Mazela J, Jackowska T, Czech M, Helwich E, Martyn O, Aleksiejuk P, Smaga A, Glazewska J, Wysocki J. Epidemiology of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Hospitalizations in Poland: An Analysis from 2015 to 2023 Covering the Entire Polish Population of Children Aged under Five Years.
Viruses 2024;
16:704. [PMID:
38793586 PMCID:
PMC11126078 DOI:
10.3390/v16050704]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2024] [Revised: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is an important cause of childhood hospitalizations. The aim of the study was to estimate the rates of RSV-related hospitalizations in children aged less than 5 years in Poland.
METHODS
This retrospective observational cohort study was based on data obtained from the National Health Fund in Poland regarding all acute respiratory tract infections and RSV-coded admissions of children (age < 5 years) to public hospitals between July 2015 and June 2023. Patients were stratified based on the following age groups: 0-1 month, 2-3 months, 4-6 months, 7-12 months, 13-24 months, and 25-60 months.
RESULTS
The number of RSV-related hospitalizations increased every season, both before and through the ending phase of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a shift in the seasonality pattern of RSV infection. Hospitalization rates per 1000 inhabitants were the highest for children aged 0-12 months, reaching 47.3 in the 2022/23 season. Within this group, the highest hospitalization rate was observed for children aged 2-3 months-94.9 in the 2022/23 season. During the ending phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, the observed increase in admission rates was 2-, 4-, and 5-fold the pre-COVID rate for children aged <12 months, 12-24 months, and 25-60 months, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS
In Poland, RSV infections cause a significant burden in hospitalized children aged less than 5 years. RSV-related hospitalizations were most frequent in children aged less than 1 year. The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a shift in the seasonality pattern of RSV infections. After the pandemic, more RSV-related hospitalizations were observed in older children (aged 13 months and older) vs. the pre-pandemic phase.
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