The High Authority for Health authorises the Abryvso vaccine for pregnant women, from the eighth month of pregnancy: it offers protection to the mother and baby against RSV, the virus responsible for bronchiolitis.
- The High Authority of Health authorizes the use of the Abryvso vaccine to protect pregnant women and their babies from bronchiolitis.
- The product should be administered from the eighth month of pregnancy.
- Another immunization product is available: Beyfortus, this monoclonal antibody must be administered to infants from birth.
The fight against bronchiolitis has a new tool: on Thursday, June 13, the High Authority for Health approved a vaccine, Abryvso, intended to protect pregnant women and their babies from the respiratory syncytial virus, responsible for almost 75% of cases.The HAS recognizes the interest of vaccinating pregnant women with Abrysvo, during the 8e month of pregnancy”she says in her communicated.
What is bronchiolitis?
Bronchiolitis mainly affects children under two years of age. It triggers an inflammatory reaction in the walls of the small bronchi: this causes various symptoms including coughing and wheezing. According to theHealth Insuranceit generally lasts about ten days. The disease is benign in adults, but serious forms can affect young children and require hospitalization.Bronchiolitis is a highly contagious respiratory disease.warns the organization. For this reason, scientists and laboratories are working on developing new means of protection.
Bronchiolitis: a reduction of more than 80% in severe infections at 3 months
Last summer, European health authorities proved Abryvso as a means of protecting children from the virus from birth to six months. At the request of the Ministry of Health, the HAS conducted research to assess its effectiveness and tolerance.In terms of efficacy, estimates from the MATISSE study show a significant reduction in severe respiratory infections linked to RSV: 81.8% at 3 months, 69.4% at 6 months, she concludes. UA reduction in hospitalizations was also observed: 67.7% at 3 months, 56.8% at 6 months. Regarding the tolerance of the vaccine, no increase in serious adverse events was reported either in the mother or in the newborn.”
Beyfortus: a preventive treatment to fight against RSV
These results have allowed the HAS to integrate this product into the strategy for preventing infections linked to RSV. It will be available from September and is added to Beyfortus. Approved since 2023, the latter is administered to infants, quickly after birth.This is not a vaccine but a preventive treatment with monoclonal antibodies, warns the Ministry of Health. This means that the body is given tools to defend itself for a few months, unlike vaccination which presents the disease to the body to train it to defend itself.” It helps protect the child during the epidemic season, from October to February.
Bronchiolitis: around 480,000 children are affected each year
The French authorities recall that the 2022-2023 bronchiolitis epidemic was “particularly intense and long in France”. According to data from Public Health France, it lasted 16 weeks (compared to 12 weeks on average during the period 2015-2020). Every winter, bronchiolitis affects 30% of infants under 2 years old, which represents around 480,000 cases per year.
