Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42797588›Full record

ReviewVaccines2026

Maternal Immunization Against Respiratory Syncytial Virus: An Updated WAidid Consensus Document on Evidence, Implementation, and Public Health Priorities.

Susanna Esposito, Matteo Riccò, Bahaa Abu-Raya, Giancarlo Icardi, Vana Spoulou, David Greenberg, Oana Falup Pecurariu, Ivan Fan-Ngai Hung, Albert Osterhaus, Vittorio Sambri and 1 more

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Vaccines, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Susanna EspositoPediatric Clinic, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, 43126 Parma, Italy.ORCID 0000-0003-4103-2837
Matteo RiccòServizio di Prevenzione e Sicurezza Negli Ambienti di Lavoro (SPSAL), AUSL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Via Amendola 2, 42122 Reggio Emilia, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-6525-2159
Bahaa Abu-RayaCanadian Center for Vaccinology, Dalhousie University, IWK Health Centre and the Nova Scotia Health Authority, Halifax, NS B3K 6R8, Canada.
Giancarlo IcardiDepartment of Health Sciences (DISSAL), University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy.
Vana SpoulouImmunobiology and Vaccinology Research Laboratory and Infectious Diseases Department "MAKKA", First Department of Paediatrics, "Aghia Sophia" Children's Hospital, Athens Medical School, 11527 Athens, Greece.ORCID 0000-0001-5467-0630
David GreenbergPediatric Infectious Diseases Unit, Soroka University Medical Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University, Beer Sheva 8410501, Israel.
Oana Falup PecurariuChildren's Clinical Hospital Brasov, 500063 Brasov, Romania.ORCID 0000-0003-1972-6859
Ivan Fan-Ngai HungDivision of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Queen Mary Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR 999077, China.ORCID 0000-0002-1556-2538
Albert OsterhausResearch Center for Emerging Infections and Zoonoses, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, 30559 Hannover, Germany.ORCID 0000-0001-6535-3497
Vittorio SambriUnit of Microbiology, The Greater Romagna Area Hub Laboratory, 47522 Cesena, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-5012-7355
Nicola PrincipiDepartment of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-3468-5568

Funding

World Association for Infectious Diseases and Immunological Disorders WAidid-2025-12
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundRespiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major cause of lower respiratory tract disease and hospitalization in early infancy. The availability of maternal RSVpreF vaccination and long-acting infant monoclonal antibodies has created two effective but operationally distinct pathways for passive protection.

methodsThis WAidid consensus document focuses on maternal RSV immunization within an integrated early infancy prevention strategy. A multidisciplinary Consensus Development Group reviewed evidence on infant RSV burden and seasonality, maternal vaccine efficacy and effectiveness, transplacental antibody transfer, long-acting monoclonal antibodies, implementation, equity, and economic considerations. Recommendations were developed using a modified Delphi process with a prespecified consensus threshold of at least 75% agreement.

resultsMaternal vaccination can provide protection from birth when administered sufficiently before delivery, whereas direct infant monoclonal antibody prophylaxis provides rapid protection independent of maternal immune response and placental transfer. The relative value of the two approaches depends on gestational age, vaccination-to-delivery interval, infant risk, birth timing, local RSV circulation, antenatal care access, product availability, and cost. Post-pandemic disruption of RSV seasonality increases the importance of flexible strategies that protect infants born outside historically defined seasonal windows. Direct head-to-head evidence remains limited; therefore, policy decisions should integrate trial efficacy, emerging real-world effectiveness, implementation feasibility, and local epidemiology rather than assume universal superiority of one strategy.

conclusionsMaternal vaccination and infant monoclonal antibodies should be positioned within a coordinated prevention pathway. Maternal vaccination may serve as the principal strategy for appropriately timed pregnancies with reliable antenatal access, while infant monoclonal antibodies are particularly important when maternal vaccination is absent, too close to delivery, or potentially ineffective, or when the infant is preterm or otherwise at increased risk. Surveillance and locally adapted implementation are essential to maintain protection as RSV epidemiology evolves.

Indexed as

infant protectionlower respiratory tract infectionmaternal immunizationmaternal vaccinationrespiratory syncytial virusRSV

Identifiers

PMID42797588
PMCPMC13611319

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.