New medication for RS virus administered to infants in Finland

In Finland, a new prophylactic medication developed to combat the RS virus is being administered to young children. The aim is to prevent most hospitalizations of infants caused by the RS virus while also alleviating congestion in children’s wards during the RS virus epidemic. The RS virus is the leading cause of respiratory infections resulting in hospitalization for young children globally. The highest risk of severe illness occurs in children under three months old, with 15 percent requiring intensive care.

Annually, around 1,000 infants under one year are hospitalized in Finland due to RS virus infections. The new medication contains a long-acting antibody known as nirsevimab, which takes effect immediately after administration, distinguishing it from traditional vaccines. “Here, the antibody is provided ready-made, while vaccines require the body to produce the antibody,” explains Ville Peltola, chief physician of pediatric infectious diseases at TYKS.

Jenni Saario from Naantali, who recently gave birth in Turku, was among the first to receive the new medication for her baby, administered when the infant was just one day old. “The injection didn’t disturb the baby much. She had been asleep, let out a small cry, and then continued sleeping,” says the mother of three.

Saario emphasizes the importance of providing the medication to at-risk infants immediately after birth. Nirsevimab is given as a single intramuscular injection to all newborns during the RS virus epidemic, as well as to those under three months at the epidemic’s onset. Additionally, the treatment is offered to certain high-risk groups of infants under one year. Older infants receive the antibody during routine health check-ups.