Respiratory syncytial virus: impact of the disease and preventive strategies in pregnant women and older adults: Number 6 – 2024

Key points• Address the epidemiological aspects of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection and the negative impact of infections on newborns and older adults.• Inform about the negative impacts on the health of pregnant and older adult women of respiratory infections caused by RSV and its complications.• Bring knowledge of the evidence from studies on RSV vaccines in adult, pregnant and older adult women for a shared decision making between professionals and their patients.• Clarify the current approval stage of new RSV prevention and treatment tools for updated clinical practice.• Update gynecologists and obstetricians on new opportunities for active and passive immunization against RSV and on the position of Febrasgo regarding products approved for use in Brazil. Recommendations• Febrasgo understands the negative impact of RSV infections on newborns and older adults, and recommends that healthcare professionals be aware of respiratory manifestations caused by this pathogen, with special attention to the group of pregnant and older adult women.• Febrasgo has the role of bringing knowledge of the evidence from studies on RSV vaccines in adult, pregnant and older adult women for a future shared decision between professionals and their patients.• Febrasgo monitors the published evidence on RSV vaccines and awaits availability in our country to advance specific recommendations with this further possibility of prevention in older adult and pregnant women and consequently, in newborns.• Febrasgo believes the best way to contain the large volume of misinformation about vaccines currently occurring on social media is to offer gynecologists and obstetricians a constant update with the best scientific evidence available.• The Specialized National Commission on Vaccines of Febrasgo understands the need to take advantage of every opportunity to inform and update health professionals about the benefits and risks of vaccines and vaccine-preventable diseases.This way they can make the necessary choices and recommendations for their patients, thereby reducing deaths, hospitalizations and negative impacts on families and health systems.• Febrasgo believes the necessary and correct information might help to reduce vaccine hesitancy as well as morbidity and mortality for pathogens, especially those that affect individuals at the extremes of life, such as RSV.