of introducing a vaccine against Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) for infants and toddlers under the age of 2 as part of the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP).
Under the UIP, vaccines against select diseases are offered free of cost to all children and, in some cases, pregnant women at government hospitals at specified ages.
The working group under the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI) has been tasked with carrying out the risk-benefit analysis of introducing the vaccine for infants in the country, senior officials in the Union health ministry told ThePrint. The group, however, is yet to zero in on a vaccine to be considered for India.
“The working group will examine issues such as how dangerous the disease is, how common it is, can something be done about it and the financial aspects related to introducing the vaccine, once it is available,” a senior official in the ministry, who wished to not be named, said.
“RSV induced pneumonia in kids due to the viral disease had emerged as a major public health challenge,” he added.
Human RSV is a highly prevalent global cause of lower respiratory tract infections across all age groups, according to the World Health Organization.
Dr S.K. Nakra, director of pediatrics department, Madhukar Rainbow Children’s Hospital in Delhi explained that RSV is a highly contagious virus that can cause mild to severe respiratory illness in people of all ages, but is most dangerous for infants, young children, and older adults with weakened immune systems.
Infants less than 6 months old, premature infants and those with other medical conditions can develop severe RSV infection or bronchiolitis and they may have trouble breathing, requiring hospitalisation.
In older children and adults without comorbidities, repeated upper respiratory tract infections are common and range from subclinical infection to symptomatic upper respiratory tract disease.
In addition to the pediatric burden of disease, RSV is increasingly being recognised as an important pathogen in older adults, with infection leading to an increase in hospitalisation rates among those aged 65 years and above, and to increased mortality rates among the frail elderly with mortality rates similar to influenza vaccine, says WHO.
The risk of severe disease in adults is increased by the presence of underlying chronic pulmonary disease, circulatory conditions and functional disability, and is associated with higher viral loads.
The rates of RSV detection in various studies conducted in younger children (0-5 years) vary from 2.1 to 62.4 per cent in India, which is higher as compared to children from other age groups.
In India, RSV typically sees a peak in the monsoon to early winter period, occurring between the months of June through October. However, smaller increases have also been noted during December, January, and February.
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RSV vaccines
As reported in the media, last week, UK-based pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) had announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had approved Arexvy for the prevention of lower respiratory tract disease (LRTD) caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in individuals 60 years of age and older. This is the first RSV vaccine to be approved anywhere in the world.
Speaking to ThePrint, a GSK spokesperson in India said that as of now the approval by FDA is for global use.
“Later, if there is any local development (related to India), we will reach out and let you know,” said the spokesperson.
Another vaccine by US pharma giant Pfizer meant for pregnant women is in the late stages of development and is expected to get USFDA approval this year.
This vaccine, when administered to mothers during pregnancy, will prevent the infant from RSV infection via maternal antibodies, Kalra said.
Another live-attenuated vaccine against the respiratory disease is being developed by AstraZeneca while Moderna is working on an mRNA-based vaccine against the disease.
“If these vaccines are found to be safe and effective, they will reduce the burden of disease in the high-risk age group of infants and children less than 5 years old,” Kalra said.
(Edited by Zinnia Ray Chaudhuri)
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