Year-Round Respiratory Syncytial Virus Transmission in The Netherlands Following the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Prospective Nationwide Observational and Modeling Study
Yvette N. Löwensteyn, Zhe Zheng, Neele Rave, Michiel Bannier, Marie‐Noëlle Billard, Jean‐Sébastien Casalegno, Virginia E. Pitzer, Joanne Wildenbeest, Daniel M. Weinberger, Louis Bont, Marlies Vermaas-van Putten, Elly A. Smit-Kleinlugtenbeld, Marieke G. Peetsold, Martijn van der Kuip, Hans van Goudoever, Britt van Keulen, Anouk Boot, Robin Q.H. Kloos, Sandy van Gool, Yvonne Snepvangers, Anke Kuijpers, Negassi Menelik, Stephanie de Crom, C.J. Miedema, Gavin W. ten Tusscher, Jet van Giessen, Ronald de Moor, Marianne Faber, Mijke Breukels, Vincent W. V. Jaddoe, Liesbeth Duijts, Claire Lutterman, Ilka Vink, Gerdien A. Tramper‐Stranders, Annemarie Oudshoorn, Astrid Ritman, Gerdien Dubbink-Verheij, Jantien Bolt, Cagri Cakir, Edwin Rietveld, Jolita Bekhof, Edmond H.H.M. Rings, Jara de Swart, Gertjan J. Driessen, Rienus A. Doedens, Lieke Nijssen, Lonneke van Onzenoort‐Bokken, Ruud W.H. Meijneke, Machteld van Scherpenzeel, Tina E. Faber, Femke de Groof, Sarah Schouten, Julia van de Zande, Monique op de Coul, Stefanie Henriet, Kim Stol, Maaike van Rossem, Monique Jacobs, Marlies van Houten, Roy Zuurbier, Frans B. Plötz, Andra de Vries, Rinske van der Heide, Anneke van Boekholt, Gieneke Gonera de Jong, Amara Nassar‐Sheikh Rashid, Manouck Roelofs, Károly Illy, Naomi E. Reijmerink, Stefan van Dorth, Saskia Schipper, Philippe Rosias, Anne Teirlinck
Abstract
We initiated a nationwide prospective study to monitor respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)-related pediatric hospitalizations in 46 hospitals throughout the Netherlands between May 2021 and August 2022. We showed year-round RSV transmission in the Netherlands after an initial 2021 summer outbreak. The pattern was unprecedented and distinct from neighboring countries. We extended a dynamic simulation model to evaluate the impact of waning immunity on pediatric RSV hospitalizations in the Netherlands using 4 different scenarios. Our results suggest that the observed continuous RSV transmission pattern could be associated with waning immunity due to the period of very low RSV circulation during the COVID-19 pandemic.