Angelina Pediatrics offers a powerful antibody injection to protect infants from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), the leading cause of infant hospitalization. This shot is available October 1 through March 31 each year in order to protect all infants under 8 months of age as well as some older babies who are at increased risk of severe illness caused by RSV.
The immunization is a long-acting monoclonal antibody product, which has been shown to reduce the risk of hospitalizations by over 80% and to also reduce the number of doctor visits and complications such as ear infections. Monoclonal antibodies are man-made proteins that mimic the antibodies that our bodies naturally produce.
According to the CDC, RSV is one of the most common causes of childhood respiratory illness and results in annual outbreaks of respiratory illnesses in all age groups. An estimated 58,000 to 80,000 children under 5 years of age, most of them infants, are hospitalized each year nationwide due to RSV infection. Each year, an estimated 100 to 300 children younger than 5 years of age die due to RSV.
The CDC recommends one dose of this antibody for all infants who are born during RSV season or who are younger than 8 months old and are entering their first RSV season. Children who are between the ages of 8 and 19 months who are at increased risk of severe RSV disease, such as children who are severely immunocompromised, are recommended to receive a second dose the following season.
Nirsevimab, which was approved in 2023 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is administered as an injection and provides critical protection during a baby’s first RSV season, when they’re most at risk for severe illness. Side effects are limited to a less than 1% chance of rash or swelling at the injection site.
For more information about this RSV shot, contact Angelina Pediatrics at (936) 634-9233 or The Children's Clinic (936) 634-2214 and speak with one of our medical providers.
