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Observational Study
. 2024 Apr 29;16(5):704.
doi: 10.3390/v16050704.

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

Jan Mazela  1 , Teresa Jackowska  2 , Marcin Czech  3 , Ewa Helwich  4 , Oliver Martyn  5 , Pawel Aleksiejuk  6 , Anna Smaga  7   8 , Joanna Glazewska  7 , Jacek Wysocki  9
Affiliations
Observational Study

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

Jan Mazela et al. Viruses. .

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.

Keywords: Poland; RSV; acute respiratory tract infections; epidemiology; public health; respiratory syncytial virus.

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Conflict of interest statement

O.M. and P.A. are employees of and may own shares/stock options in Sanofi. A.S. and J.G. are employees of PEX Sp. z o.o., who were contracted by Sanofi to conduct the study. J.W., T.J., M.C., E.H., and J.M. received consultancy renumeration from Sanofi as scientific experts to support the design, conduct, and interpretation of the RESPIPOL (RSV00066) study. There was no reimbursement related to authorship of the presented manuscript. J.M. reports research grants from Sanofi; consulting fees and honoraria from Sanofi, AstraZeneca, GSK, and MSD; support for attending meetings/travel from MSD, Sanofi, HIPP, Nestle, Chiesi, and Danone; patents planned/issued/pending with Discovery Laboratories; participation in a data safety monitoring board for Advent Therapeutics; and board membership of the Polish Perinatal Society and Polish Neonatal Society. M.C. has received advisory board, consulting/advisory, and lecture honoraria from AbbVie, Amgen, Boehringer Ingelheim, Biogen, BMS, GSK, Janssen, MSD, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, Pro.med, Roche, Sanofi, Takeda, Teva, and UCB. E.H. has received lecture honoraria from Astra Zeneca. J.W. reports clinical trial payments from Pfizer and GSK; honoraria for lectures, presentations, and participation in advisory boards from Pfizer, Sanofi, GSK, Viatris Mylan, and AstraZeneca; and support for attending meetings and travel from Sanofi and Pfizer.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Number of RSV-related hospitalizations and hospitalization rates per 1000 in children aged <5 years, by season in 8 consecutive seasons, Poland.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Number of hospitalizations per month in 8 consecutive seasons in children aged <5 years, Poland.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Proportion of RSV-related hospitalizations among all ARTI hospitalizations in 8 consecutive seasons in children aged <5 years, Poland.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Rates of RSV- and ARTI-related hospitalizations in 8 consecutive seasons in children aged <5 years, Poland.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Impact of age groups on the total number of RSV-related hospitalizations by age group across seasons, children < 5 years old, Poland.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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