A new vaccine to prevent bronchiolitis in babies was released in Brazil by Anvisa. It is Abrysvo, from the company Pfizer, which fights the respiratory syncytial virus.
Bronchiolitis is an inflammation of the bronchi that can seriously affect young children and babies.
The vaccine is recommended for children from birth to 6 months of age. However, the vaccine is not administered directly to the baby, it is administered to the mother, in the second or third trimester of pregnancy.
The vice-president of Immunization at the São Paulo Pediatrics Society, Renato Kfouri, says that the vaccine joins another that offers ready-made antibodies directly to the baby. Both with efficiency above 80%. “Both have shown in studies that allowed the licensing of efficacy in prevention, especially of severe forms caused by the essential virus, very good. Above 80%.”
According to Renato Kfouri, bronchiolitis is one of the main causes of hospitalization in children in the first year of life and 80% of cases are caused by the respiratory syncytial virus. “Reducing the burden of RSV disease means protecting these children from hospitalization, visits to emergency services, and the use of antibiotics. And more than that, the impact of RSV often occurs not only in the acute phase, but also in long term. Children infected early often develop a recurrent wheezing sound.”
According to Anvisa, side effects such as pain at the vaccination site, headache and muscle pain were observed. The evidence, however, showed that the benefits of the vaccine are greater than the risks.
