Respiratory syncytial virus infection among children younger than 2 years admitted to a paediatric intensive care unit with extended severe acute respiratory infection in ten Gavi-eligible countries: the RSV GOLD-ICU Network study.

Background: Patient-level data on life-threatening respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection in children in low-income and lower-middle-income countries (LMICs) are scarce, and this scarcity might limit demand for RSV interventions in LMICs who rely on support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. We aimed to describe the characteristics of RSV-positive children younger than 2 years who were admitted to paediatric intensive care units (PICUs) with extended severe acute respiratory infection (eSARI) in Gavi-eligible countries.

Methods: The RSV GOLD-ICU Network study is a 2-year prospective, multicountry, observational study of children younger than 2 years admitted to a PICU with eSARI. The study was conducted at 12 referral hospitals in Bolivia, Cameroon, The Gambia, Ghana, Haiti, Mozambique, Nepal, Nigeria, Sudan, and Tanzania. For comparison with a high-income country, patients were also included from two referral hospitals in the Netherlands. Children were eligible for inclusion if they were aged between 4 days and 2 years, admitted to a PICU, and met the WHO eSARI definition. RSV infection was confirmed within 72 h of PICU admission via a molecular point-of-care test at LMIC study sites and via a PCR test at the Dutch study sites. Clinical data were extracted from admission charts of patients; underlying conditions that were identified at admission were classified as comorbidities. Socioeconomic and demographic data were collected via a written, structured, parental questionnaire.

Findings: Between April 28, 2021, and Sept 30, 2023, we included 2118 children who were admitted to a PICU with eSARI in the ten participating countries. 614 (29·0%; range 23·0-38·2) of 2118 children tested positive for RSV and 608 were included in descriptive analyses as six medical files were lost at one study site and data could not be retrieved. Among all 608 children infected with RSV, 379 (62%) were male and 229 (38%) were female. Median age at testing was 3·0 months (IQR 1·3-7·7). 30 (5%) of 608 children died from RSV infection. RSV fatality occurred at seven of ten participating LMIC study sites and was highest in Tanzania (seven [27%] of 26 children). Median age at testing of children who died with RSV infection was 1·8 months (IQR 1·1-4·2).

Interpretation: To our knowledge, this is the first prospective, multicountry study reporting data from children admitted to a PICU with life-threatening RSV infection in Gavi-eligible countries. As there is no access to intensive care for most children in LMICs, RSV prevention is urgently needed.

Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Translations: For the Arabic, Portuguese, Hausa and Nepali translations of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.