Maternal RSV vaccination reduces infant hospitalizations in Australia and UK

Maternal RSV vaccination programs in Australia and the United Kingdom are showing significant success in reducing infant hospitalizations related to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

In Australia, the STREETON study, published in JAMA Pediatrics, found that the maternal RSV vaccination program reduces the risk of RSV-related hospitalizations by over 80% during an infant’s first six months of life. Researchers from The Kids Research Institute Australia noted that protection was highest in the earliest months, reaching 86.3% effectiveness for infants up to two months of age. The study analyzed 1,012 infants hospitalized with acute respiratory illness across nine Australian hospitals.

In the United Kingdom, data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) indicates that the maternal vaccination program has led to a 50% drop in infants admitted to intensive care or high dependency units for confirmed RSV chest infections. Comparing the 2025-26 winter to the 2024-25 period, admissions in participating NHS trusts fell from 131 to 63 infants under six months of age. The program, which began in late 2024, works by boosting the mother’s immune system to pass antibodies through the placenta to the newborn.