Infant respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) immunisation coverage in an Australian regional area, 1 May 2024 – 31 October 2025

Authors

  • Dr William H Roughan Department of Paediatrics, Sunshine Coast University Hospital, Queensland, Australia
  • Mr Brett Cavanagh-Ochiai Sunshine Coast Public Health Unit, Sunshine Coast Health Service, Queensland, Australia
  • Ms Donna Barnekow Sunshine Coast Public Health Unit, Sunshine Coast Health Service, Queensland, Australia
  • Ms Kaylene Lottkowitz Sunshine Coast Public Health Unit, Sunshine Coast Health Service, Queensland, Australia
  • Mr Keppel Schafer Nursing Service Director Women and Children Service, Sunshine Coast University Hospital, Queensland, Australia
  • Dr Laxmi Camadoo Department of Paediatrics, Sunshine Coast University Hospital, Queensland, Australia
  • Professor Nicolas R Smoll Sunshine Coast Public Health Unit, Sunshine Coast Health Service, Queensland, Australia; Griffith University, Biostatistics Unit, Queensland, Australia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33321/cdi.2026.50.031

Keywords:

immunisation, vaccination, immunisation coverage, respiratory syncytial virus, RSV, paediatrics, public health

Abstract

The recent introduction in Australia of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) immunisations — nirsevimab (neonatal) and Abrysvo (antenatal) — offers potential to reduce the RSV burden in infants. A retrospective cohort study included all infants born at Sunshine Coast University Hospital between 1 May 2024 and 31 October 2025. Of 5,116 infants, 71.7% (3,669/5,116) received valid RSV immunisation: 45.2% through nirsevimab only and 26.4% through antenatal Abrysvo only. During May–December 2024, RSV coverage was achieved exclusively through neonatal nirsevimab. Following Abrysvo's introduction in January 2025, a progressive shift in immunisation composition occurred: among RSV-vaccinated infants, the proportion protected through nirsevimab alone fell from 100% in December 2024 to 13.5% by October 2025, while those protected by Abrysvo alone rose correspondingly from 0% to > 85.0%. Overall RSV coverage remained stable throughout the study period (66.2–77.9%) and throughout the transition period January–October 2025 (66.2–74.9%). Coverage was comparable to Australian and United States estimates but lagged European benchmarks. Abrysvo's introduction maintained rather than improved population-level protection. These findings highlight the need to investigate barriers to RSV immunisation uptake to optimise infant protection.

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References

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Published

26/05/26

How to Cite

Roughan, William, Brett Cavanagh-Ochiai, Donna Barnekow, Kaylene Lottkowitz, Keppel Schafer, Laxmi Camadoo, and Nicolas Smoll. 2026. “Infant Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Immunisation Coverage in an Australian Regional Area, 1 May 2024 – 31 October 2025”. Communicable Diseases Intelligence 50 (May). https://doi.org/10.33321/cdi.2026.50.031.

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