Respiratory Syncytial Virus hospitalizations burden: a nation-wide population-based analysis, 2000-2017

SUMMARY Objectives Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is a known cause of morbidity among young children, while RSV-related disease in the elderly is not fully recognized. Several RSV candidate vaccines for infants, pregnant women and adults are under development. We aimed to estimate nationwide age-specific hospitalizations and seasonal trends, to help determine the optimal age for vaccination. Methods Hospitalizations with a primary RSV-related diagnoses were retrieved from the National Hospital Database for the years 2000-2017. Data were analyzed by year, month and age group to determine hospitalization rates and seasonal trends. Results During the analysis period, 39,156 hospitalizations received primary RSV-related ICD-9 diagnostic codes. The highest mean yearly hospitalization rate occurred among infants Conclusions An effective vaccine for infants and pregnant women has the potential to reduce hospitalizations burden. RSV-related hospitalizations burden among adults requires additional research