A French study of 528,000 infants found that nirsevimab (Beyfortus), the RSV monoclonal antibody, does more than prevent RSV. It also cut invasive pneumococcal disease hospitalizations by 36%.
The connection: RSV infection makes babies more susceptible to bacterial coinfections, including deadly pneumococcal meningitis and sepsis. Prevent the virus, and you also reduce the bacterial follow-on.
All 6 deaths in the study occurred in the non-immunized group. Zero in the immunized group. The protective effect lasted at least 9 months.
Important caveat: this is a single observational study, not a randomized trial. The authors and independent experts both say confirmation is needed.
Read more:
thelancet.com/journals/laninf/…
cidrap.umn.edu/respiratory-syn…
